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Category: Other Cool Stuff

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Exploring Southwest D.C. in 1899 and Now: The Aftermath of the 1899 Blizzard
Explore Southwest D.C. in 1899 and now! See a photo of the aftermath of the 1899 blizzard, and the same view today. See what the area looked like after the blizzard and how it looks now.
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Coldest Day Ever in Washington, DC at -15 Degrees Fahrenheit
The coldest day ever in Washington was in 1899. On February 11th, it was recorded to be -15 degrees fahrenheit.
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A Look Back: A Photo of the Government Printing Office on North Capitol St.
Take a look back at a really cool old photo of the Government Printing Office off of North Capitol St. Don't miss this great story about a man who worked at the GPO and his family!
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How Much Did a Taxi Cost in DC in 1947? Unbelievable Rates Revealed
Take a look at what it cost to take a taxi in Washington D.C. in 1947. You won't believe your eyes when you see the unbelievable rates revealed in this article from The Washington Post. Plus, find out who is taking a cab from D.C. to Charlottesville or Gettysburg.
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Ex-Slave Visits With FDR at White House
Watching the Oscars and thinking of 12 Years a Slave, we were wondering if and when a former slave visited the White House as a guest. I also suspect that this has happened more than once, so after digging in The Washington Post, we were able to uncover a great story about a former slave who visited with President Roosevelt. Washington Post headline Below is the article detailing the meeting...
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Duke vs. George Washington University at Duke Stadium (1948)
Check out this program. It’s for the Duke vs. GWU football game, held on November 13th, 1948 at Duke. Duke vs. GWU (1948) Source: Duke University Libraries Duke was pretty average in 1948, going 4-3-2 under coach Wallace Wade. GWU was similarly mediocre at 4-6 with coach Bo Rowland. Well, Duke smashed GWU in a horribly lopsided game, 62 to nothing.
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A Photo Shared by GoDC Reader Carol and a Former Tomb Guard's Perspective
Carol shared a cool photo with us, and we're hoping to get some insight from a former Tomb Guard. GoDCer Ben, can you add your comments below? See the photo and find out more here!
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Inspired by Baltimore Photo We Found on Japan Space Imaging Website
We were inspired by a photo we found of Baltimore on the Japan Space Imaging website, thanks to Google. Check out the amazing picture and find out where to find more on the website!
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1852 Bank of the United States Dollar Bill
How cool is this? It’s an 1852 dollar bill issued by the Bank of the United States. Bank of the United States – $1 bill (1852) Source: currencyquest.com
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Gem Thief Holds Hundreds at Bay: A Crazy Crime Story at the Gayety Theatre
Explore the crazy crime story of the 1922 gem thief who held hundreds at bay in Washington, D.C. near the Gayety Theatre. Read the full story and see a 1921 map of the area.
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Film Footage of Union Station in 1939
This is some cool old stock footage of the interior at Union Station. Source: Archive.org Don’t forget to check out this great photo of the station in 1963.  
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Back in 1892: What Adams Morgan Looked Like Before the Jumbo Slices
Take a look back in time to 1892 and see what Adams Morgan looked like before the jumbo slices. Explore a topographic map from the Library of Congress showing the area with no 18th St. and 16th St. and a much more rural landscape.
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Help Us Identify South Dakota Ave., NE in this 1963 Photo
We found this photo of South Dakota Ave., NE from 1963 at the Library of Congress and need help from GoDCers to identify where these homes are, and if they're still standing today. Have any thoughts?
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Girls Baseball Game on the Mall
This is a shot of some ladies playing baseball on the Mall. Yes, baseball … not softball. The photo is dated October 10th, 1919. girls baseball game in 1919 Source: Library of Congress
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Running a Successful Boarding House in the 1880s
Intersection of 9th and F St. NW (1888) This is a cool article that we found in The Washington Post, printed on October 14th, 1882. It mentions the key components of running a successful boarding house in Washington. To make a success of a boarding house, several things are requisite, the most important of which is to have a thorough knowledge of the business and be able to conduct it in a manner...
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Living in Washington Before Air Conditioning: The President's Miserable Summer
Take a look back at Washington before air conditioning and how the President's summer was made miserable by the heat. Learn more about the history of Washington DC before modern comfort.
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The Washington Post Story of Austria Owing the District Back Taxes 50 Years Ago
On this date, 50 years ago, The Washington Post printed a story about the government of Austria owing the District back taxes on their embassy for lack of payment during World War II. The Austrians have been billed since the property was registered in their name the whole time. Find out if the bill was ever paid.
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The Arrival of Metro in Brookland: Remembering an Article from 1977
Brookland is now an up-and-coming neighborhood in Washington DC, but it wasn't always this way. In 1977, the Washington Post printed an article about how Metro was about to arrive. Read on to learn more about the past and present of this DC neighborhood.
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National Park Shutdown Ruins Weddings, But Some Find Hope
The government shutdown has ruined wedding plans for dozens of couples across the country, but some have found hope in the form of backup venues and even a wedding on TV! Read about the human element of this story in our latest blog post.
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Unearthing an Old Clip: Gonzaga's School Bus from 1923
Take a look back at the past with this old clip from the Washington Post from September 30th, 1923. It shows an old school bus that Gonzaga had procured to transport their athletic teams around the city and region.
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Did They Do The Harlem Shake? Tales from a 19th Century Washington Dance
Step back in time to the 19th century Washington dance scene! Read this article to find out how people danced, find out who was there, and the all-important question: did they do the Harlem Shake? Learn the answer and more here!
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Who Were The Ballston Skulls?
The Ballston Skulls sounds like a gang. They weren’t. The Skulls played semi-pro football representing the village of Ballston. They played and practiced on a field, known as Ballston Stadium, at Ball’s Crossroads, currently the site of Ballston Common Mall. In 1937, when the Redskins moved here from Boston, the team worked out at the Ballston facility with the Skulls. The Skulls didn’t...
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Opening Day 1913 ... Play Ball!
Walter Johnsons set to take the mound on Opening Day 1913 against the New York Yankees. President Woodrow Wilson to be in attendance.
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Takoma Defeats Petworth in Hotly Contested Game
The good old days of Washington amateur baseball. There were hundreds, if not thousands of articles mentioning match-ups between different neighborhoods. This one from July 23rd, 1900 was especially entertaining. I doubt that a rivalry exists between Takoma and Petworth today. Takoma defeated Petworth in a hotly contested game in the other contest if the Suburban League yesterday. Both teams put...
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The Adoption of a Town Flag for Congress Heights: A 1901 Story
Did you know Congress Heights had a town flag? Read the story of its adoption in 1901, with remarks from Gen. Charles E. Hooker, a Mississippi Congressman at the time. Learn about the design of the flag and the reception for Gen. Hooker afterward.
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Uncovering the History of DSL in Washington DC and Feeling Depressed About It
Uncovering an article from 1996 touting the benefits of the new DSL technology made me a little depressed. I'm still using the same technology today and paying far more than I should. Learn about the history of DSL in Washington DC.
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The Haunting Photograph of Liana de Bayle, Daughter of the Minister of Nicaragua
Get a glimpse of the past with this haunting photograph of Liana de Bayle, daughter of the Minister of Nicaragua. Remind you of the movie Poltergeist? Take a look at this photo from 1938 and see for yourself!
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GoDCer Ben Sends Along a Great Photo of the 1912 Washington Post Baseball Scoreboard
GoDCer Ben sent along a great photo of the Washington Post baseball scoreboard from 1912, the same year the Titanic sank. It's remarkable how this low-tech scoreboard resembles our current day ESPN Gameday and MLB.tv.
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Recovering from the Emotional Trauma of Friday Night: A Personal Buckner and Bartman Moment
Recovering from the emotional trauma of Friday night when the Washington Nationals choked against the Cardinals. It's a personal Buckner and Bartman moment. Read this post to get insight on how to move on from this heartbreaking loss. #NATITUDE
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Crowds Watch Sculptors at Columbus Memorial
Happy belated Columbus Day! D.C. has its own Christopher Columbus memorial prominently positioned in front of Union Station.  Here’s a fascinating set of images from the Washington Times on April 29, 1912 – as workers move a veiled statue of Columbus into place. Text from the article: Throngs of people at all hours of the day, and up until 12 o’clock at night, find a peculiar fascination...
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