Our Best Posts From 2012
It’s hard to believe, but Ghosts of DC was born over seven years ago. We first started posting on January 4th, 2012 with a piece about Nick Altrock, former Washington Senators baseball player and Columbia Heights...
Where Is This on F St. in 1865?
This wonderful old image from the 1860s shows F St. near the end of the Civil War. The details are quite incredible when you click on the photo. I’m a little confused as to where this...
Spanish Embassy on Dupont Circle in 1911
This photo of the old Spanish Embassy is from 1911, showing the building at 1521 New Hampshire Ave. NW, just north of Dupont Circle. Click on it for better details. Source: Library of Congress Check it...
The President and Regular Folks in the 1822 Washington City Directory
Stuff like this is always great to come across. Below is the Washington Directory from 1822 by Judah Delano, which can be found here. Below is the page that’s really interesting. It shows all the regular...
This Was F Street at Night in 1955
This amazing old photo shows F St. NW, looking east from 13th St. in 1955. Pretty cool. Source: Flickr user rockcreek Here’s a similar view today on Google Street View, which is not nearly as cook....
1921 Map of Bellevue Highlands, Southwest D.C.
Take a look at this old map, showing Bellevue at the bottom of the District, or I should say, what would become Bellevue. The map has the area listed as Bellevue Highlands, and surely there were...
Photos of 1940s D.C. Streetcar Life
With all the buzz about whether the H Street streetcar will happen or not, we thought it would be a great idea to share some images of what streetcar living was like back in the middle...
Coldest Day Ever in D.C. at -15 Degrees
You think that it’s cold now? Try living in D.C. back on February 11th, 1899. Thanks to GoDCer Brian, we decided to look into other times when it was freezing here, and we found quite a...
Poor Dog Waiting in Line For Gas Rations
I saw this photo and I had to share it. This is a photo from June 21st, 1942. We were in the early days of World War II and in the middle of rationing. This poor pup was...
1907 Map of Brightwood
Here’s a terrific old map of the area around Brightwood in 1907. GoDCer Ian emailed about this a while ago and we finally got around to sharing it. Enjoy!
1848 Plan of the Senate Chamber
This drawing is a plan of the U.S. Senate chamber for the Thirtieth Congress. Source: Duke University
1925 View Down Pennsylvania Avenue
This is such a great old photo. Click on it for a much more detailed version. Source: Shorpy
Civil War Map of Washington Aqueduct
This is a terrific old map from the Civil War, showing the Washington Aqueduct and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. Source: LIbrary of Congress
1907 Map of Pre-Developed Chevy Chase
We found this cool 1907 map of Chevy Chase, showing a much more rural, pre-developed area. It looks like the Shoemaker family owned quite a bit of land in the area back then. Source: Library of...
Great Aerial Photos of National Airport and Spout Run
Here are two great photos sent in by GoDCer Ken, who was raised in Arlington. The first shot is an aerial photo around Washington National and the Pentagon. The second one is Spout Run near Lee...
Giant Government Printing Office Building in 1909
Here is a really cool old photo of the Government Printing Office off of North Capitol St. Source: Dig DC Don’t miss this great story that we wrote about a man who worked at the GPO...
1932 Apartment Listings for D.C.
Check out rental priced in Washington from 1932. This is going to make you feel bad about what you're paying today.
This is Where Jefferson Davis Lived in D.C.
Check out this cool photo of Jefferson Davis’s old home in D.C. at 1736 I St. NW. Unfortunately, like much of historic Washington, the building no longer stands. This photo was taken in 1913. Source: Dig...
