These are the best posts from Ghosts of DC, the lost and untold history of Washington, D.C.
Explore the fascinating alternate designs for the Lincoln Memorial from 1912, never built but unearthed from the National Archives. Discover John Russell Pope’s imaginative proposals including a pyramid with porticoes, showcased in a series of intriguing images.
A plan was proposed in the 1880s to fill in Rock Creek and begin building an expansion of the city, connecting Georgetown to the rest of the city.
Check out this amazing retro DC Metro infomercial from the 1970s! Thanks to GoDCer Harrison for sharing this awesome find on InTheCapital.
Take a look back at Columbia Heights in 1951 with this photo of 11th and Kenyon St. NW. See the streetcar tracks running down 11th St. and the man crossing Kenyon St. heading back toward 13th St.
Take a look back in time to see what D.C. looked like in 1970 with this amazing photo from DDOT. See how different the city was and how far it has come since then!
Explore the city of Washington D.C. in 1900 with this amazing photo shared by the Smithsonian Archives. See the Mall area in the foreground with a train visible on the tracks before the railroad tracks were removed.
Ballston is named for John Ball and his brother Moses — cousins of George Washington — who owned 257 acres in Arlington in the 1700s. A Ball descendant built a tavern at the crossroads in 1774 that became the heart of the community.
Take a look back at the construction of the Memorial Bridge in the early 1930s with this beautiful shot from the Library of Congress’ Theodor Horydczak collection.
Take a trip back in time to the “Wonder Years” era at Prince George’s Plaza. This open-air mall was actually the inspiration for the mall in the popular 80s show. Check out the photo to get a glimpse of what it looked like back then!
What a stunning historical view of the nation’s capital during the Civil War. Don’t miss this one.
