Ghosts of DC

Try an address, a neighborhood, a name or a year, like “14th and U” or “1968.”

Not sure where to start?
The Best OfThe stories readers come back to If Walls Could TalkWho lived in that house? Why Is It Named…?How DC places got their names This Day in HistoryWhat happened on today’s date
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Why Is It Named...?

The origin stories behind Washington, DC street names, neighborhood names, and landmark names. Who were these places named for?

48 stories
soldiers stand guard on Chain Bridge during the Civil War (Library of Congress)Why Is It Called Chain Bridge? The 1810 Suspension Bridge That Actually Had ChainsFeb 14, 20131791 L'Enfant Plan of the new cityWhy Is There No J Street in Washington, DC?Jan 30, 2013EpisodeGeorgia Ave. street signThe Political Pressure behind Renaming Georgia Avenue in DCJan 22, 2013Takoma advertisement in the Sunday Herald - June 14th, 1891Takoma Park History and What “Takoma” MeansJan 15, 2013Clyde’s of Georgetown: The History Behind the Restaurant and Its NameNov 26, 2012Rockville, MarylandWhy Is Montgomery County Named That? The Story of General Richard MontgomeryNov 7, 2012Francis Preston Blair's Silver Spring estate house, photographed for the Library of Congress in the 1860sSilver Spring, Maryland: History of the Name and Francis Preston BlairOct 24, 2012Bloomingdale row houses (source: gullivers-nest.blogspot.com)Why Is It Named Bloomingdale? The $600 Estate Behind DC’s Trendiest NeighborhoodOct 22, 2012Why Did They Rename B Street to Constitution Avenue?Feb 21, 2012
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