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1870s

23 Detailed Maps of Washington, D.C. in 1874

These are old maps of Washington in 1874. They're amazingly detailed and are a "manual for business men."

Amazing 1870s Railroad Photos of Washington

These 1870s photos are incredible, showing the District just following the Civil War. Click on them for more details.

1879 Smithsonian Construction

This great old photo shows the Arts and Industries Building on the Mall under construction in 1879. And below we found an interesting 1878 rendering of what the building should look like. And finally, here’s a photo of the building...

1877 Map of Georgetown

This is a great old map of Georgetown. Click on it for greater details. Source: Library of Congress
1876. Photographer: W.W. Core, Washington, D.C. Frederick Douglass is standing on the front lawn of his home on A Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. Other family members are standing out on the front porch on both side of the houses.

Rare Photo of Frederick Douglass in Front of His Home

This amazing find was dug up courtesy of the National Park Service. You’re look at a grainy image of Frederick Douglass standing in front of his home on Capitol Hill at 320 A St. NE. The home still stands today...
1877 view of the Washington Monument under construction as seen from the Tower of the Smithsonian (now the Smithsonian Castle)

Best Photo of Unfinished Washington Monument in 1877

Many of you know that the Washington Monument sat unfinished for decades, an eye-sore of a stump on what would become the National Mall. Here is what it looked like in 1877, as seen from the Smithsonian Castle, so you’re...
Architectural drawing for alterations to the U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. West elevation Summary

1877 Drawing of Proposed Capitol Modifications

Fascinating drawing of the U.S. Capitol from the 1870s showing proposed modifications to the building. This is the west elevation of the building, the opposite side of the National Mall. Source: Library of Congress

Why Is It Named LeDroit Park?

Well, you might not know this, but there really was a Mr. LeDroit … sort of. LeDroit Park was established as one of the first suburbs of Washington, D.C. That’s kind of hard to believe right, since today’s suburbs are...
Bird's-eye view of Washington

What Did D.C. Look Like in 1872?

Here’s a cool bird’s-eye view of the Capitol and the rest of Washington from 1872. Source: Library of Congress
The Real Estate Directory of the City of Washington, D.C., Suburbs of Washington City, Serial Number 50 is a series of maps of recorded subdivisions beyond the city limits published by Faehtz & Pratt in 1874. Maps show streets, lot numbers and dimensions, property lines, and some building footprints. Landowners and estate names are included for large parcels. Outside of Georgetown, subdivision maps showing only property lines indicate that they were undeveloped at that time.

1874 Map of Suburban Mt. Pleasant

This is a great old map, about a decade earlier than this one of Columbia Heights and Mt. Pleasant. Click on it for a larger version to see more details. In this, Howard is Newton St. and Sheridan is Monroe,...
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