The 1890s were gilded years for Washington, with grand new buildings rising across the capital and the city’s population surging. The Library of Congress opened in 1897, the streetcar network expanded rapidly, and the rowhouses and apartment buildings that define Northwest DC filled in block by block.
Take a journey through the lost neighborhood of Herring Hill in Georgetown, DC. Learn about its history, including an interesting story from 1895, and explore the area with a Google Map!
Discover the shocking reality of opium dens in Washington DC in 1894, as uncovered by The Washington Post. Learn more about the notorious ‘Gypsy Joe’ and ‘Matinee Charley’ who frequented the dens.
Discover the fascinating history of Childs Restaurant in Washington, DC – the chain that originated in New York City and spread southward. Learn about the unique building of the Massachusetts Ave. location and more.
In the late 1800s, Cleveland Park was a summer retreat for wealthy Washingtonians, elevated and breezy, far from downtown’s heat.
The coldest day ever in Washington was in 1899. On February 11th, it was recorded to be -15 degrees fahrenheit.
Explore the similarities between Georgetown students from 1895 and 1937 in this blog post. See photos of the classic 1937 photo of a Georgetown student flipping the bird and a sassy lady from Eastern High School.
Logan Circle wasn’t always Logan Circle. This 1892 map shows it as Iowa Circle — the name it carried until the late 19th century. The surrounding streets and lots reveal a neighborhood mid-development.
Late 19th-century Rosslyn was a vice district of saloons and gambling dens. The ravine known as Dead Man’s Hollow was its most dangerous corner of all.
There once was a great suburban Washington estate called Tunlaw in what is today Wesley Heights. It stood at 45th and Klingle.
