1904 Columbia Heights Real Estate Ad
Check out this great old advertisement from The Evening Star back in 1904. It shows a number of great properties for sale in then-new Columbia Heights, which was booming with development. Source: Library of Congress
Horse Dealers Claim Automobiles a Fad
This is a great old article that we dug up in The Washington Post from May 14th, 1900. We see this same ignorance or protectionist tendencies to this day. Look at taxis versus Uber and Lyft, or...
U.S. Senate Imposes 50 Percent Tariff on Foreign Cars
No more foreign cars! They’re an abomination and a detriment to our economy … and society at large. Or so said many nearly 110 years ago. No, this wasn’t Trump’s America, it was the land of...
Wright Brothers Fly Over Fort Myer in 1909
We posted another piece about this event a while back. This is a much higher resolution image from the event at Fort Myer. Source: Library of Congress
Then and Now View of Lord Fairfax House in Alexandria
Here’s a great photo of the Lord Fairfax House at 607 Cameron Street in Alexandria. By the way, Lord Fairfax was the Baron of Cameron, hence the street name. Source: Library of Congress And here’s the...
Can You Identify This 1906 Building?
Whoa, how cool is this old colorized photo. You’re looking at a “horseless carriage” back in 1906. The passenger is Senator George P. Wetmore of Rhode Island. Can anyone identify the building in the background? Source:...
Incredible 1904 Photo of the Willard Hotel
This is one of the best photos we’ve uncovered in quite a while. Click on it for more. This is the new Willard Hotel around this year 1904. What a beautiful building, which thankfully still stands....
The Area Around the World Bank in 1903
Thanks for the great opportunity to speak at the World Bank today. I gave the room a sneak peek at this map today and am posting it for all others now. Check it out below. Source:...
Stunning Old Raleigh Hotel, Lost Forever
You’re going to love this amazing photo of a long-lost building in our city. You’re looking at the old Raleigh Hotel, formerly located at 12th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW. It’s so sad that these iconic structures...
Early 1900s Wisconsin Ave. Real Estate
You could hand your own piece of Wisconsin Avenue real estate for only $50 down back in 1908. Not a bad deal!
Photo of U.S. House of Representatives When Laws Were Once Passed
This photo shows the old United States House of Representatives in a time when laws were passed, senators would verbally spar on the floor, and spend the evening socializing over whiskey and cigars. The good old days.
Tennallytown in 1903
What … did I spell this incorrectly? Nope, but you should checkout this post about the history of the neighborhood’s name. This map shows the area back in 1903 and it’s fascinating to see up close....
1903 Map of National Mall’s East End
Okay, it’s been a really long time since we posted anything. Life gets busy when you have Ghost Toddler and a new Ghost Baby. But, a few extra hours after an evening when they both went...
Never Built Hamilton Circle at Massachusetts and Idaho
Wait, Hamilton Circle? Do you know where that is? Probably not, because it was never completed. The neighborhood surrounding the circle was once dubbed Fairview Heights, which no longer seems to appear on any contemporary maps....
1904 Capitol Hill Real Estate Ad
This cool old advertisement from 1904 shows some homes at 11th and D St. NE for sale. It looks like each building sold for $5,200 and could get rent of about $540 per year! Source: Library...
Chevy Chase: Premier Among Washington Suburbs
This great old advertisement from The Washington Times was printed in 1913. Click on it for some great details and read through the copy. Source: Library of Congress Here’s an excerpt from the piece above. Chevy Chase...
Orville Wright’s Flight Record at Fort Myer in 1909
On July 27th, 1909, Orville Wright sets the flight duration record at Ft. Myer. The flight was over 40 miles with an average speed of also over 40 miles per hour. Source: Library of Congress Below...
What Did It Look Like Before the Jefferson Memorial?
Check out this great photo from 1908. The Jefferson Memorial wasn’t completed until 1943, so this is what the area looked like for another 35 years. Source: Flickr user Rob Ketcherside