1900s

Willard Hotel in 1907

Here’s another lovely old photo showing the Willard Hotel way back in 1907.

Chevy Chase Map From 1907

This lovely old map shows the development in Chevy Chase in 1907. Looking at Connecticut Ave between Northampton and McKinley you’ll see that’s where they planned to put a public school. Today, that’s where the Chevy...

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
Washington, D.C., circa 1918. "Childs Restaurant, 1423 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative.

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...
The President's 40-horsepower White Model M steam-powered touring car. March 1909. Photographed on the White House grounds in the early days of the Taft administration. In the back is the State Department, now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. George Grantham Bain Collection.

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 plane over Ft. Myer in Arlington - 1909

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
Lord Fairfax House

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...
Washington, D.C., circa 1906. "Senator George P. Wetmore, Rhode Island."

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....
1903 map of area around today's World Bank

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!
House Chamber of the Capitol circa 1908, with a quorum of ghosts in this time exposure.

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....
Evening star., May 07, 1904

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...
The Washington times., May 31, 1903, Magazine Features

1903 Chevy Chase Advertisement

This great old advertisement from The Washington Times was printed in 1903. 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...
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