World War I “Bombing” on Wisconsin Ave.
Many don’t know the extent of chemical warfare experiment that were conducted on and near the university grounds during the Great War.
1910s
The 1910s brought World War I and a massive wave of federal construction that reshaped downtown Washington. The war brought hundreds of thousands of workers flooding into the city, straining housing, transit, and every civic institution to its limits. Woodrow Wilson’s Washington was also the decade when the federal government was formally segregated.
The Forgotten History of Camp Leach – America’s First Military Chemical Weapons Facility
Discover the forgotten history of Camp Leach, America’s first military chemical weapons facility located on the grounds of today’s American University in upper northwest D.C. Nearly 100,000 employees worked here during World War I. Find out more about this historic site.
Western High School in 1919
Back then it was called Western High School. Washington had that school north of Georgetown, Eastern High School near Capitol Hill and Central High School just north of U St.
A Historical Look at the Old Post Office Pavilion, Now the Waldorf Astoria
Take a look at the Old Post Office Pavilion, now the Waldorf Astoria hotel on Pennsylvania Ave. Learn how the building’s ownership and purpose have changed over the years.
Georgetown University Dorm Life Circa 1913
This is from the Georgetown University archives showing a group of young men gathered in a dorm room in 1913.
Take a Look at This Remarkable View of Pennsylvania Avenue in 1921
Take a look at this remarkable view down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. in about 1921. See the stunning photo and learn more about this historic view of the U.S Capitol.
This Crazy Old Photo Shows Georgetown’s Flooding and the Potomac in 1918
Check out this old photo of Georgetown’s flooding and the Potomac River in 1918. Read more about it at The Georgetown Metropolitan.
Exploring History Through a 1919 Newspaper: The Evening Star
Join us as we explore history through a 1919 newspaper – The Evening Star. We look at stories such as the origin of “Keeping Up With the Joneses” and Dry Detective Slain in Rosslyn. Plus, income exceptions for 1918 babies, driver right-of-way and McLean farm for sale.
How Petworth Was Built: Maps of the Neighborhood from 1903 to 1919
A series of Baist real estate maps shows how Petworth filled in with brick row houses between 1903 and 1919, from bare lots to the blocks around Grant Circle.