The Great Depression hit Washington differently than most American cities. FDR’s New Deal brought a massive expansion of the federal government, filling the capital with new agencies, new buildings, and hundreds of thousands of new workers. The decade that devastated much of America actually transformed Washington into a modern metropolis.
View a spectacularly illuminated photograph of the Washington Monument in 1933. Click the photo for some great details on the Nation’s Capital during this time!
A 1935 photograph of the intersection of 13th and F Street NW in Washington, DC. Click through for the full-resolution version.
Take a look back in time with these two photos of a 1932 parade in Washington, D.C. from the Library of Congress. See what the city looked like almost 90 years ago!
Take a look at this old photo taken in 1938 of a parking lot in DC. Can you identify where this is? Join the GoDC community and add your thoughts in the comments.
Take a look back at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. circa 1931. See the traffic lights, traffic-cop gazebo, and streetcar switch tower in this amazing old photo
Take a look back in time with this cool old photo showing President Herbert Hoover with a large group of boys and girls at the White House
Dive into the post-baseball life of Washington hero and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Walter Johnson, through his involvement with hunting dogs. Learn where his 130-acre farm near Germantown was located and more!
The name “Federal Triangle” replaced “Pennsylvania Avenue Triangle” as federal buildings rose in the 1920s. The shape of the land gave it both names.
Check out this great film footage of Washington, D.C. from back in 1939.
