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1930s

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.

13th and F Street NW, Washington, DC in 1935

November 9, 2022March 1, 2016 by ghostsofdc
October 1935. Washington, D.C. "Capital Transit buses, F and 13th sts. NW." Just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street.

A 1935 photograph of the intersection of 13th and F Street NW in Washington, DC. Click through for the full-resolution version.

Categories Faces & Places of Yesterday Tags 1930s, Transit 1 Comment

A Look Back at a 1932 Parade in Washington, D.C.

November 9, 2022February 2, 2016 by ghostsofdc
1932 parade in Washington, D.C.

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!

Categories Faces & Places of Yesterday Tags 1930s 2 Comments

Can You Identify This Parking Lot in DC from 1938?

November 9, 2022October 10, 2015 by ghostsofdc
Parking lot in DC, April 1938

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.

Categories Faces & Places of Yesterday Tags 1930s 6 Comments

A Look Back at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Circa 1931

November 9, 2022September 30, 2015 by ghostsofdc
Washington, D.C., circa 1931. "Fifteenth Street at Pennsylvania Avenue." Note the traffic lights, which made their D.C. debut in 1926, as well as the traffic-cop gazebo at center ("NO LEFT TURN") and streetcar switch tower to its left. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative.

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

Categories Faces & Places of Yesterday Tags 1930s, Pennsylvania Avenue 2 Comments

A Look Back in Time – President Herbert Hoover with Boys and Girls at the White House

April 27, 2026August 10, 2015 by ghostsofdc

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

Categories Notable People & Places Tags 1930s, Politics, The White House 2 Comments

Exploring Walter Johnson’s Post-Baseball Life Through Hunting Dogs

November 9, 2022May 22, 2015 by ghostsofdc
Walter Johnson and his son Eddie in 1938

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!

Categories Notable People & Places Tags 1930s, Walter Johnson 5 Comments

Federal Triangle History: The Story Behind A Name

April 26, 2026May 15, 2015 by ghostsofdc
Aerial view of Pennsylvania Avenue looking west, showing Federal Triangle and the National Mall. (2006)

The name “Federal Triangle” replaced “Pennsylvania Avenue Triangle” as federal buildings rose in the 1920s. The shape of the land gave it both names.

Categories Notable People & Places, Why Is It Named...? Tags 1920s, 1930s, Federal Triangle, Murder Bay 4 Comments

1939 Tourist Footage of Washington

November 9, 2022May 11, 2015 by ghostsofdc

Check out this great film footage of Washington, D.C. from back in 1939.

Categories Faces & Places of Yesterday Tags 1930s 6 Comments

A Look Back: Comparing FDR, Eisenhower, and Obama Inauguration Photos

April 27, 2026April 6, 2015 by ghostsofdc
Aerial view of U.S. Capitol and crowd on the grounds of the east front of the U.S. Capitol, during the inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, March 4, 1933

Take a look back at history with photos of historic inaugurations of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Barack Obama. See how the ceremonies have changed over the years!

Categories Historical Events Tags 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Politics 5 Comments
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