The 1960s were a decade of transformation and trauma for Washington. The March on Washington in 1963 brought a quarter million people to the Mall. JFK’s assassination brought the city to a standstill. And the 1968 riots that followed Dr. King’s murder left scars across entire neighborhoods that would take decades to heal.
This post explores the proposed Southside Freeway in Arlington which never came to be. Learn about the 1960 proposal, the public opinion, and why the highway never came to fruition in this post.
Take a look at this rare photo of the Capitol Building from the 1960s. See the Capitol Dome under construction and a lot of cars parked out in front of it – something you’ll never see again!
Take a look at the Washington Navy Yard before, during, and after President Kennedy’s assassination with these aerial views from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
The story of Allen L. Adams, a soldier who dropped out of high school in 1965 to join the Army and was stationed at Ft. Myer in 1967. He disappeared one night, and it wasn’t until 1996 that his body was found in an abandoned building. This unsolved mystery still remains.
A 1965 photograph of the JFK gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery during construction of the Eternal Flame memorial, before it was completed.
Here is some really sad and devastating film footage that we dug up showing the city after the riots of 1968.
Here’s another clip we dug up, which we believe is also from D.C.
A series of photos shows Columbia Heights in the immediate aftermath of the 1968 riots. The Tivoli Theater and the commercial blocks on 14th Street had burned.
The Three Sisters Bridge was first proposed by L’Enfant in 1789 and seven more times after that. The 1967 version nearly got built.
Take a journey back in time with us and check out some old photos of Tysons Corner from the air, parking lots and stores. Click on the images for a larger version!
