George O. Totten’s Lost Design for the Calvert Street Bridge
D.C. architect George Oakley Totten Jr. spent 16 years fighting to see his 1917 Calvert Street Bridge design built. Here’s why it never happened.
Adams Morgan
Adams Morgan has been one of Washington’s most vibrant and changeable neighborhoods for more than a century. Known as Washington Heights before it was renamed in the 1950s as a symbol of racial integration, the neighborhood has seen waves of immigration, the birth of DC’s go-go scene, and a transformation from divided enclave to one of the city’s most cosmopolitan addresses.
Temple Heights and Oak Lawn: The Big Empty Parcel North of Dupont That Became the Hinckley Hilton
From an 1820 Nourse farmhouse to a Masonic temple that never got built to the Washington Hilton of 1965, three entirely different DC landmarks used the same ten acres.
1907 Map of Washington Heights (Adams Morgan) and the National Zoo
1907 map of Washington Heights, the area which would become Adams Morgan.
If Walls Could Talk: Madam’s Organ
Today, 2461 18th St. NW is one of the more popular late-night destinations in the rowdy Adams Morgan neighborhood. Far from it’s days as a store where you could buy a crib.
A Look Back at Washington Heights (Adams Morgan) and Kalorama in 1903
Explore what Washington Heights (Adams Morgan) and Kalorama looked like in 1903 with this map of the area just north of Boundary Street (Florida Avenue).
Ghost Dog Visits the Duke Ellington Bridge: Three Stories From This Historic Landmark
The bridge at Calvert Street over Rock Creek opened to a 30,000-person parade on December 19, 1935. Renamed for Ellington in 1974.
In The Paper Series: Exploring The Evening Star Newspaper From June 22nd, 1901
Read through an old newspaper with us! Our new “In The Paper” series lets you explore the Evening Star newspaper from June 22nd, 1901. Let us know if you find anything interesting!
Old Real Estate Ads: Washington Heights in 1904 and the Creation of FIFA
Take a look at an old real estate advertisement from Washington Heights in 1904 and learn about the creation of FIFA one week earlier. Today, Washington Heights is known as Adams Morgan.
Grave Robbing in Walter Pierce Park: The Story of Vijo Jansen
Learn the story of Vijo Jansen, the notorious “resurrectionist” who was caught grave robbing in Walter Pierce Park in the 19th century. Read about his arrest and the ghastly scene that was discovered in the wagon.