Washington’s built environment is the product of grand ambitions, fierce debates, and brilliant (and sometimes terrible) ideas across more than two centuries. These posts dig into the buildings, architects, and design decisions that shaped the city we know today.
Take a journey back in time with us and learn about the beautiful row houses that used to occupy K Street NW! Get a glimpse into the past with this old image of the historic row houses at the intersection of 17th and K St. NW.
Take a look back in time to the early 1900s and see what 15th & F Streets, NW looked like with horse carriages and a bicyclist pictured. Fascinating! Here’s the view today on Google Street View.
Pierre L’Enfant’s 1791 plan gave DC one of the most logical street grids in America: numbers running one way, letters the other, and state names on the diagonals.
Take a look back at life in Southwest Washington in the 1950s with this photo of a corner store at 4th and M St. SW. See how the same corner looks today with a Google Maps embed.
Take a look back at what Washington D.C. alleys used to look like when they were filled with tenement housing. Learn more about this piece of history here!
At 16th and K St. NW, there once sat a three story Victorian town home, the site of corrupt political dealings within the Harding administration, This is its story.
Discover the mystery of the smokestack on Capitol Hill! An image sent to us by GoDCer Geoff and a satellite view from Google Maps help us to unravel this mystery. Check out the 1921 Baist map and share your thoughts in the comments!
What if the Washington Monument was built as a pyramid instead of an obelisk? It could have been if this design came to fruition.
Take a trip back in time to see F Street in the 1910s with this incredible old photo. Also, check out photos of F Street from different eras, such as the 1870s, 1860s and the Civil War.
