Browsing Topic

Capitol Hill

1800 Plan of Washington and Capitol Hill Lots

This map is a little difficult to see, but it’s a great old plan of Washington on Capitol Hill. The streets are laid out and the lots and marked. (To orient yourself, up on the map is west.)
The jury that tried Millie Gaines in 1869 for the murder of a white man, and freed her on an insanity please. It was composed of six colored and six white men. This was the first murder trial in the District in which a mixed jury sat. Reading from left to right seated; 2, David Fisher; 4, the Rev. James D. Reed; 6, Leonard C. Bailey. Standing from left to right; 2, Charles Humphries; 4, John A. Gray; 6, Herbert Harris (The Baltimore Afro-American - May 4th, 1935)

First Racially Mixed Jury in Washington

Now this is a truly historic and fascinating story from the annals of untold D.C. history. About a week ago, GoDCer Kicha sent us a great tip on a story from 1869. The story includes an interracial love affair, a...

1863 Photograph Down New Jersey Ave.

This is an incredible view down New Jersey Ave. in 1863. The caption reads: Southeast view with New Jersey Ave. on the right and A Street and B Street (i.e., Independence Ave.) in the foreground; view includes the Washington Navy...
Capitol Hill Haunts - Tim Krepp

Officer Sprinkle and the Haunted Police Station

This is the first guest post by GoDCer Tim. Given that we have “ghosts” in our name and with today being Halloween, it’s appropriate to have a post about the paranormal. Also, don’t forget to check out Tim’s recently released...
Lincoln Park real estate advertisement (Washington Times)

Modern Homes Near Lincoln Park

Real estate ads are one of our favorite things to post. Here is a great one from Saturday, December 13th, 1919. Pull together $7,300 and you can have a nice home near Lincoln Park.
1943. On maneuvers in wartime Washington. "A soldier and a woman in a park, with the Old [Russell] Senate Office Building behind them." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown. Office of War Information.

Man Ogles Woman Near Russell Building (1943)

We’re sharing a ton of great old photos this week and this is a great moment, frozen in time from 1943. It’s a shot of a soldier, sitting near a woman posing for a photograph. If you look closer at...
Capitalsaurus Court street sign

Capitalsaurus: Official Dinosaur of the District (Seriously)

Workers were digging a sewer trench beneath a Capitol Hill street in 1898.  They came upon a few fossil fragments — among them, a 6-inch bone that now represents the largest piece of the District’s controversial “official dinosaur,” the Capitalsaurus....
Map exhibiting the property of the U.S. in the vicinity of the Capitol : colored red, with the manner in which it is proposed to lay off the same in building lots, as described in the report to the Sup't of the city to which this is annexed / BHLatrobe, one of the surveyors of the city of Washington, Dec. 3d 1815.

1815 Map of the Capitol and Its Surroundings

It’s map Friday! Hopefully you liked the last map we posted, because maps seem to be super popular among GoDCers. Check this one out and click on it for greater detail. Related articles 1907 Map of LeDroit Park and Bloomingdale (ghostsofdc.org)...
Ted's Bulletin front (source: tedsbulletin.com)

If Walls Could Talk: Ted’s Bulletin

It has been over two months since our last “If Walls Could Talk” post (Shaw’s Tavern), so it’s high time we crank out another one. We’re going to head down to Barrack’s Row on Capitol Hill to do a little...
Eastern Market after fire renovations (source: Flickr user A Culinary (Photo) Journal)

Three Stories About Eastern Market

This is one of the most popular weekend spots in the city. Who doesn’t love to wander through the aisles of Eastern Market and take in the sights, sounds and smells of the old market? And to think that they...
New Post
Older Post