3314 Newark Street and the Robin Hood Club Fire of 1912
In 1912 a boys’ Robin Hood Club shack behind 3314 Newark Street in Cleveland Park caught fire, and three engine companies came. Here’s the house’s story.
Cleveland Park
Cleveland Park is one of Northwest DC’s most architecturally distinctive neighborhoods, full of Victorian cottages, Queen Anne houses, and early 20th century apartment buildings. The neighborhood got its name from President Grover Cleveland, who summered here in the 1880s when the area was still well outside the city. These posts dig into the history behind Cleveland Park’s streets and buildings.
The Whiskey Still Where Eisenhower’s Chief of Staff Lived, and Ran the White House
Halfway down the Rock Creek slope at 2400 Tilden Street NW stands Isaac Peirce’s 1811 whiskey still. In 1954 Sherman Adams moved in and ran the Eisenhower White House from a converted distillery three miles from Lafayette Square.
Marilyn Monroe’s Secret 1957 Visit to Forest Hills DC
In late May 1957, Marilyn Monroe slept on a sofa bed in a Forest Hills den while her husband Arthur Miller stood trial in Federal Court for contempt of Congress. She bicycled the neighborhood in sunglasses, sat by a backyard pool, and held one news conference on the front lawn at 3625 Appleton Street NW. For seven days, the biggest movie star in the world was a houseguest in Northwest DC.
Washington’s First AI Panic Happened in 1950
AI anxiety isn’t new. In 1949, an MIT professor turned down a corporate contract because he feared machines would replace human judgment. A year later, Washington had its own “electronic brain” on Connecticut Avenue. We’ve been having this argument for 75 years.
Reno Road in DC Was Almost Renamed Washington Avenue
In 1959, DC surveyor Francis E. Healy proposed renaming Reno Road NW for Washington state. Nevada Sen. Howard Cannon objected: it honors Gen. Jesse Reno.
Before 2 Amys: The History of 3715 Macomb Street NW
From beauty shop to shoe shop to 2Amys, explore the history of 3715 & 3713 Macomb St. NW in Washington DC. Learn about the expert barber and shoe repairman that used to occupy the space before it changed hands!
1889 Cleveland Park Real Estate Ad
At the time, Grover Cleveland lived north of the city in a lovely old estate called Oak Hill. Eventually, the neighborhood that grew up around his home was named for him: “Cleveland Park”.
How Cleveland Park Got Its Name
In the late 1800s, Cleveland Park was a summer retreat for wealthy Washingtonians, elevated and breezy, far from downtown’s heat.
A Look Back at Connecticut Avenue Highlands (Now Cleveland Park) in 1910
Take a look back at Connecticut Avenue Highlands (now Cleveland Park) in 1910 with this old advertisement. Check out more of our awesome old ads here!