Columbia Heights sits at the center of one of Washington’s most dramatic stories of rise, fall, and revival. Once a thriving streetcar neighborhood, it was devastated by the riots that followed Dr. King’s assassination in 1968 and spent decades in decline before a remarkable turnaround in the early 2000s. These posts trace the full arc of Columbia Heights history.
Discover the story of Herbert Haft’s Columbia Heights development agreement, which was canceled after 15 years of litigation and very little construction. Learn how the area has been transformed since then.
Explore the transformation of Columbia Heights through photos from 1918-1922. See how the northeast corner of 14th and Irving St. NW looks today compared to the past. Get a glimpse of the area with photos from the Library of Congress and Google Street View.
Take a journey back in time with this old map of Columbia Heights and 16th St. NW. Click on it for a larger version and explore to see what you recognize. Who knows, maybe you’ll see your place. There are quite a few buildings still standing!
Take a look back in time with these amazing apartment advertisements from July 3rd, 1932. These were printed in The Washington Post and feature buildings that still stand today. We’ve got more amazing listings to share later this week – stay tuned!
Take a journey back in time with us as we explore the past with an 1892 map of the rural area around Tenley and a 1904 book about Columbia Heights. Learn more about the history of the area!
Get a look back in time to see the undeveloped Columbia Heights of 1903! Read about the name changes and see the old map from the Library of Congress. Share it with your friends on Facebook!
Time-travel back to 1939 and check out this old advertisement from Acme Markets at 14th and Park Rd. NW. Believe it or not, bread was only 7 cents a loaf, and legs of lamb were 20 cents a pound!
We dug up three stories about McKinley Tech in Washington DC: their football dynasty, star athlete “Snookie” Kernan, and a tragic auto accident involving a graduate. Enjoy this post on the history of McKinley Tech!
A 1951 photograph of 11th and Kenyon Street NW captures Columbia Heights when it was a thriving middle-class streetcar neighborhood.
