Washington DC Landmark History

Proposed National Library at Judiciary Square: Two Drawings from 1875-1879

May 5, 2026June 19, 2013 by ghostsofdc

plan for the proposed National Library at Judiciary Square

Explore two drawings of the proposed National Library at Judiciary Square between 1875 and 1879. See what could have been if this plan had been accepted!

A Rare Look at the White House Front Lawn in 1897

April 27, 2026June 11, 2013 by ghostsofdc

view from White House over front lawn in 1897

Take a step back in time and view the White House front lawn in 1897 with this rare image from the Library of Congress. Get a glimpse of what it looked like over 100 years ago!

A Rare Look at Washington, D.C. in 1973

April 27, 2026June 4, 2013 by ghostsofdc

Take a rare look at Washington, D.C. back in 1973! See the White House, Lafayette Park, the Washington Monument, and the Potomac in this amazing shot.

Center Market from the Smithsonian’s Site: Photos from 1909

April 27, 2026May 22, 2013 by ghostsofdc

View of the Center Market of Washington, D.C. from the north entrance of the United States National Museum, now the National Museum of Natural History, on October 16, 1909. There are horse-drawn carriages and carts, vendors, storefronts, and the Old Post Office is in background, center. In the foreground is the large wooden gate to the grounds of the Natural History Building and a small guard house next to it

Photographs from the Smithsonian showing Center Market around 1909, with the Old Post Office Pavilion in the background and the wooden gate to the Natural History Building grounds in the foreground.

Looking Back in Time: A Glimpse of Farragut Square in 1919 through Historical Photographs

April 27, 2026May 20, 2013 by ghostsofdc

Step back in time with a series of captivating photographs of Farragut Square in 1919, taken by the Smithsonian. Discover the tranquil atmosphere and contrasting scenery of the past, and reflect on the social changes and technological advancements that have shaped our world over the last century.

The Capitol in 1900, Seen From the Smithsonian Castle

May 30, 2026May 17, 2013 by ghostsofdc

Looking toward the west side of the United States Capitol building, a panoramic view of the city of Washington, D.C. shows the Mall area in the foreground before the railroad tracks were removed. A train is visible on the tracks. The domed structure in front of the Capitol is the Botanic Garden original octagonal greenhouse of 1859 and behind it the central pavilion added after the Civil War. The buildings were razed in 1932. The Botanic Garden was on a site previously occupied by the Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences in Washington, D.C.

A photograph from the Smithsonian Institution Archives, taken from the Castle around 1900, shows the National Mall as a working industrial yard: the old Botanic Garden greenhouses in the foreground, Baltimore and Potomac Railroad tracks cutting across the grass, the Capitol on the horizon. Within a few years the McMillan Plan would erase all of it.

Proposed National Library at Judiciary Square: Two Drawings from 1875-1879

A Rare Look at the White House Front Lawn in 1897

A Rare Look at Washington, D.C. in 1973

Center Market from the Smithsonian’s Site: Photos from 1909

Looking Back in Time: A Glimpse of Farragut Square in 1919 through Historical Photographs

The Capitol in 1900, Seen From the Smithsonian Castle

November 14th, 1888: A Photo of Riggs Bank – the Dept. of Justice for A.P.A. by Frances Benjamin Johnston

A Closer Look at the Historic Franklin School in the 1920s

The History of Franklin Square: From Natural Spring Water to Civil War Barracks