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Transit

Long before Metro, Washington moved by streetcar, railroad, and horse-drawn carriage. These posts trace the history of how people got around the capital, from 19th century rail companies to the debates that shaped the modern transit system.

Identifying the Time Period of this Cedar St. Intersection with 4th St. in Takoma Park, DC

November 9, 2022December 2, 2014 by ghostsofdc
View looking from the northwest corner of Cedar and 4th Street NW east down Cedar Street toward the railroad underpass. Image includes a partial view of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad station on the right with a blurred locomotive crossing the underpass and going into the station. The train is headed toward Washington, D.C.

Can someone identify the time period for this intersection of Cedar and 4th Street in Takoma Park, DC? Check out the almost identical view today on Google Street View and see if you can tell!

Categories Faces & Places of Yesterday Tags Takoma, Transit 3 Comments

A Look Back at the 1971 Maps Showing I-95 Cutting Through D.C.

November 9, 2022November 28, 2014 by ghostsofdc
Notice the decked/tunneled section south of Fort Totten, then the over 90-degree turn to the east, then the decked/tunneled section between Galloway Street and Gallatin Street, with the Metrorail Glenmont Route (Red Line trains) following the North Central Freeway (I-95 south of Fort Totten and I-70S north of Fort Totten), and with the Metrorail Greenbelt Route (Green Line trains) following the Northeast Freeway (I-95 east of Fort Totten). The area between Galloway Street and Gallatin Street where the Northeast Freeway was proposed was mostly open fields then and still is now.

Take a look back at 1971 maps of what could have been I-95 cutting through D.C. Today, what is now 395, ends at New York Ave. NW. Get a glimpse into what could have been with these fascinating maps from 1971.

Categories Lost History Tags 1970s, Transit 4 Comments

1968 War Over D.C. Interstate Highways

November 9, 2022November 25, 2014 by ghostsofdc
Proposed 1968 highways

Why are there no interstate highways cutting through Washington? It’s one of the few cities without a major highway right through it. Learn the history going back to the 1960s.

Categories Lost History Tags 1960s, Transit 9 Comments

How Much Did a Taxi Cost in DC in 1947? Unbelievable Rates Revealed

December 8, 2021June 19, 2014 by ghostsofdc
D.C. cab fars in 1947

Take a look at what it cost to take a taxi in Washington D.C. in 1947. You won’t believe your eyes when you see the unbelievable rates revealed in this article from The Washington Post. Plus, find out who is taking a cab from D.C. to Charlottesville or Gettysburg.

Categories From the Crazy Vault Tags 1940s, cars, Transit, Washington Post

Original Subway Planned for Downtown D.C. in 1912

October 18, 2021May 12, 2014 by ghostsofdc
proposed underground streetcar system - 1912

Washington DC almost has a subway started in 1912, well before WMATA and Metro opened in 1976. Learn about what almost was built in the District.

Categories Lost History Tags 1910s, Congress, Transit 1 Comment

Exploring a Metro Map Done with Braille – What Date is This?

November 28, 2019January 14, 2014 by ghostsofdc

Explore a Metro map done with braille and discover its date. This map stops at Silver Spring, so it’s some time before 1990, when Forest Glen was built. Find out more in this blog post.

Categories GoDCers Love Maps Tags 1980s, Transit

The Coolest Map of Washington, DC Ever: A 1921 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Map

April 27, 2026November 1, 2013 by ghostsofdc
1921 B&O map of Washington, DC

This is so cool! Check out this incredible map of Washington, DC from 1921, done by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Explore the city like never before!

Categories GoDCers Love Maps Tags 1920s, Transit 4 Comments

Building the DC Metro: Vintage Construction Photos

December 18, 2022October 18, 2013 by ghostsofdc
Nov 1982 | Crews work to complete the building of the tunnel near Forest Glen Station.

Vintage photos from Metro’s own archives document the decade-long construction of the Washington subway system before it opened in 1976.

Categories Faces & Places of Yesterday Tags 1970s, 1980s, Transit 1 Comment

The Arrival of Metro in Brookland: Remembering an Article from 1977

November 25, 2021October 10, 2013 by ghostsofdc

Brookland is now an up-and-coming neighborhood in Washington DC, but it wasn’t always this way. In 1977, the Washington Post printed an article about how Metro was about to arrive. Read on to learn more about the past and present of this DC neighborhood.

Categories Historical Events Tags 1970s, Brookland, Catholic University, Transit
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