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.
In these 1966 drawings, train cars roll under Connecticut Avenue, but above Rock Creek. These amazing early Metro plans never came to fruition. They depict the Red Line between Dupont Circle and Woodley Park.
How much did a train ticket cost from Washington to St. Louis in 1854? We found the answer in an old advertisement: $26.50 – roughly $660 in today’s money. Compare this with a flight today, which costs around $280.
In 1890, a large number of Washingtonians wanted to keep the dangerous Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station at 6th and B Streets NW, where Garfield was shot. Read on to learn more of the story!
Rare photos of the Dupont Circle Metro station during construction in the early 1970s, before the first trains ran in 1976.
Take a look back in time to 1897 and explore the proposed highway changes to Washington, DC. Read the full article from The Evening Star to learn more about the fascinating history of the city.
Imagine if the Kennedy Center had its own Metro station. Here’s an article from the Washington Post from 1966 that explores the estimated cost and feasibility of making this a reality.
Before the first train ran, WMATA produced an infomercial to build public excitement for the new Washington Metro.
The proposed subway would start near Key Bridge, running to Massachusetts Avenue at a point near Union Station and then eastward to the edge of the District.
Read this fascinating article from the Washington Post from April 8th, 1941, when only Boston, New York and Philadelphia had subways. Learn about the traffic problem in Washington at the time and the possibility of a subway being built.
