Historical photos don’t have to be black and white to be cool right? In this photo from 1968 looking out over Foggy Bottom towards the Potomac and Georgetown, there are all sorts of interesting things. Most fascinating to us though is the Kennedy Center which was under construction, surrounded by red scaffolding. Also isn’t it amazing how the Rosslyn side of the Key bridge looks practically unoccupied!
[Photo: Roger4336]
Interesting article today in the Post by UMD Architecture professor Robert Lewis about the delicate balance between historical preservation in the suburbs where choosing worthy structures isn’t so cut and dry. In urban areas the targets of preservation are (in most cases) obvious choices, however in the suburbs, the buildings are less visible and not as well known like farms and civic buildings.
There is certainly a delicate balance between what needs to be preserved and what needs to go to make way for progress and the message seems to be that the key to success is making sure communities have input and have a historic preservation plan, what do you think?
[Photo: Jason E Powell (we’ve been looking for an excuse to use another one!)]
Not a single building in this photo remains today on this stretch of 14th street NW right near the White House. Today the block is occupied by the JW Marriott hotel leaving little in terms of street front retail. The building in the background is the Munsey Building which was demolished in the 80s.
The signs in the photo for Bassin’s Cafeteria and Lounge are just the type of creative and stylistic retail signs we loved from back then. [Photo: Rockcreek]
Check out this cool map circa 1935 of the proposed “municipal air port” for Washington. Interestingly you will notice that the Jefferson Memorial is absent from around the tidal basin because construction didn’t begin on it until 1939. If only they knew what would become of all the farm land on the Virginia side of the river over the next 80 years.
[Credit: DCPL]
Way back before all those new museums were in the works, the National Mall was a much simpler place. This map from 1872 is looking westward from the Capital Building and you can see the familiar Botanical gardens up front, but just about everything else is has changed.
The main road on the right is Pennsylvania Ave and you can see a few blocks of row houses, above that is the Baltimore and Potomac Rail Station where the West Wing of the National Gallery of Art now sits. Back then there were also many more distinct topiary features along the mall with many types of plants and trees, unlike the uniform and linear pattern that now line the Mall. If these people had their way, the Mall might look a little more like it did back in 1872, and we must say that would be a definite improvement!
[Photo: rockcreek]
The history of bringing a turkey to the White House goes back decades, but one part of the tradition that seems to have been lost is the decorative box used to transport the lucky turkey. Pictured here is the Turkey from 1920 presented in a replica of the Texas State house… looks like that turkey is trying to stage a “Coop” d’Etat and breakout!
[Photo: National Photo Co]
Really this is more like “Then, Then & Now” because the history of Engine Company 23 located in Foggy Bottom has a very long past. As you can see when the building was first built, they were still relying on horses. Amazing it is really only the mode of transportation that has changed over the last 100 years, the building is pretty much untouched!
[Photos: Parkview DC and DCPL]
Take a look at what Rosslyn looked like in 1962 (top photo). You can see the River Place Apartments near the top right which are basically the only structures still prominent on the Rosslyn skyline to this day. By 1967, the old rail tracks had been removed, the new yet to be named Roosevelt bridge was built and Rt 66 was ready to bring the rising commuter population into the district from VA (second photo).
Back in the day, Thomas Circle was a mostly residential area, including the now demolished Portland Flats (pictured), designed by architect Adolf Cluss. You can just make out the Washington Monument in the background and the six story Renaissance Revival style building was apparently one of the first apartments built in the District.
Eventually demolished in 1960, the building was replaced with the commercial property that stands on the site to this day. [Photo: NCinDC]
It’s those little architectural details around every corner in this city that can turn every time we go out into an exciting treasure hunt! Many of the greatest details are on government buildings which we have discussed in the past, but the districts public high school are also a virtual cornucopia for the architecturally inclined.
George Julian Zolnay’s allegorical “Academic, Business & Manual Education” Granite Frieze At Francis L. Cardozo High School is a very interesting. The sculpture created the neoclassical figures of the frieze to look like among others, the architect of the building; Snowden Ashford, the architect of the District of Columbia; and Emory M. Wilson, the principal of the school.
Unfortunately, many of the newer buildings being built in the District have forgone these great details for a more modern vanilla look. There is a message being sent when public buildings feature art and details which set them apart!
Here we have a great historic shot of Rosslyn looking over the Key Bridge into Georgetown. As you can see, in 1945 Rosslyn was merely a train switching yard with a few warehouses, not the urban center of skyscrapers that it is today.
You can clearly see the relatively new in 1945 Key Bridge as well as the pillions of the Aqueduct Bridge that it replaced. The original bridge was built to carry the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal across the Potomac to connect with the Alexandria Canal. After the Alexandria Canal was abandoned, the bridge was converted into a roadway. The only piece that you can still see today is the Washington abutment located west of the Key Bridge. [Photo Credit: DDOT]
Wonder what Rosslyn will look like in the another 60 odd years?
On your left, is a picture from 1928 of the vibrant intersection of Virginia Ave and 8th Street in SE DC, on your right is the same intersection today. Seeing how drastically the southeast freeway changed a neighborhood is unbelievable.
It’s not that far of a stretch to blame much of the isolation and underdevelopment of southeast DC on the Freeway which cuts the area in half. Though large highways became necessary to bring in the explosion of traffic new cars caused in the 40s and 50s, the designers must have had no idea of the longer term effects they would have on the surrounding area. Maybe we’re just nostalgic from the black and white photo but look how nice the neighborhood used to look.
In one of the most prime spots in town only steps from the White House on 15th St NW, the Suntrust Building has certainly stood the test of time. Built all the way back in 1888 and designed by Architect James Windrim, it was originally called the National Safe Deposit, Savings and Trust Co. Bank.
The clock and gold dome are really incredible details that you just never see anymore, nor do we have that many examples left of the stunning Queen Anne style anywhere else in the city. It should be apparent why the red brick and terra cota building is on the National Register. The building was sold back in 2007 to a Spanish investment group for $87 million.
[Left Photo: ctankcycles, Right Photo: LOC]
Before there was the Whole Foods on P Street NW between 14th and 15th, there was Riggs Market. Located on the exact same spot back in 1909 the market had 35 stalls where various independent vendors operated throughout the year. It’s too bad the building couldn’t have been preserved, we love when super markets re-purpose buildings, like the Art Deco Harris Teeter.
Did you know that back in 1888 there was a castle at the intersection of Florida Avenue and 16th Street NW? Originally built by Senator John Brooks Henderson, famous for drafting the 13th Amendment, the house was unfortunately demolished in 1949. However the stone entrance gate still stands to this day at the northwest corner.
[Photo: DCPL]
