DC Metrocentric

Inauguration construction has been going on all over town in preparation for January 21st. It’s a tradition that’s been happening in our fair city for over a hundred years, with very few changes. Though there have been some changes over the years, back in 1913 the stands were built on the East side of the Capitol, oh and they used horses!

[Photo: Library of Congress]

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]

Before the spies had their very own museum at F and 9th Street, the area was more of a shopping destination filled with many smaller independent stores like George’s Radio and Television pictured from 1969. The facade dates all the way back to 1876 and remains today restored to serve as the entrance to the International Spy Museum. The detail and craftsmanship in old buildings like this are just great to see preserved!

[Photo: Marcfoto]

Back in 1941 there was a huge construction boom going on downtown fueled by the need for more government offices. The buildings were never designed to last but as you can see still took a huge effort to build. Thankfully the “temporary buildings” were all eventually torn down, reestablishing the continuity of the National Mall that we all know and love! Isn’t it cool how buildings were put together back in the day?

[Credit: Library of Congress via Dullshick]

Check out these great shots from 1958, showing what Southwest DC looked like as the city made preperations to build the SE/SW Freeway (click for larger view). As you can see, much of the demolition had already taken place and other than the federal buildings on the other side of the track, the only building that survived was the Church in the lower corner along H Street Southwest which still stands today.

Another angle looking East towards Capitol Hill.

[Photos: DDOT]

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]

Great shot taken from what is now the National Portrait Gallery down F Street towards the Treasury building being built in the distance. Amazingly most of the buildings along this view are still intact including the large Romanesque Revival building on the left.

There are truly some amazing details in the photo (click for a closer look), we just love these little glimpses back to another era!

[Credit: Detroit Publishing Company via Shorpy]

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]

This view couldn’t look more different today than it did over one hundred years ago. The photo is looking down F street from 7th street. Though the interesting part of this photo, and others like it from the same time period, is that the pedestrian sidewalks of DC were for the most part covered. How many times have you been caught in the rain downtown and wished the streets were lined like they were back in 1900?

Though it’s possible to get around DC without going outside (ie the Metro) it would still be cool if there were more covered walkways, at least when it’s raining like it was at the end of last week.

Way back in 1924 the District’s downtown area centered along F street was a destination for shopping for the entire region. Easily accessible from the numerous street car lines that converged on the city center, the area had everything from department stores to butcher shops.

All that slowly disappeared through the next 80 years and only recently have the shopping options started to come back, however you would still be hard pressed to find many grocery or butcher options nowadays. By the way, almost none of the buildings in this picture still stand today.

[Credit: Shorpy]

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]

Way back in 1865, the Surratt house at 604 H Street, NW, was a boarding house run by Mary Surratt and was where John Wilkes Booth was alleged to have met with co-conspirators to plan President Lincoln’s assassination. Now it’s a pretty good Chinese restaurant. We think they should put back on the shutters, it would add back some lost charm! What do you think?

[Right Photo: JNG003]

Join DCPL for a lecture by author John DeFerrari as he discusses his writings from his book Lost Washington, DC and blog Streets of Washington, which explores the fascinating stories behind some of the city’s nineteenth and twentieth century buildings and the people associated with them.

Sometimes progress has victims. Every time we see photos of now demolished blocks it makes us wonder what our city would have looked like had there been more of a preservation movement back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Pictured is the 800th block of 9th street NW in the late 70s before it was demolished to make way for the old convention center, which of course has also since been demolished.

Now the block is a huge hole in the ground digging the foundation for the massive City Center DC project. Imagine if that facade in the middle would have been saved! [Photo: R.S. Scurlock LOC]

The construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge was apparently authorized by Congress after then President Warren G. Harding was caught in a three-hour traffic jam. Built in 1931 as a connection to Arlington National Cemetery, the neo-classical bridge design included a draw bridge (picture) which has since been sealed shut. You can also see the temporary buildings built on the National Mall during World War I which served as barracks and offices all the way until after World War II.

We just love old timey photos!!! [Photo Credit: NPS]