The land that the monuments in Washington sit on was, at one time, in the middle of the Potomac River. Transforming tidal flats and marshland into some of the best known landmarks in the world was an engineering feat that some have compared to better known projects such as the Statue of Liberty. Born out…
Today, Constitution Avenue is one of Washington, DC’s major thoroughfares, bustling with traffic and flanked by some of the nation’s most iconic monuments and institutions. However, few may realize that this pivotal roadway was once a canal, playing a crucial role in the city’s early commerce and transportation network. Learn about the history of the…
This photo of the National Mall during the Civil War from the Library of Congress highlights how much the National Mall (and Washington, DC) has changed. This photograph of the National Mall taken around 1863 is filled with historical significance and shows how the National Mall was at the height of the Civil War. In…
This stereo card was taken from Howard University looking southwest in the late 1800s, showing the Cowtown neighborhood of Washington DC. From Streets of Washington flickr gallery. Wait–Cowtown!? The names of old neighborhoods in Washington, DC would have many today scratching their heads: Hell’s Bottom, The Island, Swampoodle, and Bloodfield. My favorite, though, is the…
What if there were traffic circles in Columbia Heights? In 1896, the land above Florida Avenue was still being developed. It had been subdivided, and there were some buildings built, but largely it was still growing. At that time, they were still working out how they wanted the roads to run, so they had widened…