#dchistory

[asadultrawalker]

On the graffiti side of things: live interview with @hiddengems39 tonight. I will be dropping science on dc’s graffiti scene from the 80’s till now. I don’t plan on holding back, so come hear about the days when steel was real. #dcgraffiti #dcgogo #dchiphop #dcoldschool #dontmutedc #dchistory (at Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmMeMLoug3_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[pilgrimartfoundation]

1-Celebrating @humanities_dc 2022 grantees at at the annual 🎉DC Community Heritage Project Showcase🎉with 2-Rhonda Henderson: "Dap is a Love Language" 3-Cory Lee Stowers: To The East: The Rise of Public Murals in Wards 7 and 8 4-Andrena Crockett: Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour 5-Miriam Gusevich: Re/Know Reno: A Detective Story 6-Adeshola Akintobi: UDC Law Legacy Project 7-Kamilah Thurmon: Historic Lee's Flowers Celebrates 75 years #humanitiesdc #dchistory (at Thurgood Marshall Center Trust Inc.) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckir_Rlsbnl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[wdcgardener]

The Show Notes are now up for GardenDC Podcast Episode 107: Olmsted Lives with @kirk_r_brown See the notes and listen to the full episode at - washingtongardener.blogspot.com or our YouTube channel or anywhere you get great garden podcasts. #gardendc #gardening #olmsted #landscapedesign #dchistory #gardenpodcast #landscapehistory #dc #dmv #wdc #picoftheday #nofilter (at Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf6iGNbuPeK/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[dclife]

This vibrant & bold painting captures the vitality of urban life in Washington, D.C. with a unique Surrealist twist. Bold splashes of black and gold create a captivating, dynamic canvas, while the choice of powerful hues draw you into the story of the painting. The Surrealist angle gives the painting a sense of mystery, with hidden details providing a new narrative to explore. The gold spray-painted architectural details of the cityscape evoke a feeling of grandeur and elegance, an ode to the richness & history of the district. Bright highlights accentuate the energy of the bustling scene, while the artist’s choice of angular lines convey a sense of motion and optimism. This art canvas is perfect to make a statement in any space. Whether hung alone or as part of a collection, this Urban Alley Surrealism Painting of Urban Life in D.C. will captivate and inspire. #surrealism #painting #artcanvas #dc #urbanalley #dcsurrealism #blackart #washington #washingtonDC #cityscape #surrealistpainting #dchistory #dcculture #dcvitality

[dual-vizion-photography]

Community… • As a photographer and budding videographer, it’s easy to put my images on here and use this platform for likes, affirmation, demonstration, business or general expression. What is even more important to me, is when I am am lending myself to impact outside of me, elevating my community at large. Today was one of those days. As a representative of @portraitmeetdc along w @_nhphotoz we had the opportunity to reach across our community to that of a larger one provided by @dchistory @cinestillfilm brokered by @sdotpdotmedia What we experienced today was unbelievable. The ability to have a literary genius share her stories as we went back in time to gain a greater sense of what community was and it’s effects today was euphoric. The whole day energized me to shine my light just a little brighter, and I hope it’s reflected when you scroll through the content here. I’m blessed and thankful today. • Thank you (at Carnegie Library of Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CesUAW6NGoh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[usnatarchives]

BURNING OF THE CAPITOL 1814, part 2 “The enemy are in full march for Washington.”

Letter from James Monroe to President James Madison, August 22,1814. (Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Archives, online here)

By Miriam Kleiman, Program Director for Public Affairs.

In August 1814, British forces occupying the Chesapeake Bay started to sail up Maryland’s Patuxent River. Then-Secretary of State James Monroe feared an attack on DC, reached out with concern to President Madison, and offered to journey to Maryland to assess the situation. When he saw the number of British troops advancing towards DC, Monroe sent an urgent note to Madison. Excerpts follow:

The enemy are advanced six miles on the road to the wood Yard, and our troops retiring.  

Our troops were on the march to meet them, but in too small a body to engage.

The enemy are in full march for Washington.

See also:

Flashback: Burning of the Capitol 1814, Part 1

P.S.: You Had Better Remove the Records: Early Federal Archives and the Burning of Washington during the War of 1812, Prologue story by NARA Historian Jessie Kratz.

Rescue of the Papers of State During the Burning of Washington, White House Historical Association, by NARA Historian Jessie Kratz.

Tornado saves capital, scares British, Pieces of History, by Rob Crotty.

[dcpubliclibrary]

Uncovering the Past in Forest Hills, D.C.

Last week I only had to walk one block north of Washingtoniana when I spotted it. Hiding behind a Rube Goldberg-like contraption of utility pipes and meters was a section of wrought iron railing painted battleship gray. Radiating out from a centered, vertically-oriented opening were lightning bolts that culminated in sunbursts.

"This is old and there has to be a story behind it," I surmised.

Arriving back at Washingtoniana, the first thing I did was to check the DC Government Office of Planning's HistoryQuest DC map. Typing in the address of the building resulted in discovering that it was constructed in 1948 and that the original owner was the Chevy Chase Radio & Electric Company. I realized immediately that this railing had to be part of the original business that opened at this address 70 years ago.

Next I conducted a search of the Evening Star newspaper database (available at any DC Public Library or remotely with a DCPL library card). Searching "4420 Connecticut" with the searched narrowed to just 1948 resulted in hits for two businesses at this address but neither of them were the Chevy Chase Radio & Electric Company.

Having recalled seeing another entrance at the south end of the building opposite the 4420 address imprinted on a canopy over an entrance at the north end, I searched for "4418 Connecticut." Quickly I found four advertisements that the Chevy Chase Radio Company ran between April and August of 1948. Next up was to search Washingtoniana’s Evening Star Photo Morgue and the Historical Image Collection to see if there were any photos of the building as it originally looked in 1948.

Nothing.

Next I consulted Forest Hills, an Images of America book published in 2006 by the Forest Hills Neighborhood Alliance. No luck there either.

Lastly, I ran a Google Images search for "Chevy Chase Radio Company" and, in addition to lots of photos of the actor Chevy Chase, found one black and white photo of a building titled Potomac Electric Power Co. But plainly visible on the building was signage that read "Dowd's Chevy Chase Radio & Electric Company." The poor quality photo was credited to Theodor Horydczak, whose photo archive (I knew) was housed in the Library of Congress.

Within seconds I was on the Library of Congress website, which had (unfortunately) the same poor quality exterior photo but included an interior image of the business as well. Both photos were taken by the photographer on April 15, 1948, the first month that Chevy Chase Radio began advertising in the "Star."

It's too bad that this nice example of wrought iron craftsmanship is not more visible to passersby on the sidewalk, but if it had been it probably would not have survived the past seven decades.

--Jerry McCoy, Special Collections Librarian

[recfit]

#almathomas #alma #everything #everythingisbeautiful @phillipscollection #art #modernart @modernchristmastrees #christmas #christmasiscoming #christmastree #historichomes #historic #dchistory #artist #blm @c.a.t.walk_boutique (at Alma Thomas House) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWj5_P7lFFr/?utm_medium=tumblr

[cplusstudios928]

Fuck......this hurt me. #DC #DCHistory #lmao😂😂😂 (at Flagstaff, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGD9pXTF0Oj/?igshid=aktlab1mi69d

[michaelcastner]

How to properly use the White House balcony: #Repost @whitehousehistory with @make_repost ・・・ On this day in 1979, President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter welcomed an esteemed and unprecedented guest to the White House: Pope John Paul II. It was the first time a current pope had visited the White House. In this photograph, the President, First Lady and the Pope wave to the public from the South Portico of the White House. Image Credit: Courtesy of Henry & Carole Haller and Family #whitehousehistory #whitehouse #dchistory #americanhistory #ushistory #president #jimmycarter #dcfacts #america #popejohnpaulii #pope #usa #historyfacts (at The White House) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGAiXTuhCh5/?igshid=mym4vzs6u5yn

[guayilandia]

Coronavirus Chronicles... if you need to go outside put the mask, stay at home, be safe. @acreativedc #dchistory #igers #ourdistrictsart #washingtoniansathome #coronaviruschronicles #quarentine #stayhome #besafe #streetphotography #streetphotographer #streetphoto #streetmeetdc #dc_spc #exposeddc #acreativedc #igersdaily #igers #igdc #washingtondc #wearestreet #womenphotographers (at Washington D.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_gQ2mKj-sb/?igshid=18qbwmkkfnjs7

[head-roc]

Celebrating a Legacy built on the Rails of DC Hip-Hop! Infinite Loop coverage in Blaze Magazine via the Lens and Pen of @tanehisipcoates Black in the Day.. @blaswell7 @rafiel767 @therealdimensions @theorybeats @noyeek @ust._tv #blackrockstarsuperhero #ChocolateCityRocks #washingtondc #dmvmusicians #dchiphop #dmvhiphop #dcmusic #dchistory https://www.instagram.com/p/B6d6UILBkI9/?igshid=gmgyth3s1p2f

[pilgrimartfoundation]

Queer Latinx DC: Movements + Moments DC @dchistory #mountpleasantdc @dcpubliclibrary A community conversation about Queer Latino/a/x community histories in DC with a case study that reframes everyday objects and spaces as historically important! 👀 first & last 📸 🕊 Gabriela Montes 🕊💜 #queerlatinxdchistory #gabrielmontes #gabrielamontes #josegutierrez #josegutierrezarchives https://www.instagram.com/p/CfIbwYmMz0i/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[wdcgardener]

This short video features two of our stories from this past week - a plant profile on Hardy Begonias and the latest GardenDC podcast episode on Dumbarton Oaks. #gardendc #dc #dmv #publicgarden #begonia #shadegarden #historicgarden @dchistory #dchistory #georgetown #fall #flowers #nofilter #igdc (at Dumbarton Oaks) https://www.instagram.com/p/CU7oW33gKrg/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ddotdc]

The Shrimp Boat Restaurant at the corner of Benning Road and East Capitol Street on March 20, 1967. The shrimp Boat was a popular restaurant in the neighborhood from its opening in 1944 and its iconic building was built in 1953 and still stands today under the name Shrimp Boat Plaza. 

[bigbabarob]

A little #DCHistory. Looks like #TheShrimpBoat is going through another metamorphosis. I grew up about a mile east of here just off of #EastCapitolStreet. I have seen The Shrimp Boat change many times. I'm glad it's still standing and has a nice coat of paint. #DMV #washingtondc #BenningRoad #Landmarks #AwwwwDC