Posts by Kent Boese

Historic

Then and Now: Washington snowball fights

by Kent Boese   •   February 9, 2010 11:06 am

Left photo from Library of Congress, National Photo Company Collection. Right photo by zugaldia on Flickr.

Washington has had its share of snowball battles this season, but they are nothing new. The historic image above documents a snowball battle by Senate pages on the grounds of the Capitol that occurred on January 2, 1925. The image above to the right shows the snowball fight that occurred on Saturday, February 6, 2009, at Dupont Circle amid the historic storm that Washington is still digging out of. Over 2,000 people participated in the Dupont Circle battle.

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Historic

Then and Now: Kresge to Jaleo

by Kent Boese   •   January 29, 2010 3:55 pm

The property located at 712 E Street was originally constructed in 1918 by Frank L. Wagner and designed by A. B. Mullet and Company. It was a two-story concrete framed building with brick and terra-cotta clad facades. While the building exhibited the influence of Chicago school architecture during the early part of the 20th century, its low building height emphasized the horizontal rather than the vertical that was typical of Chicago. The grade level of the facade was later remodeled in the Art Moderne style.

The space was occupied by the S. S. Kresge Co. into the early 1970s when the Historic American Building Survey images were taken. Shortly after the survey, construction began on the Metro underneath Seventh Street. By February 1987, the buildings were empty and included in the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation's plans for revitalizing the area. Developers were required to present plans preserving and restoring the facades of three buildings — the Eighth Street and E Street sides of Lansburgh's; the Busch building; and the Kresge building.

Today, Jaleo is in the old S. S. Kresge Co. space, and has been since 1993.

Historic images from Historic American Building Survey, Library of Congress.

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Historic

Lost Washington: Benning Race Track

by Kent Boese   •   January 25, 2010 4:00 pm

Benning Horse Racing (from Library of Congress)

While the idea of a racetrack was originally formulated by the Washington Jockey Club in the late 1880s, it was not until the Benning Race Track opened on Tuesday, April 1, 1890, that the club was able to fulfill this goal.

Washington Jockey Club ad (from the Times, March 29, 1900)

Opening day attendance consisted of about 2,000 racing fans. In general, the opening did not prove to be very successful owing largely to competition from other venues such as Anacostia, Brightwood, and Ivy City. Dispite this discouraging beginning, by 1896 things had turned around at the Benning track as Washington society began to take the place by storm.

The downfall of Benning was rooted in shady betting practices. Even though most congressmen were said to be regular track goers — on free passes — racing foes ultimately prevailed. Congress banished horse racing in the District in 1908 and the last race day at Benning was April 12 of that year.

Though betting on the ponies ceased at Benning, racing in general still continued. Spectators frequented the track to watch motorcycle and auto racing through the 1910s.

The stables were also still used as training and exercising horses continued until the early 1940s.

There were even attempts to bring horse racing back to Benning, with major attempts occurring in 1934, 1938, and 1940. During each attempt, these efforts failed due to the opposition of ministers and temperance women.

The 150-acre site of the race track was sold in 1928 to Eastland Gardens, Inc. for $500,000 with the goal of subdividing the land. Even so, it was not until September, 1942, that ground was broken for what became Mayfair Mansions.

Site of Benning Race Track — Image from Baist's real estate atlas of surveys of Washington, District of Columbia: complete in three volumes (1903), plate 30.

Benning Races: August Belmont, Mrs. Donald Cameron, Sec. Meyer. ca. 1912 (from Library of Congress)

Motor races, Bennings, May 30, 1912 (from Library of Congress)

Auto races, Benning, Md., (i.e., Washington, D.C.), c. 1916 (from Library of Congress)

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Historic

Then and Now: 2615-2625 13th Street, NW

by Kent Boese   •   January 22, 2010 4:00 pm

This row of homes on the east side of 13th street began when builders Kennedy & Davis applied for permits on May 20, 1903. Edgar S. Kennedy is listed as his own architect and each home had an estimated value of $6,000.

They were newly completed the following year as can be seen in the historic image above. Three years later 2625 13th Street sold for $9,000. According to DC's 2010 tax assessments, these homes are currently valued between $634,150 and $664,300.

Historic image from A statement of some of the advantages of beautiful Columbia Heights: a neighborhood of homes (1904).

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Historic

Then and Now: Arlington's Ord-Weitzel Gate

by Kent Boese   •   January 21, 2010 3:49 pm

The Ord-Weitzel Gate was originally located at the northwest corner of Arlington National Cemetery's boundary fence. The Red Sandstone posts were an integral part of that installation. The gate incorporated a single stone column on each side of the road with a double wrought iron enclosure. Ord was inscribed on the southern column and Weitzel on the northern column.

Today, the relocated gate is in the northeastern portion of the boundary. It bears little resemblance to the original gate. Two bronze tablets are fastened to the current Ord-Weitzel Gate. Each table has an eagle in bold relief. Under the eagle on the east tablet is Arlington National Cemetery. The other tablet contains the words United States of America.

Historical image from the Library of Congress.

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Historic

Lost Washington: Tuckerman House

by Kent Boese   •   January 19, 2010 4:00 pm

The Tuckerman House, once located on the southwest corner of 16th and I Streets, NW, was built for Lucius Tuckerman in 1886 by the Washington architectural firm of Hornblower and Marshall. Tuckerman was an iron manufacturer in New York and decided to build a home in Washington due to failing health and the District's milder climate.

The residence in Washington was constructed of red brick paired with smoothly cut and rusticated red sandstone. It illustrated Hornblower and Marshall's interpretation of architect H.H. Richardson's style. The nod to Richardson was not out of place considering that his four Washington houses we're completed in the mid-1880s and all within a block of the Tuckerman residence.

Following the death of Mrs. Tuckerman in 1906, the home became the residence in 1909 of Congressman Henry Kirke Porter of Pittsburgh. His daughter, Annie-May Hegeman, left the house jointly to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution upon her death in 1939.

These institutions sold it in 1945 to the Motion Picture Association of American, which used it as their headquarters until 1967, when the structure was razed and replaced by a new headquarters building.

More images below from the Library of Congress Historic American Building Survey collection. The structure was photographed in 1967 prior to and during demolition.

(Images ca. 1900s, from Library of Congress collections)

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Historic

Lost Washington: Belmont

by Kent Boese   •   January 15, 2010 4:00 pm

The property just west of Cardozo High School bordered by Clifton Street to the north and between 13th and 14th Streets was once the location of Belmont, the castle-like home of the Barber family.

Belmont was built in 1883 by Amzi L. Barber, who was known as "America's Asphalt King." Barber was known for heading the Education Department at Howard University at the time of its founding in 1867, purchasing land from the university to build LeDroit Park, and later entering the asphalt paving business which he came to dominate nationally. Barber was also involved in developing the Columbia Heights neighborhood.

Upon Barber's death, Harry Wardman purchased the property. Wardman ultimately razed Belmont to construct the Wardman Courts apartment complex in 1915. As the third of the three buildings was nearing occupancy in December of 1915, Wardman exchanged Wardman Courts to Mrs. Henrietta Halliday for the Brighton apartments located at 21 and 23 California Street, NW. The real estate deal was valued at $1,000,000.

Wardman Courts was renamed to Clifton Terrace in 1921. The name was returned to Wardman Courts when it reopened as condominiums and rental units in 2003, after years of neglect and mismanagement.

Images from the Library of Congress collections. More images below.

Entry hall

Parlor

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Historic

Then and Now: 15th Street outside the Treasury

by Kent Boese   •   January 12, 2010 3:27 pm

This view of 15th Street is from the 600 block looking north ca. 1915 and today. The current photograph was taken during a weekday lunch hour.

While the scene looks familiar, most components have changed over the years. There is no longer an active entrance to the Treasury Department from 15th Street, the B.F. Keith theatre has been replaced by the Old Ebbitt Grill, the buildings between G Street and New York Avenue have been completely replaced, and the old National Savings & Trust Co. is now a Sun Trust Bank.

Historic image from the Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress.

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Historic

Lost Washington: The Rosalia Theater

by Kent Boese   •   January 7, 2010 4:00 pm

The Rosalia, or Rosa Lee as it was pronounced by many children, was built in 1922 for about $6,500. It was located at 218-220 F Street, SW. The Rosalia was built and operated by George Nelson and named after his deceased daughter. Nelson used black builders exclusively and it was the first theater in the District to be built and operated by an African-American, although the Jewell was an earlier Black-owned theater.

The Rosalia had a capacity of 350 seats. It was purchased by the Lichtman organization in the early 1930s and was razed in 1951. Historic image courtesy of Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, Archives Center.

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Historic

Lost Washington: The Apollo Theatre

by Kent Boese   •   January 5, 2010 4:21 pm

The Apollo, once located at 624 H Street, NE, was one of the best-known and most prestigious movie houses on H Street.

It was built by a group of investors on the site of the open-air Imp Park theater for about $16,000 and scheduled to open about September 10, 1913. In September of 1915, Harry Crandall bought the Apollo and it was operated by him, and later his successor Warner Bros., until it closed. In October of 1922, Crandall was also able to buy the land the Apollo occupied for a reported $63,000.

The exterior of the Apollo was constructed of ornamental brick and stone with lights over each of the three entrances. The arched entryway was brilliantly lighted with a large electric arc and many smaller lamps. The flooring had a mosaic work border and the word "Apollo" inset in the mosaic blocks near the center of the entrance.

The theatre was sold to a car dealer in late 1950 and plans were made to convert it into a garage. Ultimately, the building was torn down.

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