History

Streets of Washington Presents: Douglas Row: the lost homes of politicians, generals, war wounded, and orphans

By Prince Of Petworth

Streets of Washington, written by John DeFerrari, covers some of DC’s most interesting buildings and history. John is the author of Historic Restaurants of Washington, D.C.: Capital Eats, published by the History Press, Inc. and also the author of Lost Washington DC.

It’s now a desolate patch of land–a parking garage over a buried stretch of Interstate 395 waiting to be redeveloped. But the site at the northwest corner of 2nd and I Streets NW has an impressive history. Cresting a gentle hill, the view toward the Capitol from this spot once was commanding. This is where a stately row of three grand townhouses known as “Douglas Row” once stood. They were homes to senators, mayors, businessmen, Civil War generals, and even a U.S. president. They also served as a hospital during the Civil War and as an orphan asylum. But as the neighborhood declined in the 20th century, the prestige vanished. Tourists once stopped and read historical markers on these buildings, but one by one they were demolished. Now, nothing is left to mark this site’s remarkable past.


Late 1860s view of Douglas Row (author’s collection).

The first settler in this area was a Captain Samuel Burch, a prominent early Washingtonian who built a country house nearby in 1812. The area was known as “Burch’s Hill” for much of the 19th century as a result. But little else was here until 1851, when Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861), the Illinois senator and famous rival of Abraham Lincoln known as the “Little Giant,” purchased two blocks of undeveloped land–the block where Douglas Row would be built as well as the one on the other (south) side of I Street. Other than Burch’s house, few structures had been built in this area; the roads had not even been graded or clearly marked. Though just a few blocks north of Massachusetts Avenue, this was unmistakably “country.” At the time, Douglas was entering his second term as senator from Illinois, and he must have seen this hilltop as a perfect, bucolic location, just outside of the city, to build “a comfortable and convenient temporary residence for himself and his family during his service in the Senate,” as he later explained. (more…)

Archeological Finds Vol. 16 – Garfinckel’s and Fashion Circa 1982

By Prince Of Petworth

If you ever spot a cool Archaeologica Find in your house, apartment or office – please send an email to [email protected] thanks!

Thanks to John for sending from his 1889 Townhouse in Eastern Market:

“Found some interesting stuff behind the walls as we are adding some insulation. Apparently Garfinckel’s was the Nordstrom’s of the day at 1401 F Street NW. little 1982 fashion time capsule right there. And one whole page for men! Well, for some robes.

Also found what appears to be a porcelain painted plate for a dollhouse or something like that. Very intricate design!

Maybe some readers know some more Garfinckel’s history? The catalogue is dated Winter 1982.”

Closeups and a look inside the catalogue after the jump. (more…)

“Midtown Youth Academy lost its beloved curator and father this past weekend, Eugene THUNDER Hughes”

By Prince Of Petworth


“Eugene, right, is pictured with Jeffrey, one of the Midtown Youth Academy’s boxing coaches and a graduate of Dr. Hughes’ program.” Photo by Danny Harris.

“Dear PoPville,

Midtown Youth Academy, the all purpose youth center located at 14th and W street NW lost its beloved curator and father this past weekend, Eugene THUNDER Hughes. Mr. Hughes was an incredible human, and his story is one that needs to be told throughout the district, especially as Midtown Youth Academy is attempting to raise funds to reopen this spring. Attached below, I have a video about the Academy, as I could go on for days about what an impact this man has had on our community for more then 40 years, let alone my personal life.”

Midtown Youth Academy: A Story of Perseverance from Kristen Monae on Vimeo.


2206 14th Street, NW

“DC’s Historic SpyHouse to be Demolished for an Unnamed Project?”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

The home of one of DC’s most open secrets, widely known only as ‘The Spy House’, has come back under intense focus by a local developer. The house at 2619 Wisconsin Ave NW, which until recently was used for decades to spy on the Russian Embassy, is at risk of being demolished.

For the last three weeks, a surveying team has been assessing the vacant lot and property, including the entire 2600 block of Wisconsin Ave NW.

At the height of the cold war, the home served as the primary observation point for intelligence gathering, including the launching point for a $160 million project to train a cat to spy on the Russians.  The historic home still resides in its original condition – an untouched interior that was once home to three shifts of agents working nonstop. As tensions have reignited between Russian and the United States, the DC Council renamed the block where the Russian Embassy sits to “Boris Nemtsov Plaza,” in honor of a slain Russian politician opposed to the Putin government. (more…)

“The Hebrew Hammer” Honors Bub and Pop’s Son/Brother, Peter W. Taub, Killed in Afghanistan

By Prince Of Petworth


1815 M Street, NW

From Bub and Pop’s:

“The Hebrew Hammer Comes to Bub and Pop’s

Chef Jon had approached me about changing the name of our Jewish Hoagie for sometime. We’ve decided to do it!

We are changing the name of one of our most popular sandwiches, the Jewish Hoagie – to the Hebrew Hammer. This monster pastrami, brisket, roast turkey, kosher salami, spicy mustard, 1,000 Island and Swiss piled with our Cole Slaw was featured by Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

We are changing the name to honor our son, brother, husband and father, Peter W. Taub, Special Agent, AFOSI, who lost his life on December 21, 2015 in Afghanistan along with his squad of 5 other service members.

Pete was given the name Hebrew Hammer after a sparring session between himself and Jonathan M. Oldhorse. They were training partners in both Karate and MBC (Martial Blade Concepts) when Pete was stationed at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. I asked Jonathan to share the story. (more…)

“Evolutions and Legacies: Martin Luther King Jr. and D.C., 1957-1972.”

By Prince Of Petworth

From the D.C. Public Library:

“1968 was a momentous year in US history. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. The Poor People’s Campaign, which Dr. King was organizing at the time of his death, brought activists from across the nation to the District.

Locally, 1968 brought the groundbreaking of what would become the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the founding of the Duke Ellington School for the Arts and the opening of Federal City College, now part of the University of the District of Columbia.

This year, the Library is hosting a series of programs and events to highlight the experiences that shaped 1968 locally and nationally titled, “The People’s University.” This month, the celebration starts with an online exhibit, “Evolutions and Legacies: Martin Luther King Jr. and D.C., 1957-1972.” (more…)

Owner of Tennis Zone, Ravi Shankar, Passed Away on Sunday

By Prince Of Petworth


2319 Wisconsin Ave, NW

From Legacy:

“On February 4, 2018, Ravi Shankar died in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He is survived by his mother, Maya Devi, two brothers, Tarun Shankar, and Arun Shankar, his wife Geeta Shankar and two children, Jatin, 19, and Raychal Shankar, 17. Ravi was 49 years old. Ravi was born and raised in Delhi, India. He was an enthusiastic badminton and squash player in his early teen years, before turning his attention to tennis.

At age 19, he opened up his own tennis academy, which was the third largest tennis academy in the region. He was proud of that. He moved to the United States in the mid-1990’s. He worked at the Drilling Tennis Shop in downtown Washington, DC for eight years. He then went out on his own and opened the Tennis Zone tennis shop, first in Chevy Chase. Later he moved the store to Glover Park where it has operated for the last five years.

A man of exceptional talent and a warm personality, Ravi had an unparalleled ability to string tennis and squash racquets, matched with a sophisticated knowledge of string types and racquet differences that benefitted beginners and professionals alike. (more…)

Streets of Washington Presents: The Old French Embassy on 16th Street, a Gilded Age Gem

By Prince Of Petworth

Streets of Washington, written by John DeFerrari, covers some of DC’s most interesting buildings and history. John is the author of Historic Restaurants of Washington, D.C.: Capital Eats, published by the History Press, Inc. and also the author of Lost Washington DC.


(photo by the author)

The powerful and influential Mary Foote Henderson, whom we’ve previously profiled, commissioned an impressive collection of palatial houses on Meridian Hill in the early years of the 20th century. One of the most prominent of these is the imposing Beaux-Arts mansion at the corner of 16th Street and Kalorama Road NW, which originally served as the French Embassy when it was completed in 1907. This well-preserved building, now home to the Council for Professional Recognition, is a striking expression of Henderson’s vision of Washington as an elegant equal to Paris, with Sixteenth Street its Champs-Élysées. (more…)

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