History

“Tomorrow: Hanafi Siege 40th Anniversary Commemoration”

By Prince Of Petworth

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Star photo collection at MLK courtesy Council of DC

From a press release:

“The event is free and open to the public, no RSVP needed.

Details: Tomorrow (March 9), 6PM, Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (must use rear/D Street entrance). Event is in the Council Chamber (a rare non-legislative event in that venue).

On March 9, 1977, a dozen gunmen seized control of three District buildings (the Wilson/District Building, the B’nai B’rith International headquarters, and the Islamic Center of Washington). They took nearly 150 people hostage. WHUR radio journalist Maurice Williams was killed and security guard Mack Cantrell was mortally wounded. Then-Councilmember Marion Barry was also shot.

On March 9, 2017, the Council will remember one of the most terrible days in the District’s history, 40 years later.

Panel Discussion

The 40th Anniversary commemoration will consist of two parts. The first will be a panel discussion among participants in the 1977 drama. Pat Collins, who himself covered the incident for Channel 9 at the time, will lead a discussion among these panelists (listed with their 1977 titles):

Arrington Dixon, Ward 4 Councilmember (1975-1979)
Maurice Cullinane, the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (1974-1978)
Earl Silbert, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia (1974-1979)
Mark Tuohey, Assistant US Attorney (1973-1977)

The panelists will discuss the earlier 1973 mass murder that motivated the 1977 perpetrators, the experiences the hostages faced, their first-hand memories of the three besieged buildings during and after the crisis, and the subsequent trial of the hostage takers.

The panel discussion will be held on March 9 at 6PM in the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Enter the building via the rear (D Street) entrance.

Photo Exhibit

The photo exhibit will primarily focus on the siege of the Wilson/District Building. It will be presented in the hallway outside the Council Chamber where much of the siege activity occurred. A number of the photos have not previously been published. When possible, photos will be displayed in the exact location they depict.

About the Hanafi Siege (more…)

“Archaeological dig in NoMa?”

By Prince Of Petworth

noma dig

“Dear PoPville,

Developers started to dig up a parking lot in NoMa but have found brick outlines which are now being carefully sifted through. We’re all really curious to know what they might have found!”

Ed. Note: I asked former ANC Rep Tony Goodman about this and he says it’s the future FCC building at 45 and 55 L Street, NE.

Another reader with a different angle writes:

“it looks like there are old brick foundations/sidewalks beneath the parking lot they are digging up.”

foundation

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“American by Belief, at President Lincoln’s Cottage, introduces the public to Abraham Lincoln’s little known immigration policies.”

By Prince Of Petworth

lincolns cottage
140 Rock Creek Church Road, NW

From President Lincoln’s Cottage:

“On July 4, 1864, the same day the Lincoln family moved to the Cottage for the last time, Abraham Lincoln signed into law An Act to Encourage Immigration. This legislation cemented Lincoln and the Republican Party’s platform pledging that immigration “should be fostered and encouraged by a liberal and just policy.”

American by Belief, a new special exhibit opening this fall at President Lincoln’s Cottage, introduces the public to Abraham Lincoln’s little known immigration policies. Lincoln believed that America offered immigrants the full realization of its founding promises and a fair chance to succeed. Some of these very principles continue to draw immigrants to the United States 150 years later.

American by Belief opens on October 16, 2015, in the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center and will remain open for two years.

Follow here for immigration stories visitors have left us in the exhibit.”

“Unveiling of Rediscovered Century-Old Photos Depicting Taft Inauguration, Newly-Constructed Wilson Building, and Historic Blizzard” View Full Exhibit at the Wilson Building

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photos courtesy Council of the District of Columbia

From an email:

“Century-Old Photo Negatives Discovered, Depicting Taft Inauguration, Newly-Constructed Wilson Building, and Historic Blizzard

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Through its ongoing effort to highlight elements of the history of the District government and its headquarters, the Council has discovered a cache of 108-year-old photo negatives featuring unique local subject matter.

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Specifically, the 31 images constitute a historic triple-play in terms of their content, in that they depict:

· The Inaugural Parade of William Howard Taft as the 27th President on March 4, 1909

· The District (now Wilson) Building just months after its dedication

· A historic blizzard so bad that the Presidential Oath was extraordinarily moved indoors

Photos drawn from these negatives, perhaps the first to see the light of day in a century, are on display in the Ground Floor Atrium of the Wilson Building. For full details on the exhibit, please see below. (more…)

“One of the First Houses in Petworth set to be Razed…anything the neighbors could do to save this historic house from coming down?”

By Prince Of Petworth

raze-popville
8th and Upshur Street, NW

“Dear PoPville,

A developer has applied for a permit to raze one of the first houses in Petworth. We discussed this project here before. It’s the house that has the steps on the side of the porch, which you can see on the photo from 1893.

Below is the notification from DCRA about a raze permit. Does anyone know if there is anything the neighbors could do to save this historic house from coming down? The developers could easily turn the house into condos without razing it.

The following raze applications were filed at the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) between December 1, 2016 and January 5, 2017:

ANC Address

4C 4207 8th Street NW (two story brick single family dwelling, semi-detached)”

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