I’ve always loved this Logan Circle house because of the really cool copper but Sun. I was able to chat briefly with a relative of a resident and learned that this home was the home of the first African American female dentist in DC. Very cool!
And this has got to be the best door bell in the city:
Back in Nov. ’09, Danny Harris wrote a People’s District post titled Nicole on the Last Remnants of Italian Life on North Capitol Street. It was fascinating. I finally went for a visit myself last weekend and I was absolutely blown away (as I should’ve known.) The place is a true time warp for many reasons but for all those who’ve been pining for a proper bakery – I don’t care if you live nowhere near here – it is worth the travel! I would go just to talk with the former owner, Mr. Caruso (now retired), who will tell you all about the history of the bakery and the neighborhood. They are only open for retail Sat. morning around 7:30am until around 1pm.
I bought a chocolate bread that was ridiculously good – seriously no other way to describe it. Plus they have proper Italian bread and rolls, other pastries and their famous biscotti. For those who know good Italian subs in DC – these folks are the suppliers for Mangialardo’s and A. Litteri among many others. Enough said, right? So next Sat. go visit! They are located at 1404 N. Capitol St, NW (just south of P).
As I said – this post will give you a taste of how old school and awesome this place is in photos:
The oven from 1946
Real Italian bread!
Lots more photos and history after the jump. (more…)
I just noticed this section of cool old fence behind the National Cathedral. It’s pretty wild because it is just one small section that has no function (there is a plain chainlink all the way around behind it).
Incidentally I had no idea it was only completed in 1990. I though it was much older than that.
Cool John Philip Sousa was born here. From Capitol Hill.
I’d nominate this one on its own merit, but the history makes it even better:
Continuing finding my roots day here at PoP, I’ve been dying do know why there were Jewish stars in the handrail of this building at 3601 14th St, NW in north Columbia Heights.
The Columbia Heights Heritage Trail solves another mystery for me:
For those not familiar with a Mikvah you can learn a bit more about it here.
This awesome piece of history is also from Corcoran St, NW.
I’ve got a few more historical ones for us this week. This one from Mt. Vernon Sq. near the Convention Center is the Blanche K. Bruce House:
“The Blanche K. Bruce House is a historic house in Washington, D.C.. It was a home of slave-born Blanche K. Bruce (1 March 1841 – 17 March 1898), who represented Mississippi as a U.S. Senator from 1875 to 1881 and was the first African-American to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate.”
Thanks to a reader for sending the heads up from Rasmus Auctions:
Location:
2660 Woodley Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
Online Bidding Only
Starts Closing At: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 11:07 AM EST
Inspection
Began: Monday, January 24, 2011 at 5:00 AM EST
Ends: Monday, January 24, 2011 at 4:00 PM EST
Brief Description:
The historic Marriott Wardman Park Cotillion Ballroom will undergo a complete renovation and over 30 years of fine serving, catering, food service, hospitality and decorative assets will be sold by internet only auction.
From an email:
“Wednesday January 19, 2011 at 6:30 PM will be the poster proof review session (a.k.a. the pin-up session) at the Emergence Community Arts Collective – 733 Euclid St. NW, on Euclid between Georgia and Sherman. For directions, contact Sylvia Robinson at (202) 462-2285. [Note – the building is not handicapped accessible as yet]
Background on the trail can be found here.
This is the long-anticipated chance to see the trail as designed, with text, photos, icon, and colors all together. Come look over the sign designs and let us know what you think.
This is the last opportunity to review and comment on the Heritage Trail. The next part of the process is sign fabrication and installation! We anticipate the signs will be installed next May.
We’re looking forward to seeing all of you again and celebrating the results of all the work by so many individuals that has resulted in this trail.”