I can’t remember if I’ve posted this before, I don’t think I have, but they always stop me in my track when I pass them (around 1000 of S St, NW or near there). They are on the top of two rowhouses and look like solar panels except there doesn’t seem to be any cells on them. Is it just to provide shade?
There were a bunch of random barrels inside the old O Street Market off 7th Street, NW. God knows why they’re there. Any ideas?
This is a new one for me but I dig it:
“Dear PoP,
Smell isn’t always the primary sense one appreciates in a city, but it can be marvelous. There is a bush of these fragrant little fruits that you can smell from the path in Meridian Hill park, near the Serenity statue (the poor chipped-up marble lady on the west side of the upper park.) They smell like what you wished candy really smelled like, Juliet, or small flowers from a tenuous habitat. Light, sparkling, grapefruity & clovey. I’m pretty sure these are quince fruits, but still suffering ptsd from a childhood taste of green persimmon, I haven’t the nerve to taste.”
Are these quinces?
We’ve looked at coal doors before but I don’t think that’s what this is. This is really small. You can see it’s the width is the size of one brick. Way too small for a shovel. It’s on the outside of a chimney. But it can’t be too clean out a chimney, right? Again because of the size plus it seem like it’d be easier from the inside. Any guesses?
I don’t get it but I sorta love it. No, I definitely love it. But I still don’t get it…
Here’s an odd sight I caught up in Crestwood. Now, of course we’ve all seen shoes thrown up in wires like this but have you ever seen logs up there? The sky was crap so the photos didn’t come out that well but one of the logs has a wire going directly through it. Totally stumped me. Any explanations?
It’s located near Busboys and Poets at 14th and V Streets, NW. I’m thinking there is a Mao resemblance but that’s not it. A little help?
“Dear PoP,
I have lived in DC for almost nine years and I still don’t know what the cylinder structures are on the corner of N. Capitol and Michigan near WHC. I have wondered for so many years, I pass by them fairy regularly. I almost don’t want to know; I like the mystery. But I think it’s time I figure it out. I can’t seem to find the info anywhere and no one seems to know. I attached a photo while I was biking on my way to work. Sorry it’s not very good quality.
Can you help me?”
Sure, this is part of the McMillian filtration site. According to Wikipedia:
“To handle population growth and municipal sanitation needs, officials added the McMillan Reservoir Filtration Plant in 1905. This facility implemented an innovative water purification system relying on sand instead of chemicals to filter 75 million gallons (280 million liters) per day. It helped quell typhoid epidemics and other communicable diseases throughout the city.
In 1907 the reservoir and filtration plant were named in honor of Senator James McMillan of Michigan, who chaired the Senate Committee on the District of Columbia and supported development of the water supply facilities.
The old water treatment site was purchased by the District of Columbia from the federal government in 1987 for $9.3 million, and since has deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. The question of what to do with the property is up for debate.”
There are currently plans to redevelop this site but I’m not sure what the status of those plans are. I also heard they once found a dead body in one of those structures…
I couldn’t get a great angle on this sculpture but it sorta looks like a very pensive devil. But it also has wings so I’m totally confused. Is this a figure from mythology or something? Anyone recognize it?
“Crazy Khaki People” on 14th Street, NW. Who are these folks? Apparently there were dozens of folks walking up 14th Street in khakis, almost like a tour bus let them off. It is a bit of an odd sight…