Washington DC History Resources

Matthew B. Gilmore

Category Archives: Streets

Food on the Streets: Street vending in the District of Columbia

Food on the Streets: Street vending in the District of Columbia Excerpts.. . For complete column CLICK: https://intowner.com/2020/03/24/food-on-the-streets-street-vending-in-the-district-of-columbia/ By Matthew B. Gilmore*   In 19th century Washington sales of goods … Continue reading

March 27, 2020 · Leave a comment

Non-mysterious Washington DC street names/naming

Recently published articles make much of the mystery behind the naming of Oklahoma Avenue: https://www.enidnews.com/news/state/oklahoma-avenue-thrives-despite-mysterious-history/article_07675fc8-7a66-5744-ac15-763d2d2b6d33.html and https://nondoc.com/2019/09/27/oklahoma-avenue-mysterious-history/ “…it has an untraceable history. In 1981, the Tulsa World published a story … Continue reading

October 4, 2019 · Leave a comment

Mrs. Cole’s Bay Window: Parking, streets, trees, projections, and the Secretary of War

  By Matthew B. Gilmore* What is that space between the curb and the sidewalk (or even some entire front yards in certain neighborhoods)? Who owns it, controls it, manages … Continue reading

July 20, 2016 · Leave a comment

The Bridge a Traffic Jam Built: Arlington Memorial Bridge

By Matthew B. Gilmore* Tip: Click any image in the article to view that image at a larger size. It was Armistice Day 1921. The holiday celebrating the end of … Continue reading

June 27, 2016 · 2 Comments

Petworth that never was: curious case of the missing plat

Matthew B. Gilmore, April 2016 Property subdivision related to development rarely generates much controversy. The case of Petworth is an exception–an interesting curiosity in the development of the District of … Continue reading

April 4, 2016 · Leave a comment

Why is there No 1100 Block of Wisconsin?

Originally posted on The Georgetown Metropolitan:
There’s no L St. in Georgetown. You can walk straight from K St. to M St. without passing their middle sibling. And partially as…

April 4, 2016 · Leave a comment

“High-handed usurpation and outrage”: The End of Washington City Canal

Benjamin Severson was incensed. The work he’d devoted so much time and energy into had been undone. Despite many critics, Severson, a civil engineer and foreman under Montgomery Meigs for … Continue reading

March 22, 2016 · 4 Comments

Talk Dec 17, 2015-Mapping the Permanent System of Highways – DC’s “Second L’Enfant Plan”

DC’S “SECOND L’ENFANT PLAN” – THE PERMANENT SYSTEM OF HIGHWAYS Little-known 1893/98 Master Plan Guided Upper DC’s 20th Century Development Thursday December 17, 2015. Evening lecture by Washington Map Society. Held at … Continue reading

December 10, 2015 · Leave a comment

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