Wayback IV: Penn Quarter’s F Street NW Circa 1924

That’s some quality parallel parking!

Where’s the bucket drum guy?

Love it. Great picture.

Looks like the buildings in the foreground are where the Verizon Center now is?

The photo is from the corner of F and 10th looking towards 9th. The bank in the back right is now the Courtyard hotel, and the Metropolitan Theater morphed into the original 930 Club.

F and 9th Streets used to be the center of film in DC in the early 1900s. Many of the cities theaters (movie, burlesque and other) were located between 7th and 14th Streets, from E to H.

Great photo.

the Libray of Congress’ online photo archive is pretty fantastic. some of the old photos of DC come in very high resolution (but large) digital files that are so detailed you can read the license plates off the cars. if you’re a real DC history buff, it’s worth checking out.

we’re always on the hunt for great Wayback photos that provide perspective on DC’s downtown history.

I think I say this about every one of these photos, but I just can’t get over the way people used to dress. They all look so damn nice.

If I am understanding this correctly, then the building with the “clothes” sign on its side is now the current Venable building?

Yes.

Love LOC’s pix..

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.dc0670
pic 1: Starbucks/Clara Barton (1979 I think for both)
pic 2: Waay before Oyamel/Lafayette (You can see the original facades on D St that house Rasika/Lafayette/HT)

Oddfellows around 1899
http://memory.loc.gov/master/pnp/cph/3b10000/3b16000/3b16700/3b16750u.tif

I miss the old 930 Club. Sniff.

Waitaminit. No I don’t. That place stank of leather, spilled beer, and B.O. But the music was great.

@ Columbo: Thank the 1970s and the Baby Boomers for the way people dress now.

#11, so Archie Bunker & Eric Cartman were right!