Posts by Kent Boese — Guest Contributor
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Lost Washington: the Old German Embassy
The old German Embassy was located just west of Thomas Circle at 1435-41 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. The Germans first set up diplomatic quarters in the 70-room mansion (including 13 baths) under Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1893. It was not considered an ideal accommodation for the German legation who soon started looking for a more suitable location, but two world wars interrupted… Keep reading…
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Misplaced Park View: The Georgia Theater
A Georgia Avenue theater’s historic facade has been absent and in storage since 2007, but a signed agreement with a developer calls for rebuilding and returning it to the avenue in the future. The Georgia Theater was built in 1912 and at the time it was dismantled was Washington’s oldest surviving theater after the Minnehaha, which today houses Ben’s Chili… Keep reading…
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Then and Now: The Kenesaw
The Kenesaw, located between 16th, Mt. Pleasant, and Irving Streets, has certainly been no stranger to controversy over the years. It was designed by architects George W. Stone and Frank L. Averill. When a building permit was sought for the structure in March 1905, the District Commissioners met and refused to grant one, stating that they wanted the land to be used as a park… Keep reading…
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Lost Washington: Washington Airport
Before there was National Airport, there was the Washington Airport at Hoover Field. It was established in 1926 and located just west of today’s intersection of the George Washington Parkway and the 14th Street Bridge. The terminal, constructed in 1930, was built in the International Style and designed by architects Holden, Stott & Hutchinson. It was a frame… Keep reading…
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Lost Washington: Benning Race Track
While the idea of a racetrack was originally formulated by the Washington Jockey Club in the late 1880s, it was not until the Benning Race Track opened on Tuesday, April 1, 1890, that the club was able to fulfill this goal. Washington Jockey Club ad (from the Times, March 29, 1900) Opening day attendance consisted of about 2,000 racing fans. In general, the opening did not… Keep reading…
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Then and Now: 2615-2625 13th Street, NW
This row of homes on the east side of 13th street began when builders Kennedy & Davis applied for permits on May 20, 1903. Edgar S. Kennedy is listed as his own architect and each home had an estimated value of $6,000. They were newly completed the following year as can be seen in the historic image above. Three years later 2625 13th Street sold for $9,000. According to DC’s… Keep reading…