Day: May 13, 2009

Random Alley History Notes

Last week I wandered over to College Park, to visit the National Archives’s Still Picture Records Section. They have a series 302-DC called “Photographs of Low Rent Housing and Housing in Inhabited Alleys in the District of Columbia, complied 1934-1941, documenting the period 1916-1941.” No. I have no examples of the pictures because I do not have a copy card for that location and I didn’t want to go down and spend the money to get a copy card I’d never use again and wind up losing.
But I took notes. There apparently was another Naylor that wasn’t the Naylor Court we know. It was Naylor’s Alley on Sq. 515, which is over in Mt. Vernon Triangle as far as I can tell. There are some great pictures there, including a few snaps of a “Woman Evangelist,” a black woman in the middle of the alley wearing a coat.
Over on Sq. 512 which is between N, O, 5, 4, and NJ, was Kings Court where there are several pages of photographs.
For some odd reason I have a note about a picture of a toilet on Langston Terrace, which I think is somewhere in SW or SE.
Something I really should have gotten a copy of is a photograph from 1916 of the Mulumba House at 621 Rhode Island Avenue NW.

Ridge Street, again


Once again no body entered my contest. When you realize how easy it was you’ll kick yourself. It was:

Here’s the question, what is the address of a Ridge Street NW house that is still standing today but in 1940 was listed as “old and in poor condition” or “poor condition”?

473 Ridge Street NW is up for sale for $379K. In 1940 it’s assessed value was $1,557, and described as “1 2 story frame, 4 rooms; no improvements; very old and in poor condition.”
The house pictured is 425 Ridge Street. In 1940 for 425-425 1/2 Ridge Street the assessed value was $3,732. The description read as follows, “2 2 story bricks, divided into 2 3-room apartments or flats each; no improvements except inside water; old and in poor condition.” The monthly rental for it was $70 and it held 4 families, a total of 19 persons.

So seriously the only Ridge Street houses NOT described as being old and in poor or terrible condition were, 413, 457, 475, 458, 438, 440, 442, and 444. 458 was a blacksmith’s shop and garage, so it wouldn’t have mattered.

Ref- RG 302 P-1, Folder Sq. 512 & 513.