I’m looking into my collection of photographs and going down memory lane.
I took these photos eighteen years ago. The snow just fell and it was pretty. Pretty until you have to go to work and it gets packed into ice on the sidewalk.
When I took this photo back in 2008 I did not know that the corner house had history. That it was the home of the notable Pocahontas Pope.
So much has changed since then. It’s been renovated and now I am more familiar with it’s notable former resident.
It was on the market last year, but I see the listing was removed. Well, better luck in 2024!
Among the Library of Congress photographs were photographs of the John Mercer Langston School, which sits on the unit block of P St NW in Truxton Circle. I discovered photographs of the Langston School among the several photographs that photojournalist Marjory Collins took in March 1942. However, like the Slater School, it was not labeled. Thank goodness these schools are located so close to each other that this slice of Truxton Circle history has been captured.
Collins, it seems was aiming to focus on the woman in the hat, not so much the school building.
Langston Elementary was a functional school. It had students and teachers and staff. But now it is just an empty historic building:
The images below are from 2007. The building has been better secured in the past 16 years.
I happened to have found this photograph in the Library of Congress’ collection. It was listed as a Negro elementary school. When I took a closer look I saw the name of the school on the building.
I am amazed seeing children playing on P Street as if it was an extension of the playground. P Street actually doesn’t look that wide in this photo. Things were different in 1942, when this was taken by Marjory Collins the Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information photographer who took the photograph.
I found a similar view from 2008.
The school was in poor shape then.
This is the old building, probably the same one that was in the 1957 Church Survey.
Continuing on from Part 1….
Look at this photo taken in 1942.
Now same day in March 1942, same event.
Behind them appears to be the National Homeopathic Hospital. Below is a photo of the hospital from 1910.
You can see the front of the hospital in the top photograph. In the second photo you can see part of the old Dunbar High School building. Despite it being an event for Armstrong High School boys, it appears they are on Dunbar’s campus.
Below is an aerial photo from 1951 or 1952 taken by the US Geological Survey. Keeping in mind where the two tallish buildings of the hospital sat, and the corner of old Dunbar, you can see where the boys were parading.
Everybody in the car,
So come on let’s ride
To the liquor store
around the corner
The boys say they want
some Gin & Juice
But I really don’t wanna
-Lou Bega ‘Mambo No. 5’
If you can’t see the details of the map above go to this link, and click on it to see the details. It shows where the liquor stores, grocery stores, drug stores, barber and beauty shops and other stores in the Shaw neighborhood.
Before Common there was a long battle between the residents of Richardson Place and a developer named Mondie. And before Mondie, there was a garden where part of the current shared apartments sit.
The garden belonged to Jim Norris who owned the house next to it. It was a cute and sweet little garden perfect for a bachelor. The houses on Richardson back then were on the very small side. I remember one Christmas, Jim had his whole living room packed with many creches/nativity scenes. He managed to make the best of the small space. Jim owned it from 2001-2018.
