Photographs

Business Photographs

Baum's Popular Shopping Place
"Popular Merchandise at Popular Prices, We Sell All Books Published at Cut Rates"; dry goods, cloaks, millinery, men's furnishings, and bookseller, 416 7th NW

Contributed Dec 2011 by Susan Salus
Benning Service Station
The Benning Texaco Service Station, with gas tanker truck at far right, as it looked in 1925. Proprietor was George H. James. Exact location is unknown but probably off Benning Road.

Contributed Jun 2012 by Susan Salus
Bridwell Oysters
Lewis T. Bridwell operated a saloon and oyster bar on 7th Street, SW, during 1890-1891. This photo was taken in 1890, probably after it first opened. The bottom of the plate glass reads "Oysters in Every Style." While the two men are standing under the "615" street number, Bridwell's saloon was listed in old directories as being at 621 7th street, SW, not 615. It is possible Lewis occupied four storefronts, from 615 to 621 7th street, but that seems unlikely. The 615 address have previously been a grocery store and was a drug store during 1889. By 1892, the oyster bar was no longer in operation; however, Lewis was working as a bottler and either lived at or operated a bottlery from the 621 7th st, SW, address. Note that Bridwell proudly displayed the sale of Christian Heurich's lager ale, "brewed by [?] T. Bridwell." The bottler may have been Lewis, himself, or Lewis' father, Moses T. Bridwell. Moses had been in the ale and mead brewing and bottling business for many years and operated from the 300 block of M St, SW. He likely played a role in establishing and operating Lewis' saloon. Moses died in January 1892 and his death may have forced Lewis' saloon to close.

Contributed Jun 2012 by Susan Salus
Columbus Scriber Flour
Columbus Scriber, a black man freed in 1853, owned the flour and feed store located 119 E St, SW. He is seated on the porch of his business and was about 28 years old at the time of the photo (1863).

Contributed Jun 2012 by Susan Salus
Frankle & Co
"The Fair, 7th & H St NW, Housefurnishings"

Contributed Dec 2011 by Susan Salus
John Howard Livery Stables
John C. Howard's stable at 452-454 G Street, NW, as it looked in 1865. In front is a fire department hose reel. To the left is the Howard Restaurant.

Contributed Jun 2012 by Susan Salus
Potomac Garage
Potomac Garage with tow truck as it looked in 1921. It was located at 3307 M Street, NW, and was owned by Paul D. Osmond, Aubrey H. Osmond, and Wallace R. Florence.

Contributed Jun 2012 by Susan Salus
Reeves Bakery, 1209 F Street, NW

Contributed Jan 2012 by Susan Salus
M. Frank Ruppert's Hardware
M. Frank Ruppert, son of the founder of Ruppert's Hardware Store, poses in the doorway around 1920. The name of the gentleman on the left is unknown. (Photo of a historical marker, downtown DC)

Contributed Jun 2020 by Ray Gurganus
Sanderson House
The Sanderson House, located at 8th & L Sts, SE, near the Navy Yard, as it looked in 1866. It served as a restaurant and hotel and was owned by William Sanderson. By 1870, the "Sanderson House" at 8th street was no longer listed in old DC Directories, but one was listed on New Jersey Avenue at the corner of A Street, SE. This was either a branch of the original or a complete relocation.

Contributed Jun 2012 by Susan Salus
Thompsons Furniture Store, 9th & 10th & Penn Ave, Washington DC.
Frank Thompson is the man in front on the left, the small guy I think may be Arthur King, his nephew who lived with them and worked at the store. The fellow in the chair may be Frank's son Fank and the fellow standing to the right is his father Thomas Thompson, a gold watch maker from London.

Contributed Feb 2012 by Jeanne

Schools

ThumbnailDescriptionContributedSource
Howard University
The Miner Hall Dormitory of Howard University (1893). The women in the photo are presumably students housed in the dormitory.
Jun 2012 Susan Salus
Entrance to the National University Law School
At the time of the photo (1929) the school was located at 818-820 13th Street, NW. They moved to that address around 1893. The Law School operated as an independent school until August 31, 1954, when it was combined with the George Washington University law school.
Jun 2012 Susan Salus
Geta Scott, janitor at the law school.
While he was only identified as "Scotty" in the photo caption, I searched old census records and DC directories (under the presumption that his last name was "Scott") and found a "Geter" Scott working as a janitor at the law school's address (818 13th St, NW). I was also able to determine that "Geter" was a misprint for "Geta" Scott. Geta appears in the DC censuses for years 1910 thru 1940. Since his occupation is shown as janitor for a law school, I am fairly confident that the photo is of Geta. I could not find him in the 1900 census. The photo contains a statement made by the law students about "Scotty." It's transcribed here:

"Scotty"

He is as much a cog in the wheel as the Board of Trustees, and space is here reserved to pay tribute to a faithful, industrial servant, who for the past 37 years has been known to the students of this University as just plain "Scotty". He is a man who put the dusty volumes of the law back on the shelf for you to pull down; he is the man who kept the lights burning into the wee small hours of the morning while several organizations "had it out" upstairs.
Jun 2012 Susan Salus

Military

ThumbnailDescriptionContributedSource
Chapel Hospital - more information Sep 2012 Susan Salus
Armory Square Hospital (7th & Independence Ave, SW) - more information Sep 2012 Susan Salus

Locations

ThumbnailDescriptionContributedSource
Seventh Street, 1950
where record shops offered listening booths, and the latest hits boomed on to the sidewalk. (The Historical Society of Washington, D.C.)
Jun 2020 Ray Gurganus
F Street
Broad awning shade a busy F Street in the late 19th century, seen here looking west toward teh US Treasury Building.
Jun 2020 Ray Gurganus
F Street
John Wilkes Booth and others plotted the assassination of President Lincoln in the building seen here at the far left, at that time a hotel called the Herndon House. It once stood on the corner straight ahead. The camera is pointed west down F Street in this 1880s view.
Jun 2020 Ray Gurganus
F Street
All of the tallest of these buildings stood in the 600 block of F Street (site of today's Verizon Center) at the time of Abraham Lincoln. This photograph was taken about 1900.
Jun 2020 Ray Gurganus
Early Pennsylvania Ave Mar 1999 unknown
Early Seventh Street Mar 1999 unknown

A few who lived or died here

A school picture is of my Great Uncle Frank Taylor Thompson of Georgetown (1878-1948). I am not sure which one he is or what school, but it is in DC. Feb 2012 Jeanne
BAIRD, Spencer Fullerton 1823-1887 Wikipedia
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1871-1887
Mar 2010 Wikipedia
BEALE, Edward Fitzgerald 1822-1893 Wikipedia
naval officer, military general, explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, diplomat
Mar 2010 Wikipedia
CHURCHILL, Sylvester 1783-1862 Wikipedia
Inspector General of the U. S. Army
Mar 2010 Wikipedia
DOUGLAS, Frederick 1818-1895 Wikipedia
American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman
Mar 2010 Wikipedia
DONEGAN, John Dominic (1858-1934) Jun 2000 unknown
DONEGAN, John Dominic (1858-1934) Jun 2000 unknown
DRURY, Ella Elizabeth Donegan (1893-1972) Jun 2000 unknown
DRURY, John Samuel Jr. Jun 2000 unknown
GRIMKE, Francis 1852-1937 Wikipedia
a Presbyterian minister who was prominent in working for equal rights for African Americans
Mar 2010 Wikipedia
HENRY, Joseph 1797-1878 Wikipedia
First Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Mar 2010 Wikipedia
Richard Wilson HENDERSON, born 28 Aug 1856 in Washington, DC to John Henderson and his wife Jane McCully Cumming Henderson. May 2011 Ann Chandler
Clara Bell HENDERSON BROOKE, and her twin Nellie HENDERSON SCOTT in the lower right. The others, the date, and the place are unknown.
May 2011 Ann Chandler
Richard Wilson HENDERSON's daughters with his first wife, Esther Jane Ferguson Henderson. After Esther died, he married her sister Rosalee and had two more children, and then Rosalee died and he married Mae Woodin Hoover. Caption: Left to Right - Ethel Wilson Henderson, Elizabeth Cummings Henderson, Esther Louise Henderson, Clarabel Henderson, Eleanora Henderson; Sept 29 1894 May 2011 Ann Chandler
HURLEY, Mary Ellen (1858-1924) Jun 2000 unknown
WIRT, William 1772-1834 Wikipedia
Author, statesman, United States Attorney General
Mar 2010 Wikipedia
Josh and Phebe YODER c1895 Lincoln Park DC; Josh Yoder was the brother of Sam Yoder, Congressman from Ohio. Josh was Cashier of the House in the early 1890s. The Yoders lived at 1225 Euclid St NW from about 1913 until their deaths in the 1930s. May 2013 Paul Sangster

Unknowns - Can you help?

"My great grandfather, Denis Connell was born in Ireland in 1838. I am unsure of when he arrived in Washigton DC but he co-owned a grocery store (name "Fine Foods"?) and livery stable around the area of North Capitol and H Sts. He owned this with his father-in-law and brother-in-law, John and Thomas Rover. This area was called Swampoodle at the time. I do not have any pictures of the business or of my great grandmother Catherine Rover Connell. These 2 pictures may be relatives.

The first may be my great-grandfather Conell and the second picture may be one of my grandfather's siblings or a McGill. Contact me with any leads -- Carolyn"
Sep 2012 Carolyn
Sep 2012 Carolyn

Pastors, Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church

ThumbnailDescriptionContributedContributor
Rev. William W. Bennett, 1850 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. Leonidas Rosser, 1851 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. John D. Blackwell, 1852 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. James A. Duncan, 1853 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. David Seth Doggett, 1857 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. John C. Granbery, 1857 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. George H. Ray, 1861 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. John W. Boteler, 1863 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. William V. Tudor, 1866 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. S. Samuel Roszel, 1871 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. Alpheus Waters Wilson, 1873 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. W. P. Harrison, 1878 Wikipedia
Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. Samuel W. Haddaway, 1886 Mar 2011 NY Times
Rev. J. T. Wightman, 1890 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. Isaac W. Canter, 1893 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Rev. Jefferson W. Duffey, 1897 Mar 2011 Ray Gurganus
Pastors - DCGenWeb