Archive: Photos of Washington
Photo Flashback: You've Got Mail
Today: Delivering the mail through the ages. These images from The Post's photo archives show various advances in mail-delivery technology. This photo, by the Harris & Ewing studio, is captioned: "Motorcycle postman (1912)." That looks like it's a Washington street,...
By John Kelly | November 16, 2009; 07:30 AM ET | Comments (0)
Photo Flashback: Beltway Breezin' Edition
The next time you're stuck in a backup on the Beltway--which will probably be this afternoon--think back to Aug. 13, 1964. That's when this photo of a blissfully traffic-free Beltway was taken: The photo was taken by a Post staffer...
By John Kelly | November 9, 2009; 07:21 AM ET | Comments (1)
Photo Flashback: We're Here, We're Queer, Etc.
There is a file in the Washington Post photo archives marked "Homosexuals." Of course, I don't think we would label it that way these days. "Gays" or "Gay Rights" has a kinder ring to it. What sort of photos are...
By John Kelly | November 2, 2009; 08:04 AM ET | Comments (1)
Photo Flashback, Trick or Treat Edition
Picked out your costume yet? I delved into The Post's photo archives to see what treasures were to be found. Maybe some of these ideas will inspire you. This photo has no caption information other than PHOTO BY ELLIS and...
By John Kelly | October 29, 2009; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Photo Flashback, Pigskin Edition
With the Eagles coming to Washington tonight to take out on the Redskins, I thought this photo from 1955 was appropriate: The caption on the Associated Press photo reads: EAGLES STOP GUGLIELMI Ralph Guglielmi (3), Washington back, juggles the ball...
By John Kelly | October 26, 2009; 07:15 AM ET | Comments (0)
Photo Flashback: The Great Pumpkin
This picture, by Post photographer Harry Naltchayan, ran in the paper on Oct. 28, 2964 1964. Here was the caption: How to Face Halloween! Children of the Happy Hill School, McLean, Va., planted Halloween and harvested it yesterday. Under...
By John Kelly | October 19, 2009; 08:15 AM ET | Comments (3)
Photo Flashback: Sinking to a New Low Edition
It's only recently that D.C. schools have had problems with their physical plants, right? Not exactly, if this photo that ran in the Star on Jan. 22, 1950, is any indication: It accompanied a story on the woeful amenities in...
By John Kelly | October 12, 2009; 07:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
The Bridge With Kaleidoscope Eyes
I wrote a few weeks back about the renovation of the 14th Street Bridge. It's being resurfaced. But the unusual element of the rehab is the bridge tender's house, the hexagonal tower halfway across the span. It's being fitted with...
By John Kelly | October 9, 2009; 11:30 AM ET | Comments (0)
'Another Washington': Pictures From the Past
I wrote about local photographer Paul Feinberg in my column on Tuesday. He's my guest today for my online chat. Of course I can describe Paul's photographs, but you really have to see them to experience them. And seeing them...
By John Kelly | October 9, 2009; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (1)
Photo Flashback: Saddle Up Edition
There's a lot to love about this photograph, from the police officer's bitchin' bike to his cool uniform (check out those boots). Then there's the lasso. The photo ran in the Washington Star on July 2, 1942, with this caption:...
By John Kelly | October 5, 2009; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Photo Flashback: Feline Assistant Edition
I've run two dog photos in this feature and now the cat people are clamoring for equal time. How about this one: It ran in The Post on Jan. 2, 1945, accompanying this story: "Minnie," feline rat exterminator of the...
By John Kelly | September 28, 2009; 02:10 PM ET | Comments (0)
Photo Flashback: Coed Life, Circa 1942
For the last week or so, freshmen (and women) from all around the country have been arriving at Washington-area colleges. These photos--taken at American University--are from a Post picture spread in 1942, the first school year after the United States...
By John Kelly | September 7, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (2)
Sheer Heart Attack: A New Line of Public Art
Donkeys and elephants I got. Pandas I understood. Even pigs (pork barrel politics), snakes (lobbyists) and leeches (lawyers) would make sense. But hearts? Massive painted hearts are going up in Union Station and around the District and the first question...
By John Kelly | September 4, 2009; 10:43 AM ET | Comments (2)
Photo Flashback: 'Oops' Edition
Parallel parking has never been easy. Just take a look at this photo taken in Washington in 1950: This photo was taken by Post staffer Arthur Ellis and was printed in The Post on Sept. 26, 1950. The caption: AND...
By John Kelly | August 31, 2009; 09:21 PM ET | Comments (1)
Photo Flashback: Brave New World Edition
There was a time when computers were going to be our friends, when they were going to make our lives easier. Take the "paperless office," for example. No longer would workers' desks be crowded with invoices, reports, letters, memos and...
By John Kelly | August 24, 2009; 09:30 AM ET | Comments (7)
Photo Flashback: Doing Hard Time Edition
Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. And if you were doing the time in 1946 in Washington, this is how you talked to visitors: This photo ran in the Washington Star on Aug. 30, 1946. Here's...
By John Kelly | August 10, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Photo Flashback Week, Day 5
We have to wrap up the week with a cute animal photo, right? Why, here's one: This photo ran in The Post on March 10, 1946, with this rather long caption: HE'S GOT A LOT OF PULL -- Bunker Twitchell,...
By John Kelly | August 7, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Photo Flashback Week, Day 4
I love today's picture. It may be my favorite of the week. It was in a photo file about the Capital Transit Strike of 1945: The caption: ALWAYS ROOM FOR TWO MORE. Cab driver George Oliver (right) smiles as he...
By John Kelly | August 6, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Photo Flashback Week, Day 3
Welcome to Wednesday. I found so many good photos in the file marked "Automobiles: Drivers: Tests" that I couldn't choose just one. This photo was published on Nov. 20, 1936, with this caption: Capt. Rhoda J. Milliken, of the Women's...
By John Kelly | August 5, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (2)
Photo Flashback Week, Day 2
Yesterday we had firemen. It's only fair to have some policemen today: The caption on the back reads: Photo shows group of policemen on the firing line of the pistol range at Camp Simms. Star Staff Photo. Nov 1935. I...
By John Kelly | August 4, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Photo Flashback Week, Day 1
I'm on vacation this week but before I left I dipped into The Post's photo archive. I've selected old photos of Washington, not of politicians but of the people who lived and worked here. The photographs don't tell a story....
By John Kelly | August 3, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (2)
Toying Around With Washington
I'm a sucker for tilt-shift photograpy. That's where you get oddly captivating photos by using special lenses to make big things look small and toylike. Lacking as I do an airplane to take aerial photos, a special lens and any...
By John Kelly | June 30, 2009; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
