Washington seems the eternal and unchanging Federal City with its grand avenues and stately monuments. Yet the city that locals once knew--lavish window displays at Woodies, supper at the grand Raleigh Hotel and a Friday night game at Griffith Stadium--is gone. Author John DeFerrari investigates the bygone institutions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with an engaging collection of new vignettes and reader favorites from his blog the Streets of Washington. From the raucous age of burlesque at the Gayety Theater and the once bustling Center Market to the mystery of Suter's Tavern and the disappearance of the Key mansion in Georgetown, DeFerrari recalls the lost Washington, D.C., of yesteryear.
Lost Washington, D.C. (The History Press)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Books such as DeFerrari's push us to look up from our devices and enter a past that is not visual, but a part of a living city." --Marc Fisher, The Washington Post
"For aficionados of D.C. history, DeFerrari's lively historical nuggets - complete with plenty of vintage photos - will provide hours of pleasure and perhaps the occasional 'Gee, I didn't know that!'" --Karen Lyon, The Hill Rag
"Lost uses personal sketches, lithographs, period photos, and postcards to cover the city's earliest days as a sparsely populated "largely rolling farmland and rugged wilderness" to a city now with more than 600,000 residents....While focused on the past physical identity of the city, Lost also introduces us to a cast of personalities whose entrepreneurial élan helped build a growing city, the seat of a power of an expanding nation. These characters helped forge the city's emotional and social identity." --John Muller, Greater, Greater Washington
"For aficionados of D.C. history, DeFerrari's lively historical nuggets - complete with plenty of vintage photos - will provide hours of pleasure and perhaps the occasional 'Gee, I didn't know that!'" --Karen Lyon, The Hill Rag
"Lost uses personal sketches, lithographs, period photos, and postcards to cover the city's earliest days as a sparsely populated "largely rolling farmland and rugged wilderness" to a city now with more than 600,000 residents....While focused on the past physical identity of the city, Lost also introduces us to a cast of personalities whose entrepreneurial élan helped build a growing city, the seat of a power of an expanding nation. These characters helped forge the city's emotional and social identity." --John Muller, Greater, Greater Washington
About the Author
John DeFerrari, a native Washingtonian with a lifelong passion for local history, pens the Streets of Washington blog devoted to the history of the District of Columbia. He has a master's degree in English literature from Harvard University and works for the federal government.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
John DeFerrari was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and has a passion for local history. Trained as a writer, he has a Master's Degree in English Literature from Harvard University. In 2009, after admiring Washington's beautiful buildings and public spaces for many years, DeFerrari began writing about them in his blog, "Streets of Washington." "Lost Washington, D.C." is his first book, and it is based in part on reader favorites from the blog but also includes many new stories.
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Patti Byrd
Format:Paperback
...are told in this book, including the time in 1924 when Babe Ruth knocked himself out cold by running into the concrete wall at Griffith Stadium while chasing a fly ball (and there's a photo to prove it). Francis Scott Key's mansion in Georgetown and George Washington's townhouses on Capitol Hill are gone forever, as are the "polite" and less-polite vaudeville theaters downtown, but John DeFerrari's thorough research, engaging writing and good use of photos give a strong sense of what it was like when they were here. Other buildings still stand, including the former Greyhound bus station and the bakeries in Shaw that provided much of the city's bread and baked goods 100 years ago. DeFerrari tells about the tragic collapse of the Knickerbocker Theater roof in 1922 (98 people killed), and the late but not-lamented newspaper publisher Frank Munsey ("May he rest in trust"). The author's great use of detail (the Child's restaurant near Union Station--now a SunTrust bank--was designed by NYC Chrysler Building architect William Van Alen) makes this book a fascinating read.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read & have for anyone interested in Washington, DC history!
October 22, 2011
Format:Paperback
Mine just arrived and I sped through it...
This is most certainly a timely book for Washingtonian bibliophiles, preservationists, and historians. There are eight neighborhood or areas of the city that are touched on from old downtown to Georgetown to Capitol Hill to Northeast (west of the Anacostia). The author has dug up many sources to give life to old, lost Washington -- both the places and the people. Although it says the author is not a professional historian this work presents himself as one. No shortcuts have been taken as there are notes, bibliography, index, and maps. This is a well formatted book, packed tightly for its 160 pages.
This is a must have for anyone interested in the history of the greatest city in the world!
This is most certainly a timely book for Washingtonian bibliophiles, preservationists, and historians. There are eight neighborhood or areas of the city that are touched on from old downtown to Georgetown to Capitol Hill to Northeast (west of the Anacostia). The author has dug up many sources to give life to old, lost Washington -- both the places and the people. Although it says the author is not a professional historian this work presents himself as one. No shortcuts have been taken as there are notes, bibliography, index, and maps. This is a well formatted book, packed tightly for its 160 pages.
This is a must have for anyone interested in the history of the greatest city in the world!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By BLJ
Format:Paperback
Who me? Nostalgic for the sleepy, provincial, cultural wasteland that I remember as growing up in Washington. Never! Yet, that's exactly what John deFerrari succeeds in evoking with his descriptions of DC's iconic buildings and neighborhoods--some forever lost to the wrecking ball, still others unrecognized and uncelebrated. In his pages, I found a whole new city I had ignored despite a lifetime in residence. Kudos to the author for unlocking the vibrant architectural and cultural history of our capitol.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Garrett Peck
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
John DeFerrari, a member of the D.C. Preservation League and blogger at the Streets of Washington, has turned his keen investigative eye and descriptive prose into a fine book that tells the story of how so many historic buildings were lost in the nation's capital before preservation laws could protect them. But this is much more than just a book about old torn down buildings: he focuses on the people who built them, the people who inhabited or died in them, and the people who struggled (often futilely) to save them. Many of the stories come from his excellent and well researched blog, but he has also added considerable detail and new sites to the book. It is easy to read and accessible, yet maddening to see how many historic sites have been lost. DeFerrari has written an outstanding book that will remind us of the importance of historic preservation.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Anyone who's been around DC for a while will recognize many of these now-vanished buildings. Interesting stories abound, and good illustrations help bring these landmarks back to life.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
...but, not a great book either. I would have liked some more photos and a more indepth look at the Pennsylvania Avenue area. The book did pique my interest in a number of the city's areas. I think some "then and now" photos would have helped too. A quick read for DC Slugger who took two round trips to finish it. Buy it, have some fun, and move on....
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
Look for Similar Items by Category
- Books > History > Americas > United States > State & Local
