Washington, D.C., Then and Now (Then & Now) [Hardcover]

Alexander D. Mitchell IV (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

Millions of schoolchildren and visitors make the pilgrimage to our nation's capital each year. Built on reclaimed swampland, Washington is now the country's neoclassical seat of government and culture. Now you can witness Washington's development over the last century and a half. Seventy modern color photographs are compared side-by-side with seventy archival photographs from the 1850s to the 1950s. While focusing on famous vistas and familiar landmarks, it also explores well-known neighborhoods. The Then and Now series includes: New York, Washington, Boston, and San Francisco.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alexander D. Mitchell, IV, is a writer and photographer specializing primarily in railroad and transportation issues and history. His articles and photos have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers over the years. He is also the author of Washington DC Then and Now (1-57145-191-9). Born and raised in Selingsgrove, PA, he now resides in Baltimore.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571451919
• ISBN-13: 978-1571451910
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Travel

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Washington DC Then and Now, July 18, 2000

By 

Robert S - See all my reviews

This review is from: Washington, D.C., Then and Now (Then & Now) (Hardcover)

Washington D.C., Then and Now, is full of many fascinating pictures taken in and around the Washington D.C. area. The city is rich in history and full of a number of buildings, monuments and historic areas. Through the years, the city has changed and developed around these landmarks. Washington D.C., Then and Now traces this development and change through pictures.

The premise behind the book is to show the reader each area of the city as it appeared using archival photographs on one page, and comparing it to a recent picture of the same area, taken from approximately the same location, to demonstrate how the area has evolved.

The author has organized the book by street name or area. The earliest known picture of the Capitol, taken in 1846, is the most famous picture (Only seven are known to exist). There is an interesting story about how the rare picture was obtained. You'll have to get the book to find out.

Whether you have traveled to Wahington DC or are just interested in the pictoral history of our nation's capital, the book has a lot to offer. It also makes an excellent coffee table book for your guests to peruse.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting historical look at the nation's capitol, April 1, 2005

By 

David Traill (Stuart, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Washington, D.C., Then and Now (Then & Now) (Hardcover)

Having seen a few other books showing historical photos of different cities' landmarks and their modern looks, I was interested to see what this book would offer. I was not disappointed, fiding the choice of subjects ranging form the famous to the obscure, painting a picture of a Washington long ago.

With many of the more famous buildings in Washington having been built in the last 70 years, there aren't as many older structural pictures to hold up against a view of the current looks. This is often refelcted by what originally stood on the site, and then the facing page shows what is built on the site now. Obviously, there are pictures showing the White House, Capitol, and a few other notable buildings to examine for small changes, but the majority of the book features things the average visitor wouldn't normally notice.

To people who have spent some time in this great city, they would greatly appreciate where the modern looks and everyday scenery has come from. To the average reader, this book would be an interesting coffee table book to entertain the curious.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good, September 30, 2006

By 

Washington DC Guy "Robert" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Washington, D.C., Then and Now (Then & Now) (Hardcover)

This book is pretty good to see a historical comparison of Washington DC "then" vs. "now." The most disappointing aspect here is that a lot of the current pictures seem to have been taken on the same overcast late fall/early winter day. Washington DC is one of the most beautiful cities in the world but a lot of the current pictures don't capture that. The historical pictures and overall comparisons are pretty good though and I would have rated this a "5" if they had done a better job capturing the city's beauty. A solid "4" none the less.