Photo courtesy of GGW.
Greater Greater Washington published a great article the other day that delved into the sad story of mid-century urban renewal. It focused on the conclusion that the National Capital Park and Planning Commission (NCPPC) reached when it labeled huge swaths of central DC to be “obsolete” neighborhoods. And more interesting for GM, a large chunk of west Georgetown fell into that category.
The Commission identified neighborhoods as obsolete when over 50% of the dwellings needed major repairs and/or had no internal plumbing. And in its judgment, as of 1940 all the blocks west of 36th St. in Georgetown fell into that category (i.e. from P all the way down to Prospect between 36th and 37th).
This is a part of town whose poverty GM has discussed in the past. The scene was well captured by the photographer Carl Mydans: Continue reading
The Georgetown Metropolitan 