All Mapped Out

Well there are now about 100 maps on the Truxton Circle site ranging from microfilm and hard copies found in the Washingtonia Division at the Martin Luther King DC Public Library at Gallery Place to aerial maps created by the U.S. Geological Survey (a government agency) in the 1950s.

Whereas the census data can tell about the social and demographic changes of the neighborhood the maps show changes in property lines, streets, courts and alleys the come and go, as well as houses that do the same. See Square 519 (bounded by Florida Ave, 3rd, R and 4th Sts NW) that begins with the German Glorius family in 1887 taking up the whole block and as we move into the 20th century the family has divided the block into lots and later sells the majority of the property to Harry Wardman, a developer. We also see blocks that in no way resemble their current layout. From the start Square 551changes, where there were a few houses here and there in 1887, it builds up in 1903 and 1909 with more housing along 1st St NW where there were none and more housing appears in the alleys. By 1924 a bunch of warehouses and between 1951-1952 we see trucks and a small light industrial area. There is more to the story, but here it's just the beginning to learning about the thousands of stories this neighborhood holds.

© MM Maxwell 2012-2014