Harvey's Oyster House is one of the most famous Washington restaurants of all time. Founded as Harvey’s Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Oyster Saloon by brothers George Washington Harvey (1840-1909) and Thomas Harvey (1830-1872), the restaurant opened in…

In the age of racial segregation and discrimination that kept Washington, DC’s “fine restaurants” out of reach for African American Washingtonians, a wide range of eateries, such as informal cafeterias and full-service commercial restaurants, filled…

A pinnacle of the power-dining culture of DC, Duke Zeibert’s opened in 1950 on L Street NW near Farragut Square, by David “Duke” Zeibert (1910 - 1997). Duke first gained a loyal following while working at Fan and Bill’s, a restaurant that he had…

This restaurant opened as Peking Palace in 1955 and was located in the former space of Seafare, a restaurant which had operated in Cleveland Park since 1945. The original founder, S. Van Lung (1936- 1881), took so much inspiration from another…

Opened in 1891 by Sewell E. Reeves, Reeve’s Bakery began as a grocery store before becoming a tea room and then a soda fountain. Reeve’s drew customers of all kinds through its doors, as it offered gourmet and unique blends of coffee that were…

Phase One was a popular lesbian bar on DC's Barracks Row (8th Street SE), which was once referred to as "Gay Way," thanks to its many LGBTQ+ friendly businesses. Allen Carroll and his partner Chris Jansen opened the bar in 1971. Soon after opening…

Deacon Maccubbin opened Lamda Rising bookstore in 1974 in a 300-square-foot space on 19th Street NW. The bookstore opened at a significant time for the LGBTQ+ movement, as only one year prior to the store's opening the American Psychiatric…

Built in 1810, this rectory was constructed for use by the second Protestant Episcopal congregation of Georgetown. Founded in 1817, Christ Church was started by a group of prominent Georgetown citizens that met to organize a new congregation, due to…

Built in 1921, the University Club of Washington, DC, is a still-standing testament to the ever-evolving social scene of Washington. Originally constructed for the Racquet Club (organized in 1919), and a prime example of the Classical Revival style,…

Built in the 1820s, this large Federal style complex would become Lydia English’s Female Seminary, a school for “fashionable” women. In 1861, during the Civil War, it would be commandeered and converted into a hospital, and shortly thereafter, in…