In 1895, Michael Holzbeierlein (1860-1939) opened his bakery at the rear of his house at 1849 7th Street, after having worked for several years as a foreman for the Charles Schneider Baking Company at 5th and I Streets downtown. After…

Built in 1906 by George M. Barker Company, this warehouse accommodated the millwork and lumber firm established just after the Civil War. As DC experienced rapid population growth, construction projects proliferated across the city, and the Barker…

The General Baking Company's Bond Bread Factory is an Art Deco-style industrial building. Constructed in 1929 to the designs of architect Corry B. Comstock, the building's style, quality craftsmanship, and decorative detailing are rare for the…

The John Fox Slater School is located in a center-city neighborhood of Washington, D.C. known as Shaw East. Completed in 1891 for African American students by the city's Office of the Building Inspector, the Queen Anne/Romanesque Revival-style…

While Black architect Isaiah T. Hatton (1883-1921) designed the building in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, Reginald W. Geare (1889-1927) designed the movie theater on the first floor of the 1921 building. Similar to other establishments in…

Originally the William McKinley Manual Training School, this 1902 building served as the white counterpart to Armstrong Manual Training School, which offered vocational training for Black students. The two schools emphasized the importance of…

Formed in 1912, the Seventh Street Savings Bank is an example of a small, independent bank—a type of financial institution that, prior to the Federal Reserve Act of 1914, specifically catered to the various DC neighborhoods; it served the financial…

The O Street Market exemplifies the large, functional, well-designed market buildings erected in DC under the massive public works campaign headed by Alexander “Boss” Shepherd. After the Civil War, DC sought to revamp its small-town image. To do so,…

In the final years of the 19th century, the construction of the Lafayette in 1898 marked a shift in Washingtonians' housing needs. While it only held twelve units, comparatively small to future apartment buildings, the Lafayette's conventional…

Sitting in a curule chair reminiscent of ancient Rome, the sculpted figure of James Charles Gibbons extends his right hand to bless those viewing him while holding a cross in his left hand. Below, the granite pedestal supporting the statue hosts a…