From film dealing with sesquicentennial in Washington DC, released 1950. Review of development of Washington, DC. Model of the Memorial Bridge and the Constitution Avenue in the year 1930. A model of the Jefferson Memorial. The Agriculture Building and building for the members of the House of Representatives. Elevated view of 15 blocks of old slum and run down home and office buildings in the Federal Triangle area that had been marked for destruction. Narrator characterizes them as "unsightly and useless sections of the city." Men work in demolition of slum area. They push over a building wall during clearing of the area. Crane with wrecking ball demolishes building in the Federal Triangle area. View of Department of Commerce under construction circa 1931. Construction of the Post Office Department building is seen underway in the same period.
History of development of Washington, DC. Views of buildings and traffic in Washington DC. Federal Trade Commission building at intersection of Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue. Late 1940s automobile traffic moves on streets of Washington DC. Views of the National Archives Building, Department of Justice, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue building (Internal Revenue Service or IRS). The Commerce Commission building. Visitors at the National Gallery of Art view the sculptures, decorative art and paintings, including sculpture of bust of Louise Brongniart by Jean-Antoine Houdon, and a painting by Edward Savage of George Washington and family viewing an early planning map of Washington DC.
1940s views of new housing units in the form of residential apartment buildings east of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Apartments with parking garages under them across the South Capitol street bridge near the Oxon Hill area. A 1940s sedan car pulls into a parking garage under an apartment building. Next view is out Maryland Avenue and over Bladensburg Avenue to the northeast, showing apartments and other buildings in the Greenbelt area. Car traffic is seen driving through the University of Maryland campus. Apartment construction underway in areas near the University of Maryland. Construction of Colonial Village, with aerial and ground level views of the site. Traffic driving along the Mount Vernon Highway with the Potomac River beside it (later George Washington Parkway). Apartment building construction in Alexandria. Busy traffic scene of commuters arriving in Washington DC on a work day. People get on and off trolley car lines in Washington, D.C. Other commuters wait to board a bus. Late 1940s automobile traffic on street in Washington, D.C.
Traffic in Washington DC in late 1940s. Narrator notes that traffic jams from 5 PM to 5:30 PM on the mall and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. Cars crossing the mall area. A woman driver waits for a passing street car at 15th and Pennsylvania Avenue. Streetcars or trolleys are seen, together with cars and buses, and view of traffic jam on Pennsylvania Avenue. View of L'Enfant's grave marker.
Monuments in Washington DC. A DC-6 airliner and an Eastern Airlines Lockheed Constellation airliner land at the the Washington National airport. Passengers deplane. Aerial view of the Memorial bridge. Traffic moves on the Whitehurst Freeway. Construction of the District of Columbia Courthouse. Aerial view of the Pentagon building. View of Senate Office building. A car leaving the parking garage at the Hecht Company building. Temporary WWII era buildings on the mall in Washington, D.C. Children from the school safety patrol band of Fairview NJ play. Kids from Morgantown, West Virginia safety patrol marching.
Construction of District of Columbia schools. Suburban homes in Washington, D.C. Mount Vernon in Virginia.
CRITICALPAST.COM: About Us | Contact Us | FAQs - How to Order | License Agreement | My Account | My Lightboxes | Shopping Cart | Advanced Search | Featured Collections | Website Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy ©2026 CriticalPast LLC.
License Agreement |
Terms & Conditions |
Privacy Policy
©2026 CriticalPast LLC.