Foggy Bottom
Historic District
House History Map
Your research, photos, and recollections will help others better understand the history of the Foggy Bottom neighborhood when they visit the Historic District House History Pages.
The Foggy Bottom Historic District House History Map
The FBA History Project is proud to announce the creation of an interactive map of the Historic District. This innovative online project is the first of its kind to document a Washington, D.C. neighborhood's history. The Map Project combines individual House History pages for each building in the Foggy Bottom Historic District Study Area with a map whose layers show historic maps, census/city directory data, and other information focusing on the period from 1870 to 1910. There are plans to extend the map layers to include the period prior to 1870 and from 1911 to 1970.
Accessing the Foggy Bottom Historic District House History Pages
Each House History page features an individual house and can be accessed by using this link or by clicking on the house's location on the map that opens to display a Layer listing (select specific information on the right side) that shares more historical information of the area. The Submit House Information link is below.
This presentation provides a guide to using the features:
Historic District House History Map - Layer by Layer, House by House
Why It Matters
Foggy Bottom has a unique history reaching from its colonial past, its German and Irish immigrant industrial period, and its African American community through changes wrought by urban renewal, gentrification, highway construction, GWU expansion, and development. The Historic District comprises 135 houses, each with stories to tell about the neighborhood from the 1800s to the current day. The map also includes another 100+ "non-historic" properties and land west of the Historic District that was occupied but now is covered by freeways. Our unique House History map documents the community, its houses, and the lives of its residents. The online interactive map project provides a resource about the neighborhood's history that is available to all. Anyone can contribute to, and learn from, the project.
How You Can Contribute to the House History Pages
You can share this information using our easy online Submit House Information form. This information will be reviewed before appearing on the webpage. We expect your information to be available to view online within two weeks. You can help build the House History Mapping project by submitting our form providing information, documents, or photographs about your house or others in the neighborhood. We are interested in the following categories:
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House History (e.g. physical description, original features, prior uses of the house)
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Residents (e.g. Information on owners and tenants from deed records, census, notable residents, and building uses)
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Recollections (personal experiences of current or former residents)
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Source Material (listing of sources of information)
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Documents (e.g. deeds, newspaper articles, letters from past owners, floor plans)
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Photo Gallery (vintage or current photos, include source, date, descriptive caption
House History Resources for Your Research
Start by reviewing any materials you have collected about your house. If you have neighbors or friends who have left Foggy Bottom but have information to contribute - please share this page with them.
For additional research, a good place to start is the DC History Center's Building Research Guide, and you can find more on our History Resources Page.
