Foggy Bottom
Historic District
House History Map
The FBA History Project has created an interactive map of
the Historic District. This innovative project for the first time
brings together information on a D.C. neighborhood that offers new ways to research and uncover the past and contribute to the present. In November 2023, the DC History Center gave the map a permanent home on their server. They also have links to the project on their Digital Resources page.
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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-contributing" 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. Anyone can contribute to, and learn from, the project.
The Historic District House History Map
The 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. Each house has a link to the individual house history pages if you want to toggle back and forth between the map to the individual house histories. There are plans to extend the map layers to include the period prior to 1870 and from 1911 to 1970. You can also click on a mini-version of the map to see historic photographs here.
Access the Individual House History Pages
To reach each individual house House History page:
1. Click on the house at the House History Page by using this link
2. Or, click on the house on the Foggy Bottom House History map (pan and zoom like any online map and click features for pop-ups).
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How You Can Contribute to the House History Pages
Help build the House History Map project by using our easy Submit House Information form or email DeniseV@FoggyBottomAssociation.org Submit information, documents, or photographs about your house or others in the neighborhood and, after review, they will appear on the House History pages. We have designed the house pages format to allow for new information to be added at any time. Below are types of materials that enrich the history project.
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House History (e.g. physical description, original features, prior uses of the house)
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Owners/Residents (e.g. Information 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)
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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.
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Here's a presentation on using the mapping features: Historic District House History Map - Layer by Layer, House by House
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Special thanks to The Foggy Bottom Defense and Improvement Corporation Trust, the DC History Center and Brian Kraft of Visualizing DC History.
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Examples of the House History page (left) and House History Map and layers (right).
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