Looking Back: Raphael Theater

On the east side of the 1400 block of Ninth Street, NW -- in the former footprint of the Giant -- once stood the Raphael Theatre. It was apparently a 444 seat movie theater, it was located at 1409 Ninth Street, NW from about 1935 to 1955.  Later, Church of the Deliverance occupied the building.   Check out an image of the former theater here.

Renovation Reveals Ghost Signs at Ninth and Q

The renovation of the buildings at Ninth and Q appears to be moving pretty quickly, and I love it (remember how they used to look?).  New windows went in a while ago, and workers buzz around the site everyday.  Rumor is that the finished product will include three condominiums (two facing Q, one facing Rhode Island Avenue) and ground floor retail along Rhode Island Avenue.

Here's how it looked today:

Interestingly, when they removed a rotten old side bay on the Ninth Street frontage a while ago, I noticed the remains of an old sign:

And when they recently began stripping the paint from the brick, another old, more faint, was revealed:

I know these particular buildings have seen a variety of uses in their 100+ years of existence.  It would be interesting to know what these ghost signs originally said.

Walking Tours of Shaw This Weekend

Cultural Tourism DC is offering more than 120 free walking tours (and a few bike tours) in 18 neighborhoods across Washington, DC. this weekend (check out the full detailed schedule here). I think I've captured most of the tours occurring in or around our great neighborhood below. I plan to take the Mid-City at a Crossroads tours on Sunday.

Saturday, May 30

Before Harlem, There Was U Street
Sponsored by M&T Bank
Saturday, May 30
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Meet and end outside U St/African Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metro station (13th Street exit)
Reservations required: Online

Logan Circle
Saturday, May 30
11 am - 1 pm
Meet outside McPherson Square Metro station (14th Street exit)
End at the corner of 14th and P Streets, NW

Mount Vernon Triangle Development Tour
Sponsored by Steuart Investment Company
Saturday, May 30
1 - 2:30 pm
Meet and end at Carnegie Library, Eighth and K Streets, NW (south entrance)

Renewal and Mural Art: Byron Peck’s Vision
Saturday, May 30
1 - 2:30 pm
Meet beneath the Duke Ellington Mural at the True Reformer Building, 1200 U Street, NW
End at Connecticut and Florida Avenues, NW

Midcity at the Crossroads: Shaw Heritage Trail (self guided)
Saturday, May 30
1:30 pm
Sign 1: Seventh Street and Mount Vernon Place, NW

Historic Logan Circle
Saturday, May 30
2 - 4 pm
Meet and end by the statue of General Logan in Logan Circle Park
Reservations required: Online

Sunday, May 31

Shaw: Where DC Comes Together, Part I
Sunday, May 31
10 am - 12:30 pm
Meet at northwest corner of Seventh Street and Mount Vernon Place, NW
End at Azi’s Café, 1336 Ninth Street, NW

Before Harlem, There Was U Street
Sponsored by M&T Bank
Sunday, May 31
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Meet and end outside U St/African Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metro station (13th Street exit)

Shaw: Where DC Comes Together, Part II
Sunday, May 31
1 - 3:30 pm
Meet at the northwest corner of Seventh and R Streets, NW
End at Nellie's Sports Bar, 900 U Street, NW

Mount Vernon Triangle Development Tour
Sponsored by Steuart Investment Company
Sunday, May 31
1 - 2:30 pm
Meet and end at Carnegie Library, Eighth and K Streets, NW (south entrance)

Historic Logan Circle
Sunday, May 31
2 - 4 pm
Meet and end in Logan Circle Park, near statue of General Logan
Reservations required: Online


For more information, email info@CulturalTourismDC.org, or call 202-661-7581. To make reservations for specific tours, click here.

Would you like to volunteer for WalkingTown? Click here!
Get more info and tips to plan your day!
Explore the city on your own with Cultural Tourism DC’s Neighborhood Heritage Trails.
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Shaw Historic District Brochure Online

Last year, the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office printed a beautiful and informative brochure about the Shaw Historic District. The publication, available online here, contains a lot of interesting information on the history of Shaw and some great past and present photographs. Hard copies are available throughout the neighborhood (I believe I saw a stack at Chatman’s D’vine Bakery & Cafe this past weekend).

Looking Back: 9th and P Street Circa 1905

Rockcreek has uploaded to flickr a fascinating photostream of old pictures of D.C. The one featured above, available here, is of the Tayloe Pharmacy, which used to be located at the corner of 9th and P Streets. I *believe* this building stood where Wings Motors sits now, next to Queen of Sheba.