To find other historic photos, maps and documents relevant to the Capitol Hill neighborhood, check the books listed on our Bibliography page as well as the extensive photo collections at the Historical Society of Washington and the Washingtoniana division of the DC Public Library; links are on our Other Links page.
Lorraine Reid was a young wife in 1947, new to Washington and tasked with finding a larger apartment for herself and her graduate student husband. With so few apartments to be had in the crowded post-war city, she wandered at length and used the opportunity to photograph buildings she came upon, many of them near the U.S. Capitol but in such dilapidated condition that politicians bemoaned their existence adjacent to the center of power.
When Mrs. Reid downsized in 2013 and moved to Findlay, OH, she searched for a good home for her images. The Overbeck Project is grateful to be the recipient of her generosity. We also thank Nancy Freeman for scanning these images for our use.
None of the dwellings Mrs. Reid photographed in 1947 exists today, but we’ve researched the addresses she provided and have identified each location and what is located there now. Please contact us to offer additional information about a scene or an alternative suggestion about the current use of the photographed site.
From time-to-time, Capitol Hill neighbors and others make historical images available to the Overbeck Project for this web site. Generally images have been loaned to the project and copied; however in a few instances the photograph itself has been donated, to be retained with project archives. The description, source and copyright information for each image are included here to the extent that these are known.
In 2001, Lewis Nicholson Portrait Design gave the newly created Overbeck Project a CD containing portraits of eight neighborhood merchants; Sharon L. Lewis and Robert A. Nicholson were the photographers. Each portrait was published as a full page in the Hill Rag during 1990, accompanied by a brief "bio" written by Sharon L. Lewis.
The CD was misplaced for many years but luckily surfaced just in time for the 2018 website revision. Printed text of six of the bios was also located; unfortunately, the text for two bios is missing.
Many people will no doubt recognize the merchants whose portraits are displayed, and we've provided the information we have about each. Please contact us to offer additional information or suggestions.
This is a growing collection of images that have been provided by interviewees to enhance their interviews. Most of those shown here have been inserted into the transcript of that person's interview, but we've collected them here for easier viewing. To learn more about the interviewee, follow the link to the transcript after you click the image.
