Washington in the '60s: Share Your Memories

I grew up in DC Metro area of Virginia during the 60's. Im sure like others I am not alone when I say we saw it all. I was in the tempo builidings along the reflection pool (which are now gone) to here MLK speech "I have dream". My mom worked in those buildings. It is something that is has stuck with me forever. I also later was down to protest the war in Vietnam (as my mother was doing the body count everyday for the government).

I also have fond memories of places like Velatis Confectionery's, the shopping district with W&L and Garfinckels, Reeve's, Gusties, and many other places. My grandmother stayed in DC, and she introduced me to places she had gone to while growing up in DC. Both her and my mother as the city grew and buildings changed could tell what use to be there.

Since I lived in Virginia, not far from Fairfax Hospital. The beltway was being built at the end of our street, so when they left or on the weekends during the summer we would go down and ride our bikes on the nice new pavement

Looking forward to the show, and yes I remember "we are the joy boys of radio" are they still chasing electrons?

I lived in NYC, and most of the year didn't see segregation first-hand. But during summers, I visited with my father and grandmother, and saw separate bathrooms and water fountains for "coloreds" (or "Negroes", depending on whether we were in D.C. or Virginia), and thought that was really odd. I even went into a men's room for "coloreds" just to see what was different about their facilities... and all the stuff in there was the same as in our bathrooms. As a child, I couldn't see the need for FOUR bathrooms in D.C. and Virginia when TWO worked just fine at home in Manhattan.

Then in the summer when I was twelve, I think, I saw almost all the stores around my uncle's mens store on 15th at K burned out. His store (Kay's Men's Shop) was spared, because he didn't treat people any differently based on their religion or skin color.

The level of racial hatred that had been simmering beneath the surface had been too subtle for me to notice as an eleven year old boy, but the riots changed all that.

My wife and I grew up in Iowa, and had just moved, with 2 young children to Baltimore in 1958 to take a new job after college, It was a big change for us, but Baltinore is a nice place, so we managed the change, We remember the 1960's very well,especially John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Martin Luther King. We especially liked the folk songs of Harry Belafomte, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and such groups as the Weavers, and Peter, Paul , and Mary, and the Smothers Brothers. All of them were great! TWahington in the1960's were a great place and time to be alive!

I worked at IRS at 11th and Penn when the riots started and buildings down the street and on F Street started burning. Both black and white workers were frightened, not knowing which way to turn. Government workers were finally sent home early, but instead of getting out of the city, we sat like sitting ducks in our cars in a traffic jam! The next week, after the curfew, when we were allowed back into the District, we girls took a walk up to F Street. We innocently stuck out heads into the burned out stores and were overcome by the fumes of the tear gas. What a sad, sad, frightening time in our history.

You want good times:

Felix Grant on WMAL.

Early '70's: Listening and loving Roberta Flack's Sunday jam sessions upstairs at Mr. Henry's on the Hill.

Life was simpler then. Tyson's Corners was two dirt roads that intersected. Seven Corners was the only Shopping Mall. You got on a bus to go to 11th and # to see the magical Christmas (animated windows); go the spectacular movie theaters, eat Velatis caramels, go to Blen Echo or ride on the Mount Vernon Ferry to the amusement park. Georgetown had the greatest dance places (Roundtable, Old Macs, New Macs, etc.) Everyone was angry with the Viet Nam war and the senseless dying. We were all fighting for civil rights but the night D.C. was burned and looted broke my heart. I used to feel safe everywhere - and there was more laughter in the world before JFK and MLK were assassinated and the Viet Nam War. It seemed drugs came in and less hope in our future.

In 1965 I moved from the District to a 4th-floor appartment in the Crystal House (Arlington) facing the Potomac River. At that time, one could see from our balcony essentially all forms of mechanized transportation simultaneously, and without a turn of the head. By looking due east the following were visable:

Planes taking off from National Airport
Cars, trucks and Bicycles on Rt. 1
Trains coming into Washington from the South
Boats of various kinds on the river

What a great illustration that would have made for a second-grade reader.

I am 64 years old now and living in Redmond, WA, outside of Seattle, WA. I was born in the old Sibley Hospital on North Capitol St. My first home was on the 600 Block of B St NE, which was changed to Constitution Ave. My grandmother had a rooming house on the 300 block of Maryland Ave. NE from 1932 to 1969, then another rooming house on the 700 black of East Capitol ST SE.

The Mall was my own personal playground and used to tour all the Smithsonian buildings all my myself. A kid could never do that these days. I also remember the Marine Band playing on the East Front of the Capitol during the summer.

Much of my youth was spent in SE DC as well as my grandmother's house on Maryland Ave and I graduated from Anacostia in 1965, Prince Georges Comm College in 1968, and University of Maryland in 1970.

The 60's are very vivid to me, such as JFK's inaugeration, his funeral which I attended as far as going thru the Rotunda to view his casket, the cortege to St Matthew, & it going across Memorial Bridge with the leaders of the world following.

My grandmother worked at Woodies on F St back when "going downtown" was special. She was an avid passenger of the old streetcars and so was I. I loved the one that went to Glen Echo and used it a great deal until the streetcars were discontinued in 1962.

I worked at both the Washington Post and the Evening Star while in college and remember the curfews during the riots due to MLK's assassination.

I used the Library of Congress to study while going to college. I would like to think I used the city to the fullest as a youth and remenicse about my youth with great fondness.

Born in Wash D C but raised in suburban Maryland, I say there was never a time like the 1960s.......

Some favorite memories:
Seeing the Beatles perform live at DC Stadium at the height of their US popularity (and knowing enough to keep my ticket stub and program all these years!)

Yearly trolley rides to Glen Echo Amusement Park (knowing the guy inside the gate would never correctly guess my age and weight and therefore I'd always win my first park prize)

The great local radio stations and DJs that really knew how to entertain and the bus rides they sponsored periodically, like the one to The '64 World's Fair combined with the fabulous Beatles show at Shea Stadium. (And the era's incredible British Invasion, great music!!)

Woodward and Lothrop's bakery shop (yummmmmm) and their Christmas time animated window displays that made even a nightime trip downtown worthwhile.

Meeting with coworkers early each workday morning at Reeves Bake Shop and Restaurant on F Street for out-of-this-world cheese toast.

Of course, it wasn't a perfect decade.....I don't dwell on the negativity of the "60s, on the sad and bad Kennedy deaths or the unfortunate destruction of our downtown buildings and businesses during the riots.

They say that if you can remember the sixties you never really lived them, but for me, (never into drugs or much drinking,) I can remember them well and am the happier for it!!

Where is he in this program?
If it were not for Hopson, Fontroy and Berry would not have been on the map in DC.
Hopson was the prime civil rights catalyst in DC during those early civil rights years.During those days whites in power only listened to or accepted black preacher lead protest. Malcom X and Hopson were powerful leaders but portrayed as militant outcast that lead to and agreed to accepted black leadership AKA Preacher Fontroy and a then out of towner Berry.

The 60's were some crazy years. Not sure I would like to see that again.

Just saw this on tv and thought it was amazing, especially all the great
music, i knew most if not all the songs except for
that one song about the revolution that was played during the last protest on the vietnam war, can anyone tell me
the name of the song? Thanks!!

That song was on WMAL all the time back in the 60s and 70s. Is it related to Washington? And, what's the name?

BTW, great using "It's a Bourgeois Town." It's not 60s, but it's perfect for this show.

Anyone remember what year they took the Quonset huts off the Mall? I think they were still there in the mid-60s, weren't they?

08 Feb. 2010
Snowed in!

My grandparents, the Mitchells, came to America around 1850 from Britain. Probably entered the U.S. through the Port of Baltimore. Grandfather was most likely a civilian employee, and guarded Mary Surratt when she was imprisoned at the arsonal at Fort McNair. Since our family- Huttons, Hawks (-seems like everyone was related through blood or marriage) lived (cradle to coffin) in Saint Dominics Parish- the Mitchells may have lived in southwest too???
Before southwest was "torn down", my grandmother (and over the years, countless relatives-) lived at 504 6th St. SW. Right across from the church. On Christmas eve we used to slip out of bed and look out the window. Everytime the doors opened, you could see the large columns along the center aisle decked with holly, hear the choir ( we all sang in the choir at one time or the other)- it is a beautiful memory.

I particularly remember one afternoon that I was in her home, she took off her apron, brushed back her hair and said, "come along child" and off we went across the street to a darkened church so gran could pray. I can still see the pew we were sitting in. Quietly I stared at the magnificent white altar and spire above it that seemed to go to heaven. What was this really all about? I just didn't get it. Then, as I was able to frame the moment many, many years later- I felt the presence of God. Simply that. I mark the real beginning of my faith from that moment and never ever forgot it.

Every Saturday evening, she would make up pans of rolls to bake the next morning after Mass. My cousins, family, their friends always filled the house. Kids in the parlor! (They wished!) Anyone remember sliding down four flights of banisters? Or trying to figure out a way to "get into" the boarded up dumb-waiter???

There was a ritual to breakfast. My cousins and I didn't just sit down and eat. First, we took a pan of hot rolls around the corner to No. 4 Police Station. Then a plate of breakfast to (bedridden) Mrs. O'Connor on the corner, then another plate of breakfast to Miss Hannah next door. Miss Hannah, who so wanted to reciprocate with a nice warm glass of milk!!! Miss Hannah taught us to be gracious.

I remember the smell of cobblestone after the rain, the call of the rag man (my hero- he had a horse & wagon), the beautiful sight of wisteria growing in the backyard, the old converted player piano in the parlor- where everyone learned to play by ear and harmonize, the playground at Amidon School on the other corner, and last but not least- snowballs at Judd's Drugstore on the corner by St. Dominic's Grade & High School. They had us surrounded you know. Convent, church, priest house- everyone would go there for soda's and to dance, it seems at least one kindly soul kept a look-out for Sister Marie Claire or Adeltrude. You never knew when they might pass by and maybe look in the window.

Like many of you, I could go on and on. It's all gone now. But there is still a daily reunion, as I remember everyone at Mass- living and dead. The nice thing about faith is this- we never really say goodbye, by the grace of God, see you all in heaven.