#King Street Old Town Alexandria

[pathologicalreid]

also there is no transit to quantico. my favorite fact is that there is a huge plot whole in spencer taking the metro bc the quantico office is in the middle of no where virginia and has no way to get there besides car.

so technically if he wanted to he could take the metro to King Street-Old Town in Alexandria which is across from the Alexandria Amtrak station and then take a train to Quantico. so the metro won't take him to Quantico but if he's really committed to the bit, he could make it there solely using public transportation. logistically, it's a bit of a disaster.

i'm headcanoning that he takes the metro down to Alexandria and then a member of the team lives there, so they pick him up from the metro station.

i had too much time on my hands at work today lol

[msclaritea]

Five Guys was founded in 1986 by Janie and Jerry Murrell. Jerry and the couple's sons Jim, Matt, Chad, and Ben were the original "Five Guys". The Murrells had a fifth son, Tyler, two years later. Today, all five sons, the current "Five Guys", are involved in the business: Matt and Jim travel the United States visiting stores, Chad oversees training, Ben selects the franchisees, and Tyler runs the bakery.

The first Five Guys was in Arlington's Westmont Shopping Center. Buns were baked in the same center by Brenner's Bakery. This location closed, in favor of another in Alexandria, Virginia, at the intersection of King and North Beauregard Streets, which closed on September 21, 2013.

More followed in Old Town Alexandria and Springfield, Virginia, making five locations open by 2001. Their success encouraged the Murrells to franchise their concept the following year, engaging Fransmart, a franchise sales organization. Former American football player Mark Moseley, who had gone to work for Fransmart after his football career, played a key role in Five Guys' expansion and went on to become the company's director of franchise development after it ended its business relationship with Fransmart. In early 2003, the chain began franchising, opening the doors to rapid expansion which caught the attention of national restaurant trade organizations and the national press. The expansion started in Virginia and Maryland, and by the end of 2004, over 300 units were in development through the Northeast. Over the next few years, the chain rapidly expanded across the entire United States and into Canada, reaching over 1,000 locations by 2012.[needs update][citation needed]

The first location outside North America opened in the United Kingdom in July 2013, in London on Long Acre in Covent Garden. The chain now has more than 150 restaurants in the UK. Five Guys also has locations in the Middle East and has continued to expand in Europe. In late 2017, Five Guys opened its first restaurants in Germany, with a branch in Frankfurt and another in Essen.

Five Guys, one of the top three burgers in the U.S., opened its first Korean store in Gangnam, Seoul, at 11 a.m. on June 26, 2023 with a countdown shout. As of 2024, there are a total of four branches in Seoul.

Five Guys Enterprises has several affiliated companies that are not part of a consolidated group, but are under common ownership. Five Guys Operations was founded in 2012, Five Guys Holdings was founded in 2007. Five Guys Foods UK Limited was incorporated on March 12, 2013. FGE International, FGO International BV, and FG Coöperatief U.A. are based in Amsterdam. FGH International C.V. is located in Bermuda.

Five Guys had a 39,900 square feet (3,710 m2) headquarters in Lorton, Virginia, overlooking the Occoquan and Potomac Rivers, that was specially designed to convey the corporate brand. According to the architect, "The lobby mimics the typical Five Guys restaurant with red and white tile, tall tables, Freestyle Coke machine and signature peanut boxes." In 2023, they moved their headquarters to a new location in Alexandria, Virginia.

On September 24, 2020, the first Five Guys location with a drive-through window opened in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. The franchisee retained it from the former business in the building in light of COVID-19 pandemic safe practices.

In September 2021, Five Guys opened their first location in Australia. The chain also has plans to expand into New Zealand. In November 2022, Five Guys announced the relocation of their headquarters to the Carlyle neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia.

Five Guys has received numerous awards in D.C. area publications, including "Number 1 Burger" by Washingtonian Magazine for seven years.[citation needed] The former US President Barack Obama is reportedly a fan, buying lunch for himself and his colleagues at the Washington Five Guys branch in 2011.

[thecazagroup]

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[realtorjamier]

Best Happy Hour Spots In and Around D.C.

When it’s time to unwind from a stressful workday, our region is teeming with Happy Hour haunts that will brighten your spirits! Some offer a unique venue vibe paired with similarly-themed menus. Some just have downright good deals. Even the most high-brow establishments tend to have special Happy Hour pricing to draw patrons looking kick back after a hard day’s work. Here are some great options, whether you’re wanting to wind down or paint the town!

O’Connell’s

112 King Street, Alexandria, Va.

This modern Irish restaurant boasts “an ancient Irish setting.” Choose to sit at one of their four bars, a table near the fireplace, or huddle up in a “snug” – a cozy space offering a little more privacy. O’Connell’s Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and offers beer (including O’Connell’s Pilsner), liquor, house wine and delectables like Dublin Nachos and Irish Egg Rolls.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

1612 14th Street, Washington, D.C.

If you’re in search of treasure from the sea, you’re in for a treat at this pub offering American food with a southern slant. Happy Hour selections include ½ Price Local Oyster ($1.40 each with a minimum of 12), a pound of Addie’s Mussels, Wood Grilled East Coast Oysters, Chips & Queso, accompanied by $5 draft beer and $6 Happy Hour wine.

Guardado’s Restaurant

4918 Del Ray Avenue, Bethesda, Md.

Featuring Spanish Latin cuisine, Guardado’s Happy Hour (Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.) boasts a great variety of over-the-top Tapas for just $6: meal-worthy culinary creations made with tilapia, chicken, pork loin, omelets and more! Cocktails are also just $6. Select bottles of wine are half-price, and draft beers are just two bucks!

Mia’s Italian Kitchen

100 King Street, Alexandria, Va.

Located at the riverside end of King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Mia’s Happy Hour takes place Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. Choose your seating at the bar or on high tops, or lounge on sofas. Specially-priced bar bites range from Prosciutto and Fontina Fritters with Calabrese Hot Honey ($7), Chicken Parmigiana Sliders ($8), Pesto Spaghetti ($9) and more. What else? $4 Sangria, $5 pizza, $5 draft beer, $6 wine, $7 cocktails. Wow!

Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

750 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C.

At the legendary, upscale Joe’s, Happy Hour is “Cocktail Hour” and is served Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 6 p.m. (at the bar and highboy tables only). You can enjoy half-priced Oysters on the Half Shell and some $6.95 options including French Dip Sliders, Lobster Deviled Eggs and Mini Cheeseburgers. And of course, signature cocktails, wine and draft beer are also available.

Blackwall Hitch

5 Cameron Street, Alexandria, Va.

With a name like “Blackwall Hitch,” how can you resist? The meaning behind the name is too long to explain here, but it fits, given the fact that its location is close to the waterfront where boats and water taxis traverse daily. Happy Hour happens in the Quarterdeck Bar weeknights from 4 to 7 p.m., and includes drink specials and half-price appetizers. Draught beer is $7 a pint; bottled beer is $5; wine is $5 a glass; featured cocktails are $7. 

Allegory

1201 K Street NW, Washington, D.C.

If you’re looking for something REALLY different, visit Allegory – “The first bar to blend art, literature, social justice, craft cocktails and hospitality.” Its speakeasy entryway is through a nondescript door in the Eaton DC’s Radical Library. A one-of-a-kind mural by artist Erik Thor shows Alice in Wonderland through the eyes of 6-year-old Ruby Bridges – the first Black student to integrate an elementary school in the South. The menu is literary and political and features drinks like “Mad as a Hatter” and “The Color of Law.” Bites include “Little Girls Eat Eggs as Much as Serpents Do” (an Alice quote), “Caterpillar’s Mushroom” and many more. Curiouser and curiouser!

Boca Botanas

239 Muddy Branch Road, Gaithersburg, Md.

The winner of four OpenTable 2019 Diners’ Choice Awards including “Vibrant Bar Scene,” Boca Botanas features Latin American inspired food “with a twist of Spanish and South American.” food is served tapas style with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and sauces and sides that are made from scratch daily. Happy Hour is served weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and includes handcrafted beverages and cocktails infused with homemade mixes and fresh ingredients. 

The Majestic

911 King Street, Alexandria, Va.

The iconic 25’ tall neon signs beckon diners in. Good food and drink keep them coming back. Established in 1932, The Majestic’s newly designed interior is a blend of art deco and contemporary with an assortment of artwork adorning the walls. Happy Hour eats include sandwiches, sliders and sides. Special pricing for spirits ($4), drafts ($5), wine ($6) and cocktails ($7) happens weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m.

[greatevent89]

Embassy Suites by Hilton Alexandria Old Town

Discover the luxury and comfort of Embassy Suites by Hilton Alexandria Old Town, conveniently located just steps from bustling King Street. Our hotel is directly across from the King Street Metro Station, providing seamless access to Downtown Washington, DC attractions.

[menslifedc]

Alexandria Bier Garden services up a taste of Germany with a twist

Historic Old Town Alexandria has welcomed a new addition to its vibrant dining scene – the Alexandria Bier Garden. At 710 King Street, Alexandria Bier Garden is a rebranding and transformation of the former Village Brauhaus. The new ownership team of Fito Garcia, Augusto Campo, and Michael Ciuffardi, who operate several other restaurants throughout Northern Virginia, including the Inca Social…

[amozontouregypt]

Discovering Egypt's Treasures: 5 Essential Activities for Your Trip

Egypt is a land of dreams. Egypt can only be described in one way: it is epic. Egypt, the former home of the Pharaohs, is a fascinating location with magnificent buildings and tombs that astound all tourists.

The Pyramids of Giza, a River cruise, and the Luxor archaeological finds are frequently on the must-see lists of first-time tourists to Egypt. But Egypt has a lot of more thrilling activities to offer.  

Not only the historic treasures, but Egypt is also known for its vast tracts of desert landscape, pristine coral reefs, the life-giving Nile and superb scuba diving in the Red Sea or hiking to the top of Mount Sinai, and luxurious resort towns. Egypt provides something for everyone in terms of history, culture, sand and sun, prehistoric civilization, and archaeological wonders.

A 5- to 8-day Egypt vacation package is good enough to discover some of the best you like to experience in Egypt. In such a short trip, you should start with Cairo and visit the Pyramids, Alexandria, Luxor, and much more. There are hundreds of things to do & places to visit in Egypt... Let's find out the five best places to explore on an Egypt trip package!

Go to the Giza pyramids

One of the most well-known landmarks in the world is the Pyramids of Giza, which are joined by the Sphinx and a few other smaller monuments. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built almost 5,000 years ago. Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it is the oldest. Spend no less than three hours visiting the Giza Pyramids. It will give you enough time to go inside the Great Pyramid territory, visit Panoramic Point and snap a photo with the Sphinx.

Cruise on the Nile river

One of the best things to do in Egypt is to drift down the Nile River past the ruins of temples and tombs. Most cruises make stops at Esna, Edfu, and Kom Ombo while en route from Aswan to Luxor. You can travel the Nile River by cruise ship, on a dahabiya (smaller wooden ship), or a felucca (a small, Egyptian sailboat).

Explore the historic city of Cairo

Egypt's capital is Cairo. Just when the desert changes into the Nile Delta, it is situated on the Nile River. It is the historic heart of Cairo and contains one of the largest collections of historic architecture in the Islamic world. Numerous mosques, madrassas, fortifications, and tombs date from the Islamic era making Cairo one of the world’s oldest Islamic cities. Among the top attractions in Islamic Cairo are the Al-Azhar Mosque, Salah El-Din Citadel, a stroll down Al-Muizz li-Din Allah al-Fatima Street (also known as al-Muizz), shopping in Khan el-Khalili, and the Al-Rifa'i Mosque.

Abu Simbel Temples:

Another popular tourist destination in Egypt is Abu Simbel, which is worth the trip. A popular tourist destination among the many things to do in Egypt, it is a 3- to 4-hour journey from Aswan. View the two colossal 13th-century rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel. The first temple is a monument dedicated to Queen Nefertari and King Ramesses II, whose four huge statues guard the entrance. There are eight more of these enormous statues depicting Rameses II as the ruling deity inside the monument.

Egyptian Museum:

Everyone agrees that the Egyptian Museum is located in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Visiting here is the normal must-do among things to do in Egypt. You may spend hours studying history, people, music, science, and hieroglyphs. Besides collections of age-old artifacts, preserved animal and human mummies, carvings, and statues that can easily fill you with awe!

Amazon Tours offer numerous exciting Egypt tours and packages. It allows tourists to witness the glamorous chaos of Egyptian streets and exhibit the perfect blend of ancient, medieval, and modern cities. It will cover all the major attractions of this lively city. They provide the perfect opportunity to experience sheer comfort and luxury on a hassle-free vacation. Call them on 00201090705402 today to know more about their service and Egypt tours and packages.

[wgytravel]

The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2023

With much of the world reopened, 2023 is shaping up to be the year travel officially bounces back. We made our list of the 50 best destinations for 2023 a little differently this year: We asked Travel + Leisure’s editors where they want to go in the months ahead. Some are raring to get back to Japan, while others have the Trans-Bhutan Trail on their lists. Still more are planning a sail around Greenland, a wine-tasting trip on California’s central coast, and a visit to France’s next big wine region (which is, as it happens, tiny).

A few up-and-coming culinary destinations made our list, as did a remarkable piece of art, the size and scale of which boggles the imagination. While many of the team’s picks are remote, breathe-in-that-fresh-air kinds of places, our list doesn’t skimp on cities where the hustle and bustle is part of the fun.

But with so many choices now back on the map, there are as many styles of trips as there are places to explore. That’s why, for the first time in recent memory, we’ve broken our list of best places to go into categories.

The hope is that, whatever it is you’re after in the year ahead, you’ll find it in one of these 50 places. And who knows? We may just see you there.

For Cultural Riches Alexandria, Virginia

With postcard-perfect cobblestone streets and quick access to the wineries of northern Virginia, Alexandria is an easy city to love. But these days, the reason to go is to see how effectively the city is confronting its own history, as destinations across the American South grapple with the legacy of the Confederacy. Alexandria, which was founded as a tobacco port in 1749, was for decades of the 19th century the site of the country’s largest domestic slave trade. Today, the Freedom House Museum has three new exhibitions honoring the people who were forcibly brought here. Meanwhile, the African American Heritage Trail, which opened in 2020, follows the Potomac River and encompasses nearly 200 years of history at 11 stops, such as the Torpedo Factory, where many Black men and women worked during World War II. An extension of the route will debut in February 2023 with 20 new stops, including Waterfront Park, the port from which enslaved people were trafficked to places like New Orleans. At Jones Point Park, visitors can learn about Benjamin Banneker, an inventor, mathematician, and free African American from Maryland who was instrumental in the 1791 surveying team that determined the border of the new U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. (For an even deeper look at the city’s Black experience, book with Manumission Tours, which is run by a fourth-generation Alexandrian.) The city’s most elegant stay is Morrison House Old Town Alexandria, Autograph Collection, which was recently voted one of the best city hotels in the continental U.S. in T+L’s 2022 World’s Best Awards. A new Hotel AKA is slated to open in Old Town in winter 2023

Cairo and the Nile

It’s almost here: After more than a decade of construction — to say nothing of the hype — the Grand Egyptian Museum may finally open, just a stone’s throw from the Great Pyramids of Giza, this spring. What to expect? More than 1 million square feet of exhibition space, treasures including a 40-foot-high statue of Ramses II, outdoor gardens, and an expansive plaza from which visitors can take in the desert surroundings. Meanwhile, a number of new and luxurious ships have started sailing the Nile: Among the best choices are the Viking Osiris, an all-veranda vessel carrying 82 passengers, and the opulent Sphinx from Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, which has 42 cabins swathed in marble and hand-carved wood, with beds dressed in fine Egyptian cotton sheets. The hotel scene is also, thankfully, getting a refresh with a new Mandarin Oriental slated for downtown Cairo in 2024; the forthcoming 200-room Four Seasons Hotel Luxor is scheduled to debut in 2025 — not that you should wait that long to see the ancient Valley of the Kings

City,” Nevada

Even in a state known for its vast, empty landscapes, Basin and Range National Monument, about a two-hour drive north of Las Vegas, takes “remote” to a new level. The 704,000-acre preserve, created in 2015, provides endless opportunities for hiking, climbing, camping, and cycling; its desert valleys and mountain ranges are also dotted with Indigenous rock art sites. But the reason to go now is “City,” the single largest contemporary artwork in the world, which opened to visitors in September 2022. Made from dirt, rock, and concrete, the monumental open-air sculpture was more than 50 years in the making, a collection of mounds, depressions, and stelae conceived by the artist Michael Heizer. The endeavor — which was made possible by joint contributions from art institutions around the country, including LACMA and MoMA — will open to the public for the 2023 season by reservation only. The mile-and-a-half-long sculpture feels at once ancient and futuristic, a destination just as awe-inspiring as the natural one surrounding it

Read Full Blog About Best Places to Travel in 2023 please visit our website now: https://www.wgytravel.com/

[mmmgoodies]

#Repost @austinkgraff ・・・ Just off Old Town Alexandria’s King Street is a Black-owned frozen custard shop inside an old ice house. Serving custard through a walk-up window, @MmmGoodies creates floats, shakes, sundaes, and custard on top apple cider cake donuts. Open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., Brandon, the owners, knows regular customers by name. . . . . . . . . . #visitalx #mmmgoodies #oldtownalexandria #alexandriava #alexandriavirginia #visitvirginia #virginiaisforlovers #frozencustard #shopsmall #blackownedbusiness #yelpnova #northernvirginia #nova #northernva #dcarea #capitalregion #foodandwine #saveurmag #tastemadetravel #sweettooth #storefrontcollective #theshopkeepers #letsguide #igdc #bytheway #mytinyatlas #dc #thingstodoindc #ongooglemaps (at Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats) https://www.instagram.com/p/CleLxlmOPzW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[paulpingminho]

[shellsatthebeach]

the oval plaque below the flag means this house is a historical landmark, as are many on this street. call me a romantic but this striking architecture filled with rich history is so dreamy to me. makes me want to never ever buy new construction.

[blueiscoool]

2,200 Year Old Alexander the Great Statue Discovered in Alexandria

The Ministry of Antiquities in Cairo has discovered a statue of Alexander the Great within an ancient “residential and commercial zone” in Alexandria that they believe was a trade center in the region during the Ptolemaic period. The archaeologists made their discovery after 9 months of excavations.

The team discovered molds for statues of Alexander the Great at the site as well as an alabaster bust of the iconic ancient leader. Also amongst these items were materials for creating amulets for warriors.

As they explored this area of Alexandria, known as the al-Shatby neighborhoud, “the mission found a large network of tunnel tanks painted in pink for storing rain, flood and groundwater to be used during the draught time” said Mostafa Waziri, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt to the Xinhua news agency.

Waziri further explained the lay out of the town: “it was composed of a main street and several branch roads that are all connected with a sanitation network.”

He believes that the area was active from the 2nd century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. Waziri also noted that the team found an array of pottery pots, coins, plates, fishing tools, and rest houses for travelers. The ruins of the area’s buildings combined with the artifacts found there have led the team to believe that the town had a lively market that sold pots and had workshops for the construction of statues, amulets, and other items.

The fascinating Greek history behind the Egyptian city of Alexandria

The story of Hellenism in Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city, goes back more than two millennia and is marked by Alexander the Great’s placement of the first stone as part of the city’s first street in 331 BC.

Alexander III, the “Basileus of Macedon”, the “Hegemon of the Hellenic League”, the “Shahanshah” of Persia, the “Pharaoh” of Egypt and the “Lord of Asia” — better known as Alexander the Great — was one of the most significant figures in human history.

Born in Pella, in modern-day Central Macedonia, northern Greece, in 356 B.C., he was the son of Philip II, the King of Macedon and his wife, Olympias. But Alexander was no royal place-holder. He became renowned at a very early age for both for his military and political capabilities.

Hellenistic Alexandria was best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (the Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; its Great Library (the largest in the ancient world); and its Necropolis, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages.

Alexandria was at one time the second-most powerful city of the ancient Mediterranean region, after Rome.

In modern times, Greeks began to settle in Alexandria again in the 18th and 19th centuries. A new wave of immigration flooded Alexandria shortly after the Greek revolution of 1821, marking the beginning of the so-called European era of the city.

By Thomas Kissel.

[thecazagroup]

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[rolandopujol]

The Blue and White Carry Out is a mere 10-minute walk from the Colonial charms of King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, but it might as well be a world away.    It’s certainly not a travel-guide chestnut, nor is it likely the first recommendation on the lips of the hotel concierge. But the Blue and White was certainly the highlight of my recent visit here. It’s easy to overlook, and indeed I had missed it on earlier visits to Alexandria. Trust me, I would have surely shared this place with you long ago if I’d known about it.  But I finally got to visit Saturday during a road trip through Virginia with my pal @hopelessnostalgic, who gets a big tip of the hat for scouting this location in the first place. Its utter simplicity, with its charming privilege sign for Coca-Cola, melts your heart. Your heart will get a workout from the standard dishes here, all of it hearty breakfast fare and Southern comfort food, satisfying and cheap. The Yelp crowd generally approves of the Blue and White – the fried chicken and pork chop and hamburger steak sandwiches are popular. Yup, meat lovers will feel especially at home. Bring your cash – your plastic and chips are no good here. When this place is hopping, there’s a line out of the door, which makes sense given its miniature size and grand reputation among locals.  Nobody seems to know for sure when the Blue and White first opened. A manager told Patch.com that it’s been around for 80 years. The owner told Eater in 2016 that it probably dates to the 1950s, but he would stick out his neck only as far back as 1972, when a relative took control of the shack. However murky its history, I hope its future is bright. #retrologist (at Blue & White Carry OUT) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZvSGMorAPI/?utm_medium=tumblr

[96thdayofrage]

BEYOND THE MONUMENTS: RACE AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL

BEYOND THE MONUMENTS: RACE AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL

From schoolchildren to historians, visitors to Washington, DC, are drawn to the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, and other marble monuments to American freedom. These shining symbols of our democracy reflect our nation as we aspire for it to be. But they tell us little about who we are, to say nothing of the city in which they are located. Venturing beyond Washington’s monumental core to explore DC and its neighborhoods, you’ll see that no city better captures the on­going tensions between America’s expansive democratic hopes and its enduring racial realities. We’ve arranged four “stops” in an imagined itinerary to tell the city’s story through space and time. This is not a walking tour as such, but a visit to any of these areas will help you understand the city and its struggles for racial justice and democracy.

Stop 1: Old Town Alexandria (c. 1800–62)

Today, Alexandria is in Virginia, but in 1800 it was part of the original 10-mile square that became the seat of the federal government. In the 1820s and 30s, Alexandria was home to several slave-trading firms, including Franklin & Armfield, the nation’s largest and most profitable. Its three-story office stood at 1315 Duke Street and served as the nerve center of a massive operation that sold more than 1,000 enslaved people annually.

Early Washington benefited immensely from slavery and the slave trade. Enslaved people worked on every major public construction project, they waited on the men who ran the nation, and they were bought and sold within sight of the Capitol. Even as slavery itself waned in Washington—by 1830 free black people were a majority of the city’s black population—the nation’s capital became America’s largest slave-trading city.

Abolitionists made Washington their top priority. The nation’s capital, they argued, should not be tainted by the sin of slavery, and they deluged congressional mailrooms with thousands of petitions calling for an end to the slave trade in DC—Congress, not the local government, retained ultimate control over the city. As abolitionists gained strength, white Alexandrians engineered an 1846 vote for retrocession, whereby the area west of the Potomac was ceded back to Virginia, taking nearly a third of the District’s land mass. When abolitionists won a ban on the slave trade in DC as part of the Compromise of 1850, the city’s slave dealers simply crossed the Potomac and continued their business in Alexandria. Slavery itself remained alive in the truncated District until April 16, 1862, when Washington’s enslaved people became the first in the nation to be legally emancipated.

Stop 2: LeDroit Park (c. 1865–1941)

Across the Potomac, north from downtown Washington, and across Florida Avenue (formerly Boundary Street) is the neighborhood of LeDroit Park, with Gothic-inspired cottages and elegant Italianate villas sitting back from narrow roads.

Now enveloped by the city, LeDroit Park was Washington’s first post–Civil War residential suburb. The segregated enclave was at the forefront of massive demographic and spatial changes that reordered DC’s racial geography in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Because all city residents, black and white, had been disenfranchised in 1874, following a brief flowering of interracial democracy during Reconstruction, real estate developers, urban planners, and congressional leaders could act without local democratic accountability. The city became a “national show town” featuring a monumental core of federal buildings surrounded by neighborhoods increasingly segregated by race and class.

When abolitionists won a ban on the slave trade in DC as part of the Compromise of 1850, the city’s slave dealers simply crossed the Potomac to Alexandria.

But the imposition of a new segregated order was never static or uncontested. By the mid-1890s, black residents began to trickle into LeDroit Park and white owners began to trickle out; by World War I, the neighborhood was almost exclusively black. LeDroit Park became home to the city’s best-known black leaders, including educator Anna Julia Cooper, poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, and activist Mary Church Terrell, whose crumbling home at 326 T Street NW is a National Historic Landmark but cries out for restoration.

Washington at the turn of the 20th century remained a magnet for black migration from the rural South. The city boasted the nation’s largest black community (nearly 87,000 people, almost a third of the city’s population) and offered relatively more opportunities for education and economic advancement than the rest of the South. Home to a small but influential black elite, a thriving black middle class, and strong black public schools, DC embodied the hopes of black America. Local NAACP leader Neval Thomas wrote, “The white man keeps the full weight of his superior numbers, oppressive spirit, and unjust monopoly of political power, hard pressed against this suffering, yet beautiful little world of striving, but we grow to fuller stature in spite of it all.”

Stop 3: Southwest (c. 1874–1960)

Successful strivers have commanded historians’ attention, but three-quarters of black Washingtonians were working people: domestics and hod carriers, janitors and nannies. Many lived in Southwest Washington. Dubbed “The Island” in the mid-19th century, Southwest historically has been isolated physically and culturally from the rest of the city, separated first by the infamous City Canal, then by a set of unsightly railroad tracks, and today by a confusing network of highways and exit ramps.  

Southwest was the home of Perry Carson, a hulking former saloon keeper whose black working-class coalition dominated local Republican patronage politics and infuriated DC elites, black and white, in the decades after disenfranchisement.

Home to 23,000 residents, Southwest remained a vibrant working-class community into the mid-20th century. Urban planners and city boosters, however, saw only “blight.” Working directly with unelected city commissioners and local business leaders, they made Southwest ground zero in a national movement for “urban renewal.”

Beginning in 1954, federal officials bulldozed all of Southwest between Interstate 395 and the waterfront, displacing essentially all the previous residents. Award-winning apartment complexes, such as Charles Goodman’s futuristic River Park development along 4th between N and O Streets, rose atop the rubble of working-class row houses. The area’s demographics flipped. In 1950, Southwest had been 70 percent black and predominantly poor; by 1970 it was nearly 70 percent white and mostly middle-class. Ezekiah Cunningham, the 84-year-old owner of a small grocery store in Southwest since 1907, summed up urban renewal’s effects: “Well, it seems like they’re handin’ out a passel o’ joy and a passel o’ sorrow.”

Stop 4: 14th and U Streets NW (c. 1960–present)

Urban renewal helped catalyze an era of grassroots activism in the 1960s and 1970s. Much of this activism percolated around the intersection of 14th and U Streets NW, the bustling transit hub of a black commercial district that offered blocks of restaurants, theaters, and clubs that catered to black customers. In the 1960s, the area was home to organizations such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and Pride, Inc.  

Increasingly impatient with the slow pace of liberal reform, many black DC residents raged against local authorities and the segregationists who oversaw the city in Congress. Washington Post reporter Ben Gilbert recalled that in 1967, “street disorders requiring police action became regular, almost weekly, occurrences.” The most destructive of these conflicts erupted in April 1968, after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The riot, which began at this intersection, claimed 12 lives, reduced the city’s black commercial districts to rubble, and required more than 13,000 federal troops to restore order.

White business owners and some middle-class African Americans fled, but a rich assortment of civil rights and Black Power organizations remained, joined by predominantly white New Left activists. They waged pitched battles against exploitative landlords, brutal cops, freeways, rats, and racism. And in 1973, they helped secure for the city the local self-government it had lacked since the end of Reconstruction.

Today the corner of 14th and U Streets is nearly unrecognizable to those who knew it during the heady, hopeful days of a generation earlier, when funk impresario George Clinton dubbed Washington the country’s preeminent “Chocolate City.” After two decades of gentrification, the area boasts high-end condos, upscale businesses, and a robust “foodie” scene. The old SCLC office on the northeast corner of the popular intersection is now occupied by a “boutique steakhouse” offering a $52 rib eye and $13 signature cocktails.

Like the rest of DC, the neighborhood is becoming younger, whiter, and wealthier. More than 70 percent black in the 1970s, Washington no longer has a black majority, and it faces gargantuan and growing racial disparities in wealth and employment—an Urban Institute study found that in 2014 white wealth in DC was 81 times greater than black wealth. Astronomical real estate values make it increasingly difficult for low-income residents to remain in the city.

These changes have rekindled questions of race, power, and accountability that have marked Washington since its inception. As you make your plans for January, we hope you will find time to visit the city beyond the monuments to explore how Washingtonians have grappled with the dilemma that is American democracy.

Chris Myers Asch and George Derek Musgrove are the authors of Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital, due out from the University of North Carolina Press on November 6.

Editor’s note: The 132nd Annual Meeting of the AHA will take place in Washington, DC, on January 4–7, 2018. In the run-up months to every meeting, Perspectives highlights aspects of local history and points of interest in our host city. Because we will convene in our hometown this year, we’re delighted to be able to present deeper takes on the Capital City’s history and culture. Welcome to DC (as locals call it)!

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North America: Get ready for an Adventure you won’t Forget!

Being the most culturally diverse continent on the planet, I could tell you all about the things that a traveler must do once they’re here, but that would be a really long list! This list includes some of the most famous places in the US not to mention some of my favorites. Travel Center UK might be able to make deciding where and when to go a little easier as we can guide you through it step by step. Escape into the ethereal beauty that embraces this vast scheme of land. Without further ado, here is my list of some of the best places every traveler must visit in North America:

New York City

You can visit New York City over a 100 times, but you’ll never be able to see everything the city has to offer, from its towering skyscrapers to great art galleries, to its cultural street food and some of the world’s famous designer brands. The views from the Empire State building are especially spectacular during sunset. Don’t forget the Central Park, where you can enjoy a picnic or a nice boat ride. Also famous for its memorial to the great John Lennon, it is still one of the city’s most popular attractions and also one of the world’s most renowned green spaces. Yes, New York can be a pretty expensive place to visit, but we can get you the best deals to JFK no matter when you decide to go.

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Orlando

Orlando is the perfect place to bring out the child in everyone as its many magical theme parks are perfect places for the whole family to enjoy. It is actually one of the world’s most visited family destinations. Extremely famous for both its Disney World and Universal Studio theme parks, there are many illustrated themed attractions that you shouldn’t miss! Of course, these aren’t the only family-friendly attractions here in Orlando. There are a number of giant aquariums and zoos, waterparks and plenty of golfing opportunities. If you’re heading out to Orlando, don’t forget to bring your sunscreen because you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the sun!

Miami

If you’re looking to party on a white sandy beach, this is definitely something you need to lay foot in. There’s a mini Havana awaiting you here. Surrounded by Cuban atmosphere, you can get a taste of authentic Latin culture and its sizzling cuisines. When you hear the word Miami, I’m sure you’re going to think of a beautiful white beach filled with attractive people enjoying their time out in the sun. Well, you’re absolutely right. But when the sun goes down, the glasses come up because Miami has a blazing nightlife, where the vibe is just right with great music.

San Francisco

Why even visit San Francisco if you don’t hop onto one of its many famous cable cars, that way you can feast your eyes on the breathtaking Golden Gate Bridge resting on that sparkling bay. Along with many other amazing sights to see, Alcatraz definitely hits the top. With its incredible history, you can witness the houses in which the prisoners lived. Now, this once infamous prison is part of the bay. Almost every traveler wants to learn about this place when they head to San Francisco. The city is also famous for its vibrant and spiritual communities and attractions. Being famous for its visually stunning scenery, we can guarantee you won’t forget it.

Houston

This major city in the lone star state is known as the world’s capital of space exploration – home to where Apollo 11 was monitored. Also home to many other national historical sites, you can have a blast from the past when you’re here in Houston. Being the largest city in Texas, Houston is brimming with culture, history, excitement and diversity – with more than 145 spoken languages making it a world class city. Flights to IAH will be more than delightful as you can travel with the best airlines when you book with us.

Las Vegas

Vegas baby! Hands down best place for top notch amusement and if you’re lucky, you might be able to spot a few celebrities too. One of the most talked about things to do here is visit its famous casinos, and night clubs. It’s a vibrant, pulsating city, not to mention one of the largest adult playgrounds in the world. Interestingly, Las Vegas was actually created by a reputable gangster, which was the start to its great casinos to date. Vegas is also famous for its variety shows featuring headline entertainment, well known bands, dancers and humor. Plus, if you’re looking to get married, the city is known as the ‘’Marriage Capital of the World’’ Well what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Los Angeles

One thing is for sure, Hollywood’s a must. With one of the biggest entertainment industries in the world, it isn’t difficult to spot a celebrity here. Some of the world’s best-known and most iconic landmarks and attractions are home to this city. From the Hollywood Walk of Fame to the California Science Center and to the mesmerizing Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you’ll never get tired of walking down the streets of LA. Plus, the city is famous for its perfect Mediterranean weather and beautiful sandy beaches. Let’s not forget the lively nightlife, whether you like a quiet night out with a glass of wine or a wild cocktail at a loud club, LA’s got your back.

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Virginia

If you live for a little history, you should visit this city because Virginias actually known as the ‘’Birthplace of the Nation’’ The state was one of the original 13 colonies. With many historical locations like the Arlington National Cemetery or the Old Town of Alexandria, you can learn so much about how the nation was built. It is also home to many of the battlefields of the American Revolution and Civil War. Virginia is also famous for its regions of rugged mountains – such as the Great Appalachian Valley that runs along the east coast of the US. Being one of the oldest mountain chains in North America, it was roughly formed 480 million years ago! Tourists come in from all over the world to ski and view these beautiful mountains from afar.

Atlanta

The city is famous for being known as the world of Coca-Cola and is also home to the CNN headquarters. Also well known for its history, Atlanta is the hub for the Civil Rights Movement – one of the most significant periods in all of United States History. One particular place to admire the beautiful history of this city is the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site. This historic place commemorates the legacy of the Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King. It highlights the impact that his life and work had that ultimately changed the history of not only the United States but of the entire world as we know it.

Inquire with us here at Travel Center UK to get the best deals on seeing these amazing places for yourself. We know that preparing for a holiday can be exciting but also exhausting at the same time. However, our selection of the best travel experts can help this process be an easy and fun one! We will guide you step by step in choosing the right holiday for you. Wherever you’re travelling to – Asia, the Americas, Africa – you name it, we got you covered. Our team can help you make your trip one you won’t forget.

Read More:- North America: Get ready for an Adventure you won’t Forget!

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