The Washington Mall, in Southwest DC, home of most of DC’s notable landmarks and tourist destinations, is an area my parents spoke of with reverence. Whenever they ran into someone who lived in Southwest it was like a reunion. They would go on and on about people, events and remembrances for what seemed like hours. I recall one time when my father picked up what I took to be a total stranger and drove him home all on the strength of him having been raised in Southwest.
The residents of Southwest were relocated to make room for a freeway system to expand access to DC and the now sprawling government buildings. Images of America Southwest Washington, D.C. is a pictorial view of the area prior to its demolition. I had the chance to get this book for my mother before she passed, and it brought a smile to her face. The picture of the two girls on the cover, sisters or maybe close friends, embodies the persona that you get when native Southwest residents meet. Even the living conditions reflect the images they would portray, but the community was very tight, close knit and looked after one another as if one big family. I’m sure the number of old Southwest residents is small by now and soon will be a lost treasure. Hopefully, we can capture more of those stories before they are all gone.
If you want to get a glimpse of the old Southwest DC, or have relatives that speak fondly of it, take a look and get them a copy of this book and ask them of their remembrances of the old Southwest DC.