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It is sometime in the 1980's, when a 20 something African American male adventures through DC as an adult for the first of many times. I came out of either Greyhound or Trailways station and walked to the left to the corner of the block(around 12 midnight). I think I turned left again and saw either the White House or the Capitol blocks away. I got to whichever building it was and entered a park when had chest high walls on the outside (I think) went up and peeked between trees to see the back of the Capitol or the white house) Saw a few guards in uniform patrolling and they looked over as though they saw me even though I think I was behind trees. Eventually I left and on my way out of this park which had benches in it. I was "kind of propositioned" by a male who I didn't acknowledge (unfortunately LOL) but I continued back to the bus terminal. On my way back I walked down a residential block that had about 100 people standing outside conversing quietly. When they saw me EVERYONE went silent and watched me intently. Nobody said anything or bothered me they just watched me as I strolled through.
I am trying to journal all the things of my life and would love to find pictures of the park, the black neighborhood , the bus terminal and whichever landmark it actually was.
Can anyone tell by this crazy story whether it was the White House or the Capitol?
What was the name and location of this black neighborhood? It seemed like a nice quiet neighborhoood.
What was the name of the park behind the landmark? Has it changed dramatically since the 80's?
Which Bus Terminal of the 80's could this have been? Greyhound or Trailways?
Was there a dance club with loud music behind one of these stations in the 70's or 80's?
ANY AND ALL HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
Just want these pictures for my memories and my journal.
I worked in that area daily, for many years. I remember well, that the Greyhound and Trailways bus stations until about the 1980s? were both on opposite corners of 12th and I Streets, N.W. Here is more detail http://www.streetsofwashington.com/2...-terminal.html At that time, it was a sketchy area at night. 13th and 14th Streets near Logan Circle park in those days, was well-known for its streetwalkers (prostitutes), and 14th Street between H and I, had several popular strip-clubs (nude dancers), and there was an international youth hostel in the 1300 block of I Street, near the metrorail station (these clubs later closed down, in the mid-or late-1980s, and the neighborhood is greatly improved).
The White House is actually not so far away from there. I cannot picture, 100 people standing around talking at midnight, however. There area has never been considered residential, although there are numerous tall apartment buildings and older row-houses as you go north around Logan Circle and Thomas Circle. The chest-high wall doesn't ring a bell, either. In those days, before 9/11, pedestrians could go up anytime and look through the metal picket fence at the White House. As for the U.S. Capitol building, it's more than a mile from there, and has never had a wall around it.
Last edited by slowlane3; 06-15-2014 at 09:00 PM..
slowlane3 first let me thank you for your detailed response. I sat all day yesterday and part of the night before trying to get all the information you posted and make my memories work. It almost seems impossible. It doesn't line up perfectly in my mind but its good enough.
Greyhound and Trailways on 12th street and the White House blocks away makes that the likely landmark. My mother remembers that during the many times we went from NY to NC that you could see the White House from the Bus Station or that it was near by and that is in line with my memories. That would make Lafayette Park the probable place at the back of the White House. I'm guessing that maybe the trees were either thick at that time or I just walked to the first part I could to see the White House. It was very early in the morning and I was afraid to be in the park alone so I literally stayed in there about 4 minutes.
The wall I seem to remember would have been on the outside of the park but I don't know that it went all the way around. The trees were all that separated me from the property not the wall. I just remember that after the fella made his statement, I turned around as he made it again and then he disappeared around this wall into the park but that wall was NOT by the trees that I looked through to see the White House.
My mother also tells me that we had extended family that lived in Row Houses around that area in the 60s or 70s and that you could see the White House from that block so I'm guessing it could have been one of the neighborhoods you mentioned as I was so startled to see so many people on that quiet night that I kind of looked straight ahead and powered through.
I am trying to do a journal/diary of my life from beginning to now; Problem is I am 49 so some of my memories may be blending together, but that memory was specific because I don't believe I stayed in DC that night/morning. I think the bus was on a layover.
What I will have to do is use Google maps to find pictures of both areas, put them together and collectively they will remind me of that Crazy Night. It won't be a perfect representation but it will remind me and that's what is important to me.
Thank you again for your detailed response as it really helped a great deal.
And I would say to anyone else who reads this ESPECIALLY someone younger than I am to think about keeping a journal. It would be nice if you live to be an old age if you could look back and see how you lived your life on any given day. What you were going through, how you solved your problems and the trajectory of your life.
There are waist-high walls around the grassy area right in front of the Capitol. Not sure if they were there at that time, though.
OrangemanGary, I tried hard to locate a picture of the walls you spoke of and only came up with video from the unfortunate shootout from a few years back. (picture below). That and the dome on top of the Capitol makes me think it was there. Plus I remember walking down this long street in the picture below to the Capitol so...?
I didn't know there was a Greyhound or Trailways station on North Capitol St. Fundman but the images of the one on 12street match closer to my memories. I will keep looking but it seems I will have to settle with a guess. But I am 90% sure it must have been the back side of the capitol. And the black neighborhood will just have to be a memory but I will keep on trying.
Thanks for all the help I really do appreciate it.
Start a diary/journal folks. May not make a difference now but it may benefit you later. Just a thought!
The Greyhound bus terminal was at First Street NE. If you walked one block to North Capitol it was a straight view to the Capitol. The park you might be referring to is called Lower Senate Park.
The wall is around the middle part of the West Lawn. For some events they have there (National Christmas Tree, Capitol Fourth Concert, other occasional stuff), they put up little bridges to climb over it. I'm also googling and not finding anything, but it's definitely there. It's such an un-noteworthy thing in such a noteworthy area that I'm not all that surprised that it's something no one notices. That and the fact that it blends into the area so well. It's dark gray stone, iirc. I'll keep searching; I'm sure there are pics out there.
The wall is around the middle part of the West Lawn. For some events they have there (National Christmas Tree, Capitol Fourth Concert, other occasional stuff), they put up little bridges to climb over it. I'm also googling and not finding anything, but it's definitely there. It's such an un-noteworthy thing in such a noteworthy area that I'm not all that surprised that it's something no one notices. That and the fact that it blends into the area so well. It's dark gray stone, iirc. I'll keep searching; I'm sure there are pics out there.
OrangeManGary, when you watch this unfortunate video from the Capitol shooting I can see the wall so I believe that is probably it. Can't be sure but it looks like it to me. Plus, in the 80's the trees might not be as trimmed as they are now.
Fundman, the terminal on First st is probably correct. I am just realizing after careful thought over the past few days that my memories of DC have all merged into one. I remember leaving that park and walking through the neighborhood I spoke of in my initial post but where I was coming from when I got to the Capitol is questionable. My mind remembers so much of every part of my life but this is one of the places it can't make clear.
Again, I thank all of you who tried to help me. I have been trying to track this memory down for years...LITERALLY but to no avail. I will take pictures from Google and the net of places I think are correct and live with that.
Still, it was nice for so many to take the time to help me out.
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