The Less-Reported Side of DC

• January 21, 2013
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by Shilpi Paul

Richard Layman at the Uline Arena. Courtesy of CNN.

The non-political DC has been getting quite a bit of national press recently.

From Annie Lowrey’s much-discussed piece for The New York Times magazine about the potential peak of DC’s economic growth spurt (which former Mayor Anthony Williams apparently described as “stunningly clueless” at a recent event, perhaps because Lowrey credited the growth more to the federal government that to policies instated by local officials like Williams), to another Times piece, outlining the growth in the city’s restaurant and bar scene since Obama’s last inauguration.

This past weekend, CNN took a look at “obscure Washington.” Seeking out the hidden histories in the city, CNN’s Mike Ahlers looked at places like the former Uline Arena, now the Washington Coliseum, where the Beatles had their first stage concert in the U.S.

From CNN:

Richard Layman, who fought to preserve the Coliseum, cherishes this place for many reasons. Built in 1940 and 1941, the building served as an ice rink, sports arena, worship hall, trash transfer station and parking garage. Nation of Islam leaders Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammed spoke here. It hosted numerous professional sports teams, and was home to the Ice Capades.

Other “hidden” sights mentioned include the gallows where the conspirators behind President Lincoln’s assassination were hung — now a tennis court, — the Georgetown restaurant, Chadwicks, where a CIA passed bags full of state secrets to a Soviet diplomat, and a former slave market in downtown Alexandria, now unrecognizable.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/cnn_looks_at_the_less-reported_side_of_dc/6541

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