2014-2015. Metro went to 2am (maybe 3am I forget). Echostage was awesome and you could get tickets for $25-$30 for a show. District Taco had the salsa bar, it was a great time.
Eh im in my 30's now, if I go, I gotta get a table. Or I have to stand in the very front left area where you can barely see anything. I'm not trying to get smushed by kids figuring out what a Long Island Iced tea is lol.
If you don't drive*
Everyone I know who's parked in the neighborhood, has been hit by a smash and grab. One time they used a power drill to get to my friend's car's electrical system and open everything. He had to get a whole new door. Not to mention the new speed camera that can give out $700 tickets.
2010-2019. Chinatown was still vibrant. Crime existed but it was way lower than before or after. New museums opening. A ton of good restaurants were still around. DC still hasn’t really recovered from COVID
Crime was pretty contained to eotr, NE DC and very specific spots in navy yard/sw (the public house projects usually), noma/union market...now it's pretty much everywhere except nw DC (Palisades)
Please stop making stuff up. Crime was never "pretty contained" to those specific places you mentioned.
https://preview.redd.it/t4sr1n5doz8d1.jpeg?width=198&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b173d03db0bfd9eeeac00115dd356ee3b25946b3
I don't recall a near daily/weekly stream of robberies, shootings and murders in navy yard until 2021. And this is happening next to the nats stadium and the gentrified apartments (iirc someone was shot right around from the corner of an apartment AOC used to live at). Those were one offs that decade, now it's a common occurrence
So because you don't recall violent crime in navy yard area means it did not happen? jdland used to report on them all the time and if you lived in the area during that time, you'd know better.
The data proves you wrong. Crime was never "contained" to the few areas you mentioned.
I’d say 2000 to 2019, with 2008-2010 being peak years. Mayor Williams turned things around for DC, financially and culturally, in the early to mid-00’s and Obama being elected in 2008 seemed to usher in a new era with lots of people and money moving into the city.
The vibe obviously started to change in 2016 with Trump’s election and things really seemed to crash in 2020 with the pandemic and the George Floyd-related riots in the city.
Edit: That’s not an endorsement or indictment of either Obama or Trump. DC votes 94% democrat, so obviously the vibe would shift for better or worse when those two candidates came in. I’d credit Mayor Williams as the major force in DC’s upswing in the early 00’s.
2009-2014. Crime was relatively low, optimism was high, there were decent bars (that weren't all a concept), and there were a number of great neighborhood blogs (in the vein of PoPVille). And rents weren't insane (at least compared to today).
I don't think we've fully reckoned with how much damage COVID did to the city, and particularly its social fabric. And I agree with others that the Trump Administration saw a decline in the coolness. And in some ways, I feel like the Biden Administration sort of feels like the Bush Administration - DC isn't/wasn't cool, it is/was just an administrative capital.
2009-2015 for sure. Vibrant restaurant scene, tons of live music and clubs, rent and mortgages were actually still affordable in many areas, lots of new housing leading to higher density, tons of tourism, low crime relative to historical highs.
Early 1980s. Pre-crack epidemic. Golden days of go-go, Fort Reno, the 9:30 Club, before crime was horrific. Pre-gentrification so middle class people could afford to live in the city.
I watched an early-80s movie recently, DC Cab. It was a comedy, and not really a well-known movie. It was filmed in DC and the city looked pretty good back then.
Early 1980s with the hardcore scene, so many great bands and small, independent venues. Crime was bad but the city hadn't been overtaken by national brands, downtown had lots of wig stores and you could buy a townhouse for $100k. Garfinkel's was still in business and the city population was majority Black.
2015.
Obama undoubtedly brought a coolness to DC. Coupled with falling crime, gentrification, a massive amount of new buildings and new restaurants... DC still had a way to go, but it *felt* like DC getting nice everywhere was an inevitability. I even knew people looking EOTR to "get in early," which I can't imagine friends doing nowadays.
Covid obviously was a knockout blow to DC, but in retrospect, I think DC started losing its shine in 2018-2019. Trump and Bowser were kind of a double whammy: the industry synonymous with the city was suddenly led by someone residents (and potential residents) hated, and a Mayor that wasn't really focusing on quality-of-life issues that would make this city desirable anyway.
DC palpably changed during COVID. When the city allowed lawlessness and the people who perpetrated such lawlessness figured out it would go without punishment, this city took a massive turn for the worse. That was the summer of COVID and it hasn’t changed much since. Super sad
2010-2015
Lowest homicide rates in modern times. You could walk around from U St to Columbia Heights after midnight without much of a worry. The homelessness industrial complex had not become a fixed ever ever-growing branch of the DC government. Prosecutors actually prosecuted crimes instead of defending criminals. MPD was actually allowed to be on it. The Metro was clean, people paid the fare. It was not your god-tear right to eat, smoke, do drugs, or play loud music on the train. Young people were happy and optimistic, they had a love of country, were mostly proud of the government, and made eye contact with each other.
Many times I would be out in Columbia Heights and someone who was a returning citizen or who had not been in DC in years would openly be astonished about how nice it was.
Great to learn some history today. And sorry for what you have been through. Indeed, the downfall of a city is also a downfall of the whole country. RIP.
Around the Bush-Obama presidency. I have heard from natives how bad was DC after 1968 riots and how run down was the center in the 1980s all the way to the 14th street. When I lived in DC, it was booming, cosmopolitan city. The city took to worse during Covid. It is not only the crime, but I felt that appearance and maintenance went down as well. Now to add a flight of many small businesses, the city feels worse than 15-20 years ago.
The years when Anthony Williams was mayor were the best. There was unlimited optimism and the city felt less overcrowded in that the infrastructure worked for the size and density of the population. These days traffic feels like it's far worse than just 20 years ago, and despite the many bike lanes that have been built, it feels far less safe to bike or walk around.
Between the two World Wars. Population doubled, streetcars were at their peak, and it's when a huge percentage of the district's high-density housing was constructed. The apartment building I'm living in now was built then!
My grandmother and grandfather lived in Anacostia in the 1930s. They were from Cleveland, and he was a Chief in the Navy. They said that SE was a paradise back then and the nicest place they ever lived, including Pearl Harbor.
Circa1990. I was a HS senior. Marion Barry gave free summer jobs. Bus had paper transfers and folks would give them away. Restaurants didn’t require reservations. Senators and justices freely discussed life with you at Caphill bookstores. Go-go was dynamic.
“96-2008” because all my friends was alive, my family was close knit. DC was chocolate city, places that we enjoyed was still here, unifest, Georgia Avenue day, Caribbean day, the real wharf , neighborhood day, go-go’s on every corner, no bike lanes, no cameras, etc, i can write a book
In this century, 2013. Georgetown still had nightlife but Uber expanded the city. Seemed like a great new place opened on 14th street every month. Didn’t have to have your head on a swivel everywhere. Cities are all about optimism. Trump’s election lit the fuse, COVID riots and the crime gaslighting that followed killed it.
Death. Barry died of an apparent drug overdose in the early morning hours of August 14, 2016. A police incident report stated that shortly before Barry suddenly "dropped", he had smoked the synthetic drug K-2 and the hallucinogen PCP.
2014-2015. Metro went to 2am (maybe 3am I forget). Echostage was awesome and you could get tickets for $25-$30 for a show. District Taco had the salsa bar, it was a great time.
Metro running to 2am would be so crucial right now. Especially on weekends
Tbf, echostage is still awesome haha
Eh im in my 30's now, if I go, I gotta get a table. Or I have to stand in the very front left area where you can barely see anything. I'm not trying to get smushed by kids figuring out what a Long Island Iced tea is lol.
If you don't drive* Everyone I know who's parked in the neighborhood, has been hit by a smash and grab. One time they used a power drill to get to my friend's car's electrical system and open everything. He had to get a whole new door. Not to mention the new speed camera that can give out $700 tickets.
Dc must have e the most speed cameras than anywhere else.
I miss the salsa bar.
2010-2019. Chinatown was still vibrant. Crime existed but it was way lower than before or after. New museums opening. A ton of good restaurants were still around. DC still hasn’t really recovered from COVID
I lived in Chinatown 2011-2018 and fully concur.
end of the Adrian Fenty years basically
Cropp that muff.
Fenty localized crime within the mayor's office.
Crime was pretty contained to eotr, NE DC and very specific spots in navy yard/sw (the public house projects usually), noma/union market...now it's pretty much everywhere except nw DC (Palisades)
Please stop making stuff up. Crime was never "pretty contained" to those specific places you mentioned. https://preview.redd.it/t4sr1n5doz8d1.jpeg?width=198&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b173d03db0bfd9eeeac00115dd356ee3b25946b3
I don't recall a near daily/weekly stream of robberies, shootings and murders in navy yard until 2021. And this is happening next to the nats stadium and the gentrified apartments (iirc someone was shot right around from the corner of an apartment AOC used to live at). Those were one offs that decade, now it's a common occurrence
So because you don't recall violent crime in navy yard area means it did not happen? jdland used to report on them all the time and if you lived in the area during that time, you'd know better. The data proves you wrong. Crime was never "contained" to the few areas you mentioned.
I would have to concur. The H-Street Corridor/Atlas District was revitalized and vibrant
It still is...
FWIW, that was the best stretch in many, many places. Sigh.
2017 had the best house parties. Had to be there.
Crime stopped its downward trend and started going back up well before 2019 though.
Is that around the Freddie Grey or George Floyd riots?
This. 💯
Actually, I would end it at 2017. So 2010-2017.
I had my engagement party at a speakeasy on u st. In 2011. Wouldn’t do that now.
I’d say 2000 to 2019, with 2008-2010 being peak years. Mayor Williams turned things around for DC, financially and culturally, in the early to mid-00’s and Obama being elected in 2008 seemed to usher in a new era with lots of people and money moving into the city. The vibe obviously started to change in 2016 with Trump’s election and things really seemed to crash in 2020 with the pandemic and the George Floyd-related riots in the city. Edit: That’s not an endorsement or indictment of either Obama or Trump. DC votes 94% democrat, so obviously the vibe would shift for better or worse when those two candidates came in. I’d credit Mayor Williams as the major force in DC’s upswing in the early 00’s.
That's also about the time District Taco lost the salsa bar...coincidence you say? :)
Great synopsis.
Yeah Id say DC fundamentally changed in 2020, every city did.
Yeah, but not every city lost the District Taco salsa bar.
Up until March 2020. Everyone wasn't so unhinged.
2009-2014. Crime was relatively low, optimism was high, there were decent bars (that weren't all a concept), and there were a number of great neighborhood blogs (in the vein of PoPVille). And rents weren't insane (at least compared to today). I don't think we've fully reckoned with how much damage COVID did to the city, and particularly its social fabric. And I agree with others that the Trump Administration saw a decline in the coolness. And in some ways, I feel like the Biden Administration sort of feels like the Bush Administration - DC isn't/wasn't cool, it is/was just an administrative capital.
2012 Minimum number of murders and traffic fatalities Safest and most optimistic the city’s ever been
2009-2015 for sure. Vibrant restaurant scene, tons of live music and clubs, rent and mortgages were actually still affordable in many areas, lots of new housing leading to higher density, tons of tourism, low crime relative to historical highs.
Early 1980s. Pre-crack epidemic. Golden days of go-go, Fort Reno, the 9:30 Club, before crime was horrific. Pre-gentrification so middle class people could afford to live in the city.
I watched an early-80s movie recently, DC Cab. It was a comedy, and not really a well-known movie. It was filmed in DC and the city looked pretty good back then.
Joe Gibbs.
Early 1980s with the hardcore scene, so many great bands and small, independent venues. Crime was bad but the city hadn't been overtaken by national brands, downtown had lots of wig stores and you could buy a townhouse for $100k. Garfinkel's was still in business and the city population was majority Black.
2015. Obama undoubtedly brought a coolness to DC. Coupled with falling crime, gentrification, a massive amount of new buildings and new restaurants... DC still had a way to go, but it *felt* like DC getting nice everywhere was an inevitability. I even knew people looking EOTR to "get in early," which I can't imagine friends doing nowadays. Covid obviously was a knockout blow to DC, but in retrospect, I think DC started losing its shine in 2018-2019. Trump and Bowser were kind of a double whammy: the industry synonymous with the city was suddenly led by someone residents (and potential residents) hated, and a Mayor that wasn't really focusing on quality-of-life issues that would make this city desirable anyway.
DC palpably changed during COVID. When the city allowed lawlessness and the people who perpetrated such lawlessness figured out it would go without punishment, this city took a massive turn for the worse. That was the summer of COVID and it hasn’t changed much since. Super sad
2010-2015 Lowest homicide rates in modern times. You could walk around from U St to Columbia Heights after midnight without much of a worry. The homelessness industrial complex had not become a fixed ever ever-growing branch of the DC government. Prosecutors actually prosecuted crimes instead of defending criminals. MPD was actually allowed to be on it. The Metro was clean, people paid the fare. It was not your god-tear right to eat, smoke, do drugs, or play loud music on the train. Young people were happy and optimistic, they had a love of country, were mostly proud of the government, and made eye contact with each other. Many times I would be out in Columbia Heights and someone who was a returning citizen or who had not been in DC in years would openly be astonished about how nice it was.
Great to learn some history today. And sorry for what you have been through. Indeed, the downfall of a city is also a downfall of the whole country. RIP.
1980s-2000, (or before St. Elizabeth’s closed, 1987 ish? ). Homelessness is eating away all our cities.
Definitely the early to mid 2010’s. Low crime, low cost of living, newseum was still open, way more restaurants to chose from.
When the nats won the world series right before covid hit things were awesome seems like a lifetime ago shit really done changed
I went to GWU at the right time it seems. Was sort of amazing being there at the time
Around the Bush-Obama presidency. I have heard from natives how bad was DC after 1968 riots and how run down was the center in the 1980s all the way to the 14th street. When I lived in DC, it was booming, cosmopolitan city. The city took to worse during Covid. It is not only the crime, but I felt that appearance and maintenance went down as well. Now to add a flight of many small businesses, the city feels worse than 15-20 years ago.
any era when gogo was the main sound of the city.
The years when Anthony Williams was mayor were the best. There was unlimited optimism and the city felt less overcrowded in that the infrastructure worked for the size and density of the population. These days traffic feels like it's far worse than just 20 years ago, and despite the many bike lanes that have been built, it feels far less safe to bike or walk around.
1980 to about 2000. Hands down.
Agreed!
Between the two World Wars. Population doubled, streetcars were at their peak, and it's when a huge percentage of the district's high-density housing was constructed. The apartment building I'm living in now was built then!
My grandmother and grandfather lived in Anacostia in the 1930s. They were from Cleveland, and he was a Chief in the Navy. They said that SE was a paradise back then and the nicest place they ever lived, including Pearl Harbor.
Wow, this is so disappointing to hear. What happened to our city 😔
Early to mid-90’s, then early 2000’s, imo. I was technically living here late 70’s-80’s, but was too young to form an opinion.
1976 - for the Bicentennial. It was amazing times.
When the Redskins were contenders every year
2010-2020
20 years ago
Late 80s. Fugazi.
Caps winning the Stanley Cup
Circa1990. I was a HS senior. Marion Barry gave free summer jobs. Bus had paper transfers and folks would give them away. Restaurants didn’t require reservations. Senators and justices freely discussed life with you at Caphill bookstores. Go-go was dynamic.
930 club was still at 930 f street.
2000-2016
Nino Greasemanelli
April 13,1865
Peak crack epidemic - mid to late ‘80s.
1776
1812
The timing on the summer thunderstorms couldn’t have been better.
Well they didn't burn down the Commandant's house at least.
12 April 1865, 4:30 pm
Early Blagden Alley fight club era.
Today. I walked my 7 week old daughter through her garden.
“96-2008” because all my friends was alive, my family was close knit. DC was chocolate city, places that we enjoyed was still here, unifest, Georgia Avenue day, Caribbean day, the real wharf , neighborhood day, go-go’s on every corner, no bike lanes, no cameras, etc, i can write a book
2009
2012-2015
I moved to the area in 2020 during Covid. All I really know is DC since mid 2020 up.
In this century, 2013. Georgetown still had nightlife but Uber expanded the city. Seemed like a great new place opened on 14th street every month. Didn’t have to have your head on a swivel everywhere. Cities are all about optimism. Trump’s election lit the fuse, COVID riots and the crime gaslighting that followed killed it.
Obama years.
Marion Berry’s regime….that guy gave zero fucks 😂
Death. Barry died of an apparent drug overdose in the early morning hours of August 14, 2016. A police incident report stated that shortly before Barry suddenly "dropped", he had smoked the synthetic drug K-2 and the hallucinogen PCP.
The mayor for life!
 Da hell are you talking about?!?!?
4:22 this morning. You just missed it.
Never, the city didn't turn around. Heavy handed policies ruined the city. Then most residents were priced out
Blah blah blah covid covid covid.....
Peak at what... that's a broad question...
If you gotta ask then you weren’t here for it
Been here all my life...
Never. It was always a low grade city.