“Campus has changed so much since I was last here,” is a phrase uttered, and sometimes lamented, by those who haven’t visited campus in years. This sentiment accurately depicts how quickly change can come to the built environment of Foggy Bottom, with new dorms and mixed-use developments seemingly constructed in a matter of months.
In honor of the 100th anniversary of GW’s presence in Foggy Bottom, the GW Libraries Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) created the Historic Walking Tour of Foggy Bottom.
Taking a long lens to explore the history of some buildings, the tour has 10 stops around campus and provides a brief history of each building in the context of the campus community. Most structures were built at the turn of the 20th century, but older examples, including Red Lion Row, home to the beloved Lindy’s Red Lion, represent building types that were common at the turn of the 19th century.
Alumni and friends are invited to take the tour. Maps with descriptions of the buildings are online, and printed copies are available at Alumni House at 1918 F Street NW.
Foggy Bottom visitors can also scan QR codes (outside buildings on campus) with a smartphone, and they’ll be led to a mobile website with the same information. And for those who can’t make it in person, the SCRC created a virtual tour on HistoryPin.
Although most will not recall a time before most of the buildings on the tour were constructed, visitors to campus are certain to discover other changes along the route.
