Capital Views: Historic Photographs of Washington, D.C., Alexandria and Loudoun County, and Frederick County, Maryland

Historian Goode (Washington Sculpture: A Cultural History of Outdoor Sculpture in the Nation's Capital) has compiled a fascinating photographic history of the D.C. metro area. From steam locomotives and log cabins to the start of the National Zoo and National Airport, his selection of images shows how the city became what it is today. The large format invites readers to absorb the many details contained in the sepia-toned photographs, which span the period from the 1850s to the 1960s. Goode organizes chapters by location: the National Mall; Market Square; the Hay-Adams Houses; D.C. in 1908 and the 1930s; Alexandria and Loudoun County, Virginia; and Frederick County, Maryland. The accompanying text and detailed captions highlight D.C.'s transitory nature, with many sites hosting generations of buildings. Readers will be amused (by President Taft's pet cow), nostalgic (for streetcars, which might have prevented modern D.C.'s gridlock), and educated, such as about the early history of towns now largely relegated to exurb and suburban sprawl. This volume comes highly recommended for local historians, residents, and anyone else interested in the history of Washington, D.C. and its surrounding area. (Oct.)