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Feeding the City
To know Washington's eateries -- soup kitchens to power lunch spots -- is to know local culture. The Historical Society's collections go inside these enterprises and reveal how world events and local conditions influenced them.
During the Great Depression, for example, the Dee Street Cafeteria fed the homeless. During World War II ingredients suddenly were rationed, leading the Evening Star newspaper to publish a book of substitutions.
Eateries advertised with postcards, including "Thompson's Cafeteria," otherwise known as the Thompson's Restaurant that became the focus of legal efforts to desegregate businesses. And, at the top of the heap, the legendary Duke Ziebart (1911-1997) hosted politicians, lobbyists, athletes, and journalists who soaked up each others' company (and two-martini lunches). |