Ghosts of DC

Ghosts of DC
  • 5.0 (4)
  • History

The lost and untold stories of Washington, DC. The buildings, blocks and people the city and region forgot. The Beatles played their first American concert here. Sharks turned up in the Potomac in 1911. Ford’s Theatre collapsed in 1893 while government clerks worked inside. Since 2012, Ghosts of DC has been digging through old newspapers, maps and archives for stories like these, from Georgetown to Anacostia and across the whole DMV. Now they’re a podcast. Short episodes, most around ten minutes. Each one is built on the historical record and tied to a full post with photos and sources at ghostsofdc.org. Something for the Metro ride or the walk to work. Narrated with an AI version of Tom’s voice. AI also helps with the archival research, and facts are checked against the original sources.

  1. 44m ago

    UFOs Over Washington Were Officially the Weather

    On two Saturday nights in July 1952, radar at National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base tracked targets nobody could identify, some of them over the White House and the Capitol. Pilots saw lights, jets were scrambled, and the Pentagon called its biggest press conference since World War II to blame the weather. Full story, photos and sources: https://ghostsofdc.org/2018/02/26/flying-saucers-capitol-white-house/ Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

  2. 23h ago

    Three Sisters Bridge: Congress Ordered It, Courts Stopped It

    Just upriver from Key Bridge sit three little rocks called the Three Sisters. Since at least the 1890s, people have said they moan before someone drowns. In 1968, Congress ordered a freeway bridge built right on top of them, no matter what any court decided. Construction actually started. This episode draws on two posts. The legend: https://ghostsofdc.org/2013/10/04/three-sisters-legend/ The bridge fight: https://ghostsofdc.org/2015/04/13/never-built-three-sisters-bridge-across-potomac/ Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

  3. 1d ago

    Hains Point Was River Bottom Until the Army Pumped It Up

    Every bit of Hains Point was river bottom or mud flat until 1882, when an Army engineer named Peter Hains started pumping the Potomac's mud into new land. The point got his name while he was still alive, and the river has been trying to take it back ever since. Full story, photos and sources: https://ghostsofdc.org/2022/04/08/why-is-it-named-hains-point/ Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

  4. 2d ago

    The Bayou Booked U2 as the Opening Act

    In December 1980, U2 played its second American show at a Georgetown club tucked under the Whitehurst Freeway, as the opening act. Decades earlier, the same room had a pirate brig for argumentative dates, and a 1951 shooting with two police officers inside. Full story, photos and sources: https://ghostsofdc.org/2026/06/06/the-bayou-dc/ Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

  5. 2d ago

    14th Street's Red Light District Was Protected by the Law Against It

    Just before 3 a.m. on November 10, 1984, the dancers at Benny's on 14th Street took the stage for the last time. The 1977 law written to keep Washington from ever having another red light district had spent years protecting this one. Full story, photos and sources: https://ghostsofdc.org/2012/05/07/14th-street-red-light-district-washington-dc/ This episode discusses the history of adult businesses on 14th Street. Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

  6. 2d ago

    Tabard Inn's Founder Sold It, Then Bought It Back at Auction

    In August 1930, the Tabard Inn near Dupont Circle went up for auction. The high bidder was the woman who had started it, three years after she sold it. Full story, photos and sources: https://ghostsofdc.org/2026/10/21/tabard-inn-history-1739-n-street/ Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

  7. 2d ago

    Why Is It Called Adams Morgan? Two Segregated Schools

    Adams Morgan isn't named for a president or a police chief. It's named for two elementary schools a block apart, one white and one Black, and the two principals who brought their neighbors together in 1955. Full story, photos and sources: https://ghostsofdc.org/2022/03/16/named-adams-morgan/ Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

  8. 3d ago

    Suburban Gardens Booked a Young Duke Ellington

    In June 1922, a 23-year-old Duke Ellington played a beauty contest at an amusement park in far Northeast DC. It was the only major amusement park ever built inside the city, and Black Washingtonians built it because Glen Echo wouldn't let them in. Full story, photos and sources: https://ghostsofdc.org/2026/05/24/suburban-gardens-deanwood-black-amusement-park/ Narrated by an AI version of Tom's voice. AI also helps research and write the scripts; facts are checked against the original sources, and Tom reviews the episodes.

See All (15)

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The lost and untold stories of Washington, DC. The buildings, blocks and people the city and region forgot. The Beatles played their first American concert here. Sharks turned up in the Potomac in 1911. Ford’s Theatre collapsed in 1893 while government clerks worked inside. Since 2012, Ghosts of DC has been digging through old newspapers, maps and archives for stories like these, from Georgetown to Anacostia and across the whole DMV. Now they’re a podcast. Short episodes, most around ten minutes. Each one is built on the historical record and tied to a full post with photos and sources at ghostsofdc.org. Something for the Metro ride or the walk to work. Narrated with an AI version of Tom’s voice. AI also helps with the archival research, and facts are checked against the original sources.

Information

  • Creator
    Ghosts of DC
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ghosts of DC
  • Show Website
    Ghosts of DC

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