Sept. 8, 2004

EDITORIAL
Foggy Bottom from Behind the Garden Fence

By Harvey Snyder

I hope you find this personal memoir of Foggy Bottom from 1970–2000 a slight respite from your daily problems. You might find the events covered interesting and entertaining, especially in view of GW’s relationship with the Foggy Bottom community.

My family and I have owned property in Foggy Bottom from the mid-1960s until the very recent past. Prior to my marriage (to my wonderful GW-grad wife Kathy) I owned property between 25th and 26th streets in what is known as Hughes Mews. Additionally I occupied a small townhouse on the northwest corner of 25th and Eye streets for about eight years while I completed my doctorate.

The Garden Fence
As a bachelor, I enjoyed living in Foggy Bottom, studying and often staying out until the early morning but still being able to get to work on time — very convenient. I was perhaps the only person in the neighborhood with a vegetable garden. The one problem with the garden was its easy accessibility from the street. Often my harvest fell victim to veggie-snatchers who apparently preferred my produce to that offered in the local shops.

To beat the thieves I often gave away produce to passersby, especially the older neighbors. Often, neighbors would stop by my corner for conversation, some flowers, a few radishes or lettuce. This interaction in the community led to some interesting events. One Saturday morning, my neighbor across the street stopped by and asked if I would be interested in becoming secretary of the Foggy Bottom Association.

About a week later, the same person cautiously approached and we began talking about the giant white iris I had been growing along the sidewalk. As I gave him a few flowers, the conversation shifted to his earlier offer to become the Foggy Bottom Association’s secretary. Before I could tell him that I had decided against the offer he asked if it were true that I worked for GW. I proudly replied that it was, to which he said it might be best if I did not accept the position.

Long-Term Memory Loss
Sometimes I wonder how many current Foggy Bottom residents really appreciate how much GW has added to the area. To see the impact, one should consider GW in context with other changes.

To build the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the old, vacant Heurich Brewery, right on the waterfront, was demolished. Homes that had been occupied by brewery workers and employees of the nearby Gasworks, were demolished in the name of “urban renewal.” It is interesting to note that at the same time, L’Enfant Plaza was being built, and it too was an urban renewal project.

While the homes in the immediate area of the Foggy Bottom waterfront were destroyed, many toward 25th and 26th streets were not. Mine was one that survived. In the late 1950s those houses along 25th Street sold for between $500 and $1,500, or so I was told by a long-time resident who was lucky enough to actually purchase one for that price. Smart woman that she was, she purchased the house confident its value would go up due to the proximity to GW and the nearby State Department where she worked. She was one Foggy Bottom resident, among many, who loved the University.

Foggy Bottom was not a preferred place to live until the University started to grow. The slow changes brought about by GW, The Kennedy Center and the Watergate began to attract investors to the area. A multitude of individuals began to take an interest in neighborhood property. Ask the residents of Potomac Plaza what types of homes were torn down to build their large cooperative. How many residents remember the segments of both 25th and 26th streets north of H Street that were “red-light districts?” Ask them about the condition of the apartments that St. Mary’s Court and the Odd Fellows replaced.

Slowly, due in great measure to the growth of GW and its commitment to the Foggy Bottom community, the neighborhood became not only a better place to live, but a preferred place to live.

The Best of Times
I suppose it’s human nature to resist change. Sometimes we fear the unknown. As I reflect on living, renting and owning in Foggy Bottom, it was a very fine part of my life. I loved the University and its surrounding community. I always recognize the contributions GW has made in my life, the life of the Foggy Bottom community and the District of Columbia in general. For me, it has been the best of times.

Now, faced with restrictions and complicated zoning regulations, we at GW constantly have to make decisions that may further change the character of the University and the neighborhood. However, just as I was confident in the future of the University 30 years ago, I am confident of it now. It is the best of times, even though some folks are unable to see those times even when they are under their very noses.

Snyder is the administrator of special education programs at GW.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu