There are several very important buildings to look at on this two block stretch of 16th.  First, the churches.

Let’s start with the Church of the Holy City (1611 16th). The Church of the Holy City dates from the 1890s, and was built by, and is still owned by, the Swedenborgian Church, something that may surprise you, since nothing on the outside sign identifies it that way. In spite of its long history, the congregation no longer needs a church this size (that may not surprise you), and the building has recently been put up for sale (that may surprise you because there is no “for sale” sign). ln the meantime,  it appears there is little activity in the building itself, and most events, including Sunday services, are virtual. The website points out that Helen Keller, a Swedenborgian, spoke here several times.

The second church is the Foundry Methodist Church (1500 16th).

I have been in this building several times, not to attend services, but to attend small theaters’ performances in the church social hall. The inside is as gray and heavy as the outside, and I always feel that I have stepped back in time a few centuries. The building dates from 1904, the congregation from 1815. The church has hosted many presidents.

There is only one embassy on this stretch of 16th Street, that of the Republic of Congo. (Let’s recall that Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are two separate countries, even though their capitals, Brazzaville and Kinshasa, are directly across the Congo River from each other, and could almost be considered one city).

The Congolese embassy (1720 16th) is in a large house built in 1894 for Supreme Court Justice Henry Billings Brown, the justice who is known for authoring the Plessy v. Ferguson separate but equal decision, and perhaps not much else. It has housed the Congo for 12 years, and has had other owners before that, including Iran (then known as Persia) and, for a period of six years ending in 1848, the Zionists of America.

I said there is one embassy. Perhaps I should have said there are two. But one is the embassy of a country that does not exist – Kurdistan.

Now to the Carnegie Institute of Washington building (1407 16th).

In 1902, Andrew Carnegie created the Carnegie Institute as a scientific research organization.  He housed its administrative offices this building. Its research facility is located on Broad Branch Road NW, about a half mile from our house, in a park-like setting. I don’t think anyone really has any idea what goes on there.

But the 16th Street building no longer houses the Carnegie offices, I don’t think. The building was sold to Qatar about three years ago, with the expectation that it would become its embassy. The current embassy is on 25th Street NW in DC’s West End, and I don’t know where the move to 16th Street stands. But maybe I should have said there are three embassies.

There is no sign referencing Qatar in front of the building. Around the side on P Street, there is a modest entrance with an even more modest sign that says Embassy of the State of Qatar. If memory serves, a decade or more ago, that side entrance took you into a separate suite, then occupied by Ralph Nader. The building also has a large formal auditorium, seldom used for public events.

There are residential buildings, as well, on these two blocks, including the art deco building, Hightowers, where our cousin Alison lives. She can tell you about the ghost of Hightowers.

Three more buildings, and then we will stop for the day.

This converted residence, complete with an anti-circus circus elephant in front, is the DC headquarters of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), standing at the corner of 16th and Q.

Directly across the street is the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center, a building we have been in hundreds of times and where daughter Michelle has for years and years taught pre-schooler music classes.

An entire column could be written about this building, which houses two theaters (this is where the professional Theater J is housed), a gym, a swimming pool, a basketball court, meeting rooms, etc, and from time to time, a restaurant.

The building was opened as the JCC in 1926. When a new JCC was built in Rockville MD, the DCJCC was closed in 1968 and the building sold to the DC government. In 1997, the building was sold back to the Jewish community, totally renovated and reopened once again as a Jewish Community Center. Of course, the Rockville Center is still thriving, and a third active Jewish Community Center is now operating in Fairfax County VA.

The last building is another old red brick house with a sign in front and another around the side.

We will continue our slow walk up 16th Street soon. In the meantime, I should tell you that this is the 700th consecutive day when I have published a post. Perhaps I will break the Cal Ripken record yet.