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See "Put a Little Cast Iron in Your Step - Part 1"

Painted Black and then white, the cast iron steps and railing are in need of repair (No. 951 25th St)

 909 25th Street row house with cast iron steps, stoop, and rails

909 25th Street decorative posts and rail joints

909 25th St detail of riser with "tulip over tulip" pattern

Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking Tour - "The Tallest Row Houses"

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Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking Tour - "The Historic District's Longest Row"

Continue down K Street and take a left onto 25th Street. You will pass another architectural cast iron entry at 951 25th Street in dire need of repair, so lets move on. At the white row house with the red door, 909 25th Street, stop enjoy the 'tulip over tulip' riser pattern at the cast iron entryway. The cast iron entry also needs restoration.The row houses on this side of the street (900 block of 25th St.) date from 1879 to 1979, including the tallest house (No. 949). See the "Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking Tour" (links below) for more details on this part of the neighborhood.

Put a Little Cast Iron in Your Step - Part 2

Murals, sculpture, and art in the Foggy Bottom Historic District. This tour features commissioned works and art installed as part of the Arts in Foggy Bottom Biennial Exhibitions. The tour can be viewed from the comfort of your home -- but many of the art pieces are site specific so we suggest you walk the tour as well. Viewing the art "in person" provides a sense of the art's scale and relationship to its surroundings. 

The 7-11 is actually in one of the oldest buildings in the Foggy Bottom Historic District, built 1879. It was built as a dwelling, but has been used as a grocery/convenience store for many decades. For less than a week in April, 1959, "Beatnik" Bill Walker operated a Greenwich Village-type coffee house, called "Coffee 'n' Confusion" at the property.Despite his current position as professional artist and D.C. muralist, Towles started his artistic career at a grocery store. “I started working at Whole Foods when it was Fresh Fields, just working in produce,” he says. “I would always do the chalkboards, you know— this was right after high school.” While working at the grocery store, he decided to earn a degree in fine arts from the University of Maryland."In custom works like one, Towles’ characters range from the traditional to the fantastical, retaining hints of people, places, and things that positively influence his life. According to his website, the release aspect of graffiti art allows him to express his thoughts on who we are as individuals. Internal conflicts and the “what” that hides beneath the surface are particularly interesting to Towles. His outlook on society and how individuals cope with the emotional roller coaster of daily life transfers from his spray can to surfaces that are in need of creative influence. Regardless of the subject matter, the artist’s background in graffiti art weaves through all of his work, a constant reminder that art is his outlet.In addition to custom commissions, he is a busy guy. He works with local arts groups to revitalize neighborhoods using his creative energy, to share his passion for street art while making an impact on the local community. His murals, showcased on area buildings and garage doors, and paintings, displayed in local galleries and businesses, are electrically playful.Kelly Towles moved to D.C. in the late 1990s. He is the co-owner of DC Meet Market, a community market that supports the District’s small businesses and creative community. Most recently, he organized POW! WOW! DC, an international art movement that celebrates culture, music, and art in cities around the world.

Above the roof line of the 7-11 store you'll find a colorful commissioned mural, entitled "Together" of an animated family portrait. The couple and their bulldog are now former residents of the row house. Painted by Washington, D.C. muralist Kelly Towles, it's clear even from a distance this mural makes viewers smile while simultaneously questioning and thinking about what they see. His works show a broad scope of animation by depicting his take on classical portraiture, personified everyday objects, and abstracted figures. Towles mural may be best viewed from the triangular parklet across from the 7-11 store.

It's a Bird, a Plane ... No, It's a Mural 

Aniekan Udofia's work is very popular in the D.C. metro area. He has completed over 30 indoor and outdoor murals in D.C., including the one at Ben's Chili Bowl restaurant. In 2000, Udofia started his career as an illustrator for magazines and album covers. He then studied fine arts and was exposed to graffiti art. Friends urged him to create murals, but he was hesitant. Once he created murals, they became very popular. He thinks one reason for his success is he "approaches his art as an illustrator." He uses the rich history of a community to create dynamic elements unique to a neighborhood.Compositions can take three to four weeks as he works through a variety of design elements and colors. He projects his design and creates his visual masterpieces by priming the surface with house paint and then spray paints over it.

Busy 24th Street is the outside border of the Foggy Bottom Historic District. The street features four traditional row houses sandwiched between modern apartment buildings, but the "gem of the block" is the mural, "Foggy Bottom." It was painted in 2017 for the Varsity Condo by Aniekan Udofian, a noted D.C. muralist. It captures the area's industrial past and the more recent educational spirit of Foggy Bottom. The mural's central figure is a Mad-Max style glass-blower, a reference to the Glass House, an early Foggy Bottom industry. The vibrant mural also shows factory smoke, the three red stars and stripes of the D.C. flag, George Washington's face and pencils, references to the nearby George Washington University.

"Foggy Bottom" Mural - A Color Burst at the Varsity 

In the wave of new construction and changes in building materials, many houses transitioned from wood to brick construction. Houses of more modest construction incorporated front entries using relatively inexpensive cast iron stairways with decorative patterns. The open patterns and perforations were originally designed to combine decorative, functional, and economical detailing; to provide elaborate but strong construction; and to reduce the weight and quantity of iron required, thus keeping the price low. Traditionally the stoops, stairs and rails were painted a high gloss Black. In some instances, the decorative newel post caps were painted in gold or silver to accent their design.England had been casting iron as early as the 1600s and had peaked and declined by the 1850s. In the United States, between the mid-1700s and the mid-1800s, improved technology for the production of cast iron greatly increased the supply, while the expanded technology for its use led to many applications in architecture and engineering. The post-Civil War (after 1865) construction boom created a demand for versatile and hard cast iron pieces.Washington, D.C. had a few foundries as early at 1876 but there is no record available of items they may have created for front entryways. The decorative riser and newel pieces were ordered from catalogs. "Exterior cast-iron stoops, usually modest in scale, were commonplace in 19th-century domestic architecture," according to the National Park Service's 1992 brochure on "Metal in America's Historic Buildings."With changes in styles and building materials, front entry stairs evolved into red brick or concrete stoops and steps with iron railings, neither of which are historic.

As you walk through the Historic District, notice the row houses with decorative historic cast iron entry stairs, stoops and railings. As functional art, they feature intricate patterns in the risers and the newel posts. The first stop is 2420 K St. which features jet-Black, well-maintained cast iron entry stairs with a delicate botanical design on the risers.The cast iron patterns for the risers (front of the steps) and newel posts (the posts supporting the handrails) brought architectural detail at a lower price than custom work. The openings in the design patterns helped to reduce the weight of the entry structure. In the days before air-conditioning, the front stoop was the place to sit and visit with neighbors as they walked by.Next door to the yellow row house is No. 2422, the Manila House (b. 1874), and St. Paul's Parish Church (b. 1948). See the "Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking Tour" (links below) for more details on this part of the neighborhood.

Put a Little Cast Iron in your Step - Part 1

During Schaffer's fractal period, his sculptures contain spirals that, instead of illustrating any specific phenomenon, grow in the same manner as real complex systems to produce fractal forms. The rhythms and proportions of events and objects, cultural and natural, organic and inorganic, are similar because dynamic complex systems follow some basic rules of organization and co-evolution. All phenomena accumulate and break down according to internal and external interactions that are periodic in similar, if not precisely repetitious ways. The challenges he faced as a designer to place the fractals in various positions for balance and form make his work remarkable.This sculpture at the yellow house with the red door is the first of the "Arts in Foggy Bottom" installations on this tour. Arts in Foggy Bottom, an award-winning outdoor sculpture biennial in the Historic District, is one of Washington's outstanding public art displays. Since 2007, 87 local, national and international artists have shown their work. With each exhibition a newly selected curator(s) executes their unique vision and enhances the visual opportunities for the neighborhood and public.It is fortunate for the artists and the community their art has been embraced by the neighborhood, art world, media and public. As a result, several works from past exhibitions have been purchased by Foggy Bottom residents and businesses, becoming a permanent part of the historic neighborhood.In 2009, Arts in Foggy Bottom received the District of Columbia Mayor's "Arts Award for Innovation in the Arts." In 2013, the Foggy Bottom Association awarded the "Olga Corey Spirit of Community Award" to Arts in Foggy Bottom, recognizing Foggy Bottom residents Jackie Lemire, Jill Nevius, and Mary Kay Shaw, who founded the exhibition in 2007, for their contributions to the community. We are grateful to them for their vision, time and creativity.Before the Arts in Foggy Bottom Exhibition was formed, the historic district embraced its artists. In 1972, the association requested entries for its "First Annual Left Bank Art Show and Wine Tasting" event. It was held on April 30th at 2405 I St which was at that time a vacant lot (now an apartment building and Argentinian Consulate). The show featured art of mixed media: paintings, pottery, crewel work and more. The arts show was a popular event and continued in the neighborhood for several years.

The impressive sculpture "Gallo Grande" is best viewed from different angles, so take your time looking at it. It was designed at a time when the sculptor, Craig Schaffer, was experimenting with fractal forms. He stated, “The entire sculpture series is based on fractal forms—the shapes created by the ongoing processes of Life, such as the branching of plants to catch the sunlight, the convoluted unfurling of clouds, the formation and fracturing of mountains from the forces within the earth, and the jaggedness of the coastline as it interacts with the sea." Because of the non-linear, reflexive nature of real life, these processes tend to follow spiral paths. So his sculptures all contain spirals that, instead of illustrating any specific phenomenon, grow in the same reflexive manner as real complex systems.The sculpture has weathered well since its initial installation in 2008 for the Foggy Bottom Association's "Arts in Foggy Bottom" Exhibition - it is one of five artworks on this tour that were created for the Arts in Foggy Bottom and purchased as permanent installations.

Work in Motion -- or so It Seems

Elizabeth Graeber is an artist and illustrator who lives in Baltimore, Maryland and a graduate of Maryland Institute of Contemporary Art. She draws for books, magazines, shops and personal commissions. Graeber works primarily in watercolor and gouache paint on paper, but also paints interior and exterior murals. She is inspired by color and pattern and enjoys painting a series of things such as birds, books, furniture, plants, matchbooks, and food.Hughes Mews - originally known as Hughes Court - in the 1890s housed 300 people, as many as resided in one of D.C.’s first alley settlements, nearby Snows Court (its main entrance on the opposite side of 25th Street). Hughes Court shared Snows Court’s bad reputation as being overcrowded, unsanitary, and unsafe. As with Snows Court, that reputation ignored the presence of the alley's low-income, but close-knit and vibrant community.

At the River Inn hotel, turn left down the alley past the parking area past the hotel's parking area. On your left you'll see the large flower garden mural. The "Garden" is painted on the rear façade of an historic row house at 923 Hughes Mews. It was created as part of the Arts in Foggy Bottom exhibition in 2014. Artist Elizabeth Graeber painted the image freehand using acrylic interior and exterior house paint. The garden mural seems fitting in an alley where there is little soil to plant a real gardens.Continue past the mural to visit the corner of Hughes Mews, which contains a small and picturesque group of historic alley row houses from the 1880s. The modern square brick house (909 Hughes Mews) replaced a one-story garage in 2002. Note the container garden that surrounds the house and the white sculptures on the roof above the garage door. After you leave the courtyard area, exit Hughes Mews by turning left on Queen Anne's Lane to 26th Street.

Larger than Life "Garden" Mural

Albert Paley grew up in Philadelphia, where he was born in 1944. As a boy he built model airplanes and drew a great deal. As a young man he rebuilt automobile engines and raced cars. He got a scholarship to the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. Paley went on to get a Master's Degree from Temple. He taught at the School for American Craftsmen of Rochester Institute of Technology and at New York State University College at Brockport. Paley didn't begin to work in iron until 1970. He has over 50 site specific works worldwide. His metalwork pays homage to European art nouveau and American abstract expressionism.The 'Portal Gates' at the Renwick Gallery dramatically changed the course of his career. In an article from the Washington Post in 1977 about his work at the gallery, Paley said, "I don't draw things before I make them. If I could draw it just the way I wanted it to be, I wouldn't have to go to all that heavy work - which I don't enjoy. I have to work it all through, as I go. I don't actually care very much about making an object - the objects are just what are left behind, the visual record of what I was thinking." His comments offer a glimpse of his creative process.The gates adorn the three-story red brick corner building (901 26th St.), which was built in 1878 as a house and store. In 1914, it was a saloon operated by Robert Stauber. But by 1923 - after Prohibition took effect - the building housed the Universal Holiness Church. It became a private residence and was renovated - and the gates added - in 1981.

The large renovated house at the corner of 26th and I Streets features forged, fabricated, and painted steel entrance and vehicular gates created by Albert Paley in 1981. The companion gates express forms of burned metal and rough forgings. He shows the possibilities of Blacksmithing with the vertical and low horizontal pieces imprinted with pattern and the large circular shape.Paley was a successful jeweler when he entered the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.'s national competition in 1974 to design decorative doors for its shop. Winning the competition changed the focus of his work and changed Paley's career. His "Portal Gates" made of brass, steel, copper and bronze, instantly became an icon for the museum and led to numerous commissions, propelling his practice toward monumental architectural ironwork. Paley is probably the best-known for his use of iron as material for his large complex sculptures, furniture, and jewelry.

Albert Paley's Steel Entry Gates

Jeff Chyatte is a Washington, D.C. native who began his artistic journey over 35 years ago. According to the artist, he gains inspiration from Da Vinci, Euclid and the great scientists who blurred the distinction between art, math and science by incorporating mathematically significant dimensions, such as the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio. Jeff also contributed his passion for math teaching at Montgomery College in Maryland as in the Biological and Chemical Services Department.Chyatte has designed and fabricated a variety of works for private collectors, galleries, museums, commercial buildings and municipalities. In addition, his creations have been exhibited at Smithsonian affiliate Ann Marie Sculpture Park, National Airport, the Art Museum of the Americas on the National Mall, and the Watergate Hotel. Amazon.com Corporation acquired two works for their headquarters. Most recently, a large sculpture was installed at the entrance of Strathmore Metro Station in Bethesda, Maryland.

The etched metal surface of the free-form sculpture, "Nebulous" brightens I Street. Area artist Jeff Chyatte submitted this work for the "Human/Nature" themed Arts in Foggy Bottom Exhibition in 2021. The gracious curves of the sculpture attract us as the hazy surface of the metal distorts our reflection and the play of light. His work mirrors the subtle equilibrium found in nature. He explores the themes of balance, imbalance, and symmetry as he strives to understand human culture through discovery of the relationships between its basic components. Metallurgy and physics guide the artist's design and material choices as he seeks to communicate messages about strength, sustainability, and risk.

Shapely Sculpture Draws Attention 

After the exhibition, "Watching Post" was purchased from the artist with funds from the Foggy Bottom Association and some of its residents. In a recent communication, Caldwell recalls, "I actually installed "Watching Post" twice! Once when the exhibition opened, and then some time later. That row of historical lamp posts were repainted by the city so I uninstalled for the painting and then reinstalled more permanently on the nice new freshly painted post. I made a stand-in post in my studio to design the work. The D.C. government has specs for those lamp posts that I tracked down online and used as a guide. The idea came quickly when I was thinking about the site, but the final form was refined over time in the studio. It was very satisfying to see sky and trees reflected in those mirrors and not tools and studio clutter!"Graham Caldwell (b. 1973) is a prolific blown glass sculptor. According to a recent exhibition catalog, glass "is almost always seen as decorative. To my mind, one of the main reasons is because it's usually modest in scale . . . and easy to damage. (Of all the living post-war artists, Daly Chihuly is probably the most despised by housekeepers far and wide.) In contemporary culture, there is no more psychologically avoided and maligned material than glass."Nevertheless, Caldwell "produces works that often feature a constellation of elements, both large and small, with myriad associations—to science, science fiction, and worlds both natural and unnatural, molecular and menacing: stalactites, crystalline structures, teardrops, arteries, bulbs, globes, convex and concave mirrors, antlers, talons, claws. Although they are materially fragile, some of Caldwell's works appear dangerous, capable of drawing blood. They are both beautiful and gnarly, able to attract viewers and to keep them at a distance."

Across the street, at the curve on the parkland corner, stands a multi-mirror sculpture elevated by the trunk of the lamp post. This sculpture is perfectly named for its location, “Watching Post.” Artist Graham Caldwell created and installed it in 2014 as one of the exhibition sculptures in the Arts in Foggy Bottom Biennial event. With its large, small, and medium sized mirrors, it's also highly functional in this corner location. Caldwell picked the lamp post as a location because he liked the scale of the lamp post. According to artist, "he put the mirrors high enough off of the ground so they reflect things at some distance, but low enough that nearby people can see themselves."The juxtaposition of mirrors-in-the-round supported by an historic lamp post and globe adds another layer to this intricate artwork and connects the past with the present. What the many round mirrors can't show is the part of this historic neighborhood that was demolished for the construction of the freeways. The 1960s construction wiped out about one-third of the neighborhood and displaced over 270 families, demolishing row houses, stables, small businesses, and an elementary school between 26th and 28th Streets. Only three modest row houses remain on a truncated I Street, visible on the other side of the freeway.

Mirror, Mirror on the -- Lamp Post 

According to Zeltner's biography: "The creative and free expression in the graffiti art inspires him. Traces of American graffiti [] are visible in the style of his drawings and illustrations today." In the tradition of street graffiti, Zeltner paints directly on the unprimed wall. He was born in Basel, Switzerland (1984) and has quite a following for his murals, canvas, and paperwork art. He attended the Basel design school and spent several years working as a screen printer and graphic designer.Why the cows? According to the artist, "It was kind of a joke. I'm from Switzerland and I did let some Swiss cows in Washington... I placed them in front of the White House...(should be the White House not the Capitol)...In another meaning you can say that we are all cows whom doing our business every day...we are eating in front of the White House/in front of the politicians and their decisions...I wanted to paint something bright &amp; easy going...it is peaceful... Something that gives you a smile...in the same time we have the White House in the back...so you can also understand it like this: when we would behave and treat us like cows/or animals...we would maybe live in a more peaceful environment...? these are just thoughts. Zeltner concludes, it "would be great to come back to Washington, D.C. and paint another wall there!"

Just after the lamp post sculpture, turn right on the access road before the first set of row houses on I Street. You can't miss Daniel Zeltner's red, white, blue and Black mural of cows, spilt milk, hearts and the Nation's Capitol. The lead blue cow, with its cow bells and heart-shaped spots, stands on a large red heart and the smaller red cow sitting in a puddle of milk are central figures. But keep looking because there are so many other images to see. The cow's face that turns the corner of the wall adds a touch of dimensional whimsy.Zeltner, who resides in Switzerland, was visiting Washington, D.C. and became friends with the house's owner. He painted it in 2014 at the owner's request.This row house itself (2532 I St.) was built by immigrant Irishman craftsman Peter McCartney in 1889. The interior retains the original mantle that McCartney also designed.

Colorful Cows, the Capitol, and Milk Mural

Fascinated by the diversity of root systems, Luttwak has chosen to investigate a variety of vertical, horizontal, and radial structures underpinning trees (birch and beech), vegetables (soybean, sugar beet), the invasive bamboo, and the flowering Cannabis plant.The artist lives and works in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She was born in Israel's northern Galilee and moved to the United States in 1972. Her work ranges from metal jewelry, Judaica and 30 years of experience working with metal on a small and large scale. Her concentration on plant life has allowed her to see the beauty of the structures and shapes of the plants and the relationships between the plant material above the ground and below. Her work has been displayed all over the world.The Foggy Bottom Historic District has been fortunate to have her work displayed in its Arts in Foggy Bottom Exhibition several times.

Dalya Luttwak's sculpture, "Five Tap Roots" reveals what plants prefer and need to conceal - their roots. The small row house garden at 811 25th Street draws our eye to the busy part of plants we can not see. The work was installed as part of the Arts in Foggy Bottom Exhibition in 2014 and originally contained four additional sculptures. The smaller sculptures were returned back to the artist. Her structural plant art takes us on a journey to the life underneath our feet and shares its intricate beauty. Since 2007, she has been working on a series of large-scale metal sculptures that symbolically represent the interwoven root systems of various plants.Luttwak's sculptures are site-specific or site-responsive. Sometimes she gets down on the ground and works from the roots she digs out of the earth -- she is serious about her work. To create a final piece of work, her other skills are tapped to photograph, copy, or draw roots as the basis for her completed work. Her work subtly suggests that viewers dig deep and 'uncover our roots.'This row of six story book houses were built in the 1890s. Their facades are more fanciful than the modest row houses with flat rooflines you've seen in the Foggy Bottom Historic District.

Roots Bare All  

Doering's interest in metal working began as a child on the family-owned Kansas cattle ranch, “The Double H.” His grandpa was his inspiration – he could fix, make, or dream-up anything metal the ranch needed. Later he graduate from Kansas State University with a BFA in Metalsmithing. In September 2011, he started the Metal Method Company, a design and fabrication studio with a focus on creating functional fine art for residential and corporate settings. His work has been shown in California, Hawaii and around the country.The hotel opens their doors to all on the tour. Stop for a beverage or snack in their street level market place cafe. If you mention you are on the the Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking Tour, you'll get 10% off your purchase.

This shiny steel sculpture takes front and center in the landscaped bed of the ARC Hotel, renovated in 2018. California-based artist Randy Doering was approached by hotel management to create a sculpture to represent its brand identity. And the outcome is the fluid shiny sculpture designed to mimic the hotel's logo. The substrate for the work is a dimensional sculpture constructed of 316 marine grade stainless steel with a mirror finish. One of the hotel's principals shared his long term vision on the hotel. He was inspired by the terms “Arch" and “Arches” which are examples of a strong building method and signify stability, optimum design, efficiency and strength to survive the test of time. Doering checked all their boxes with his creation.The hotel began its life as the Channel House Apartments in 1960 and stands out amidst the historic row houses. It has plans to reopen its street entry restaurant in 2023.

The Arc at the ARC Hotel

Watergate Gallery &amp; Frame Design started out as a picture framing business 1986. The current owner, Dale Johnson, worked at the shop after graduating from American University with a degree in Art History. After several years, she bought the business and features picture framing and placing and exhibitions and sales of professional artwork. She is always willing to share her knowledge of the artists and their work. Johnson is also part of the team of artistic advisors for the community's Arts in Foggy Bottom Biennial Exhibition.The Watergate complex is a group of six residential and commercial buildings in Foggy Bottom and covers a total of 10 acres. Built between 1963 and 1971, it was designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti. For more than a century, the land now occupied by the Watergate complex belonged to the gas works of the Washington Gas Light Company, which produced "manufactured gas" for heating, cooking, and lighting throughout the city. The demolition of the gas works 1947 eliminated the smoke and odors and triggered the revitalization and renovation of the area's row and alley houses .

Walking out of the Historic District, you can continue to appreciate area art by heading to the Watergate Complex. At the corner of 25th and H Streets, cross Virginia Avenue to the Watergate lower level. In the courtyard area you'll see a variety of sculptures and artwork. Dale Johnson, owner of Watergate Gallery and Frame Design, supports a diverse group of artists by exhibiting their work in the open space. The sculptures change, but there are always several pieces on display.By now, you might want to take a break from all you have seen. You can stop at one of the places in the lower courtyard or head back to street level and try Tazza Cafe on New Hampshire Avenue across from the side steps of the Kennedy Center. Or head back to Circa, Tonic/Quigley, GW Deli, or any of the restaurants in the Foggy Bottom/GWU area.As you walked through the Historic District and it peaked your curiosity about he narrow modest row houses and neighborhood history, try our "Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking Tour" (see link below). Use your phone, tablet, or desktop to visit the 19 stops and learn about the Historic District's people, lifestyles, history, art, and architecture. The tour tracks the neighborhood’s transition from working class in the 1870s to its current status. Each stop features a summary, descriptive details, images from past to present, and sources for additional information.  Thank you so much for selecting this walking tour. Our Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking tours show that this once industrial neighborhood, which was saved from destruction, now has much to offer. We hope you will return often to walk the tree-lined streets as they change with the seasons.

Foggy Bottom Historic District Arts Walking Tour

Put a Little Cast Iron in Your Step - Part 2

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Additional Information