Washington DC, Thomas Circle, 1921

Thomas Circle was constructed as a traffic circle as part of the original L'Enfant Plan for the District of Columbia. The circle was named for American Civil War General George Henry Thomas. A horse-drawn railway installed around the Circle in the mid-1860s led to the development to the north. Paved roads and sewers soon followed, and the area quickly attracted wealthy residents. Luther Place Memorial Church was built in 1874 and the Portland Flats was built in 1881. Watch the video to see how times have changed!