Photo by Shorpy
1910 view of Wisconsin Avenue and Q Street
An early 1910 shot (above) of the corner of Wisconsin and Q Streets shows a filling station (Liberty Oil Company) where one (regretfully) still sits 100 years later. The building on its far left is home to the current neighborhood favorite Los Cuates Mexican restaurant. To the right of the station is simply undeveloped land with sparsely scattered houses in and around what is now Volta Park.
(Photo by: Google Street View)
Wisconsin and Q Streets today
Even though we are looking at a dirt driveway, Wisconsin Avenue (or High Street as it was known then) was cobbled and had streetcar tracks.
Note the scored concrete sidewalk (today it is brick), and a sign that says "Safety First" yet the lad on the left is smoking.
A building was added onto the station in the 1940's and today one, equally uninspiring, still stands.
In the contemporary photo at right is the current gas station before a fire last year shuttered it.
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5 Comments For This Article
This is our gas/ auto repair station (Georgetown Auto Service) before the fire. See you soon.
They should tear down and get rid of this eyesore ruining that area of Georgetown. We already have another modern gas station, why do we need this one?
Gee whillikers, Anonymous! You're suggesting only one gas station for Georgetown? Don't you know what happens when a business has a monopoly?
Wisconsin Avenue is not a residential street, it's a main artery. Ask the owner to beautify it when it's rebuilt, help him plant some flowers in the tree box, but don't limit access to gasoline. What about the poor tourist who needs gas? Would he know where to find your "modern gas station" as his needle sinks toward Empty?
There are fewer and fewer places in Georgetown when one can buy necessities, and gas is nearly as necessary as food, medicine, and basic hardware supplies. If G'town gets all prettified, you'll have to drive for miles to get a roll of paper towels, or some six-penny nails. or a new windshield wiper blade.
In the past this competitive gas station provided the advertised least expensive gas in Washington DC. Now the gas stations in Georgetown host the most expensive gas in Washington DC. Let's work with the owner to beautiful the commercial gas station for its intended use and encourage the return of the "Lowest cost gas in Washington DC"!
Photos confirm that gas station was there first! As a longtime Georgetown resident, I'm sick of newcomers wanting to tear down properties were there before them. Let's help build a beautiful new station.