With summer coming on and this year being the 30th anniversary of Metrobus, it's time to reminisce about the days when it was known as DC Transit. Some of you remember when it was called Capital Transit, but we won't get into that.
Between the trolleys and Metro, public transportation in DC consisted of buses, occasionally the old streamlined buses built in the 30s-40s, but mostly specimens of the General Motors "fishbowl," a classic 60s bus so-called because of its convex windshield. During summers when I was a lad, my mother and I would make periodic excursions into the city. We would park in the lot at Friendship Heights Center. No gates. No charge. No hassle. Nobody cared if you were shopping in the center or not. Indeed there were always plenty of spaces.
We would get on a fishbowl at the little brick and copper bus (former trolley) station (shown below just before demolition in 1984) on the DC side of the center. The route would take us through Georgetown, down Pennsylvania Ave. and terminate in the shopping district (F & G Sts. between 15th and 7th).
The downtown phase began with a snack at Woolworth's lunch counter, a bygone institution. Frequent snacks and smokes were built in to any trip with Mom. Woodies and Hecht's were also on the itinerary. We would also take in the lesser tourist attractions such as Ford's Theatre.
My Dad would come from his office a 1717 Penn. and join us for lunch. Two places I remember are Bassin's and the Blue Mirror with its art deco facade of blue mirrors. On display in their windows were fields of enormous strawberries. I believe I had my first Chinese meal at The Peking.
Service went downhill in the early Metrobus years. My father's dinner-time conversation usually consisted of his misadventures riding to/from work. Drivers were changed frequently and the new ones weren't briefed on the routes. Dad would sit behind them and tell them where to go. Once a big Metrobus pulled up in front of our house. Off stepped Dad. Another time, with 6 inches of snow in Wisconsin Ave. and more coming down, the driver ordered, "Everybody off! I'm going home!"
Copyright © 2003 by Neal J. Conway. All rights reserved.
