How ‘Progress’ Killed the Historic DC Streetcar System – A Talk by John DeFerrari

Last Thursday, May 15, at the Cleveland Park Public Library, local historian and author John DeFerrari captivated a full room with a compelling presentation titled “How ‘Progress’ Killed the Historic DC Streetcar System.” The lecture was a journey into the rise and fall of Washington, D.C.’s once-vibrant streetcar network, an essential part of the city’s transportation history and urban character. DeFerrari opened by charting the history of the D.C. streetcar system, which began in the mid-19th century with horse-drawn cars and evolved into one of the nation’s most extensive electric streetcar networks by the early 20th century. At its height, the system connected downtown D.C. to far-flung neighborhoods like Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, and beyond, making streetcars a vital part of daily life for residents. Images of streetcars rumbling down Connecticut Avenue revealed how integral the system once was to D.C.’s growth. The streetcars, DeFerrari noted, helped shape neighborhood development patterns by enabling people to live farther from their workplaces. The heart of DeFerrari’s talk centered on the system’s demise, a story of well-intentioned modernization gone awry. He explained how, after World War II, streetcars came to be seen as outdated and inflexible. The booming popularity of automobiles, suburban expansion, and the rise of bus transit created new pressures. Politicians, planners, and the public increasingly viewed buses and cars as cleaner, more reliable symbols of modern progress. DeFerrari emphasized that while buses were touted as the future, they never fully matched the charm of streetcars. Still, under mounting financial stress and political pressure, D.C.’s private streetcar companies transitioned to buses, culminating in the system’s complete shutdown in 1962. Bringing the narrative home, DeFerrari spoke directly to Cleveland Park’s experience. The Connecticut Avenue streetcar line played a pivotal role in transforming Cleveland Park from a quiet streetcar suburb into a thriving urban neighborhood. It’s clear that without the streetcar, the area might never have developed as it did. For those who missed the lecture: John DeFerrari is the author of several books on Washington history, including Capital Streetcars: Early Mass Transit in Washington, D.C., and writes the Streets of Washington substack. His work is a must-read for anyone interested in the hidden layers of the capital’s urban story. To learn more about events like this, join us!