A bouncer sits on a stool outside a building at 900 First Street, Southeast. Lining the streets beneath the noise of I-295 is a mixture of auto-repair shops, chainlink fences, and taxi-cab companies. Almost in its shadow, seven blocks away, is a neighborhood few tourists have reason to visit. At the end of the Mall, the dome of the Capitol shines like a moon.
It's Tuesday evening, and the tourists have said goodnight to the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. Using the internet, it has gone underground, and police warn of coming turf wars. For more From the Archives features, click here.ĭC's red-light district is gone, and the strip-club scene is pretty tame.
