Nothing demonstrates the timelessness of D.C.'s biggest tourist attractions quite like old video footage. British newsreel service British Pathé just released 85,000 vintage reels to YouTube and amongst them are several that feature Washington as the background. Unsurprisingly, there's more than one trip through the Tidal Basin for Cherry Blossom footage (which, though busy, seems remarkably uncrowded) and there's even a mini tour on a tram in 1966 of D.C.'s landmark sites. Not all of the reels are quite that precious, though. There's some really sobering footage of an overflowing Potomac River in 1936 and the aftermath. It seems all the more stark as there's absolutely no sound behind the images. View several of our favorites after the jump and then search the for your own favorite reels from old D.C.
· British Pathé: Washington [YouTube]
· All Looking Back Posts [CDC]