Photo by Kurlylox1.Who doesn’t love a sidewalk cafe? Getting in some people watching as you down your meal is often one of the highlights of living in the city — though don’t tell that to the people who were running this city in 1961. Today, the Post celebrates the 50th anniversary of Washington’s first sidewalk cafe — the old Bassin’s restaurant at 13th and E streets NW — and digs up some of the hilariously maniacal local reaction when the revolutionary idea of eating outdoors was first proposed:
City officials raised myriad objections, as described in a Washington Post story at the time: Sidewalk cafes expose food to “windblown foreign matter,” creating a health hazard and attracting birds and rodents, the city’s public health director said; too many cafes would cause a “cessation” of pedestrian traffic, forcing walkers into the streets, where they would get run over, another official cautioned; and tables and chairs would interfere with the deployment of fire hoses, the fire chief warned.
But the strongest objection came from Deputy Police Chief Howard V. Covell, who described sidewalk cafes as “a potential source of disorder.”
Pedestrians might brush against patrons, resulting in a punch in the nose, he told the city commissioners. Pickpockets would proliferate, unable to resist easily reached pocketbooks. Finally, he said, “this type of operation would provide a favorable setting for ladies of easy virtue as they ply their trade up and down the street.”
So, in short, the city’s management at the time believed that the installation of some al fresco dining options would lead to the crumbling of modern civilization as they knew it — and getting punched in the nose, probably by a prostitute, or something. Fortunately, that dystopian vision didn’t quite pan out, and eating on the sidewalk is more popular than ever. (Well, at least until Stadium Club gets their outdoor seating, then all bets are off.)
Since we’re getting all nostalgic, we want to know: where’s your favorite spot to grab a bite outside in the District? Let us know in the comments.
