Ozer has been a Washington-area resident since 1964 and has written several books about the District including “Washington, D.C.: Politics and Place” and “Massachusetts Avenue in the Gilded Age.” His newest book is “Northwest Washington: Tales from West of the Park.” Since 1997 he has taught at American University on the interaction of history and geography in many of the great cities of the world. What cities do you teach about in your course?
I’ve taught about London, Paris, Rome, Constantinople, New Delhi, Vienna, Berlin, New York. … It’s a semester level course and I’ve taught a different city each time. I show what you might expect to find today in a city and find the historical context as you walk through it.
What made you want to write about Washington?
I’ve lived here for some years and have been impressed by the way Washington is laid out and how rational it is. All the streets are aligned and you can see the Capitol. I come from Boston and that’s such an irrational city. Everything in Washington seems to represent the country. … Washington represents the geography and the Constitution.
How has Washington changed since 1964?
It’s become a much more sophisticated city. When I moved here I lived in Bethesda and the city had gone through a period of decay. I live in the District now and it’s an exciting place. It’s history is the history of the country — and the country has changed. The country is becoming more inclusive and so is Washington. You used to only see Greek and classical architecture, but now you’re seeing it’s more eclectic.
You’ve done another book already about Northwest D.C., do you have plans to write about other parts of the city?
I have sent a proposal in for an “East of the Park” book and one for Metro stops. It’s all about how the Metro stations got their names and how they came about.
— Leigh Giangreco
