Hecht's (Window Displays) Historiographic Project

I have photographed the window displays at the Hecht's downtown WDC store since January 1993 when looking forward to Bill Clinton's Presidential Inauguration that I took to the streets for the purpose of documenting Inaugural themes. Which is not unlike my J20-05 Inaugural project.

As far as I am concerned streetscape images become historic from the moment that they are taken. Particularly, those of urban areas such as Washington DC where the streetscape changes constantly. So, when shooting the 1993 Presidential Inaugural images, and as is the case with most of my picture-taking, I was cognitive of the potential historic importance of the project.

There are many reasons why a particular image may be considered "historic". Taken over Labor Day Weekend on Sunday, 3 September 2006, the above image records an historic moment in time ... when Hecht's changed over into Macy's.

Though, at the time, I was not aware of the changeover, when a few minutes later, at the corner of 13th and F Street that a family of Mid-Eastern descent inquired if I knew the location of Macy's ... the significance of the red stars would soon come to light.

Pointing north on 13th Street, I responded "I don't think there is a Macy's in downtown DC. But, if you walk one block north you'll find Hechts. Which, I believe, has now closed for the day".

Thanking me, they'd head north. A few more seconds would pass before I'd remember that the red star was Macy's logo. By that time, the family was just a few feet from the corner of 13th and G Street where they, too, could see Macy's red stars displayed in the windows of Hechts.

Hecht's (Window Displays) Historiographic Project will feature historic images that I've taken, in years past and prior to September 2006, of the window displays of Hecht's Department stores. Most of which will have been taken of the Hechts, then, located in downtown DC on G between 12th and 13th Streets. Which is now Macy's at Metro Center.

I regard these 3 September 2006 Hecht's - Macy's images as historic because they capture the end of an era as well as a new beginning. As are my Storehouse series taken over Columbus Day Weekend of the Storehouse on 14th Street at Logan Circle during a Going Out of Business Sale.