Mount Pleasant in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Main Street
Village in the City
— Mount Pleasant Heritage Trail —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 24, 2017
In 1903 a street car line arrived on Mt. Pleasant Street and so did new businesses. In this block were Sophia Weiss's notions shop, Domenico Pappalardo's shoe shop, and Lee Sing's laundry. The block's first commercial building (3215) was completed in 1906, designed by the prominent African American firm J.A. Lankford & Brother.
There has been a family-run bakery here since 1922, beginning with Bohemian immigrant Frank Novotny's shop at 3215 Mt. Pleasant. German immigrant Paul Riedel owned it next. Then in the early 1930s, brothers August and Ludwig Heller, who had learned the family trade near Frankfurt, Germany, acquired the business. About 1940, Heller's moved to 3221, where some family members lived upstairs.
Everybody in the extended Heller family worked in the bakery. Even the children assembled white cake boxes or cracked eggs. Soon Heller's drew customers from all over. As Heller's outlets sprouted around the city, all the baking was still done here. According to Greg Heller, at its height in the mid-1950s, Heller's operated 24 hours a day with a multinational workforce of 50.
By 1960 many of the neighborhood's European immigrants had moved on, including the Hellers. But the family continued to bake here until they sold Heller's in 1983. Subsequent owners have retained the name and many original recipes.
Mt. Pleasant Street's businesses included nightclubs. In the 1960s, the Fox Lounge at 3253, with its discreetly covered-up windows, quietly catered to Washington's gay community. The Crosstown Lounge at 3102 and the Oasis at 3171 drew citywide audiences for rock 'n' roll.
Erected 2006 by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 14.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Mount Pleasant Heritage Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.
Location. 38° 55.904′ N, 77° 2.318′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Mount Pleasant. Marker is on Mount Pleasant Street Northwest just north of Lamont Street Northwest, on the right when traveling south. Marker is on the grounds of Lamont Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3200 Mount Pleasant Street Northwest, Washington DC 20010, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Streetcar Suburb (within shouting distance of this marker); Casualties Arriving at Mount Pleasant General Hospital, May 1864 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); At Home and Abroad (about 400
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 24, 2017
Also see . . . Heller's Bakery To Close After This Weekend. Article dated December 23, 2014 (Submitted on December 25, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
Additional commentary.
1. Heller's Bakery
Heller's Bakery closed in December 2014. The mural for the business remains as of December 2017.
— Submitted December 25, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Additional keywords. LGBT LGBTQ
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 24, 2017
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 24, 2017
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 25, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 343 times since then and 37 times this year. Last updated on March 8, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 25, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.