Restoring a Piece of DC History
The introduction of the 911 system, which linked emergency fire and police services, as well as the growing use of two-way radios by police, contributed to the call boxes’ decline. By the late 1970s, the call boxes had fallen into disuse. Internal wires and mechanisms were removed, but the heavy, cast iron boxes remained in place across the District.
By the late 1990s, some members of the public felt that the dilapidated call boxes had become eyesores, and city officials began the slow process of removal. However, following lobbying efforts from neighborhood and historical associations, who saw the cultural value of restoring or repurposing the call boxes, the city reversed course. In 2000, the nonprofit Cultural Tourism DC, in partnership with the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the District Department of Transportation, founded the “Art on Call” initiative.
The purpose of “Art on Call” was to transform the abandoned call boxes into public works of art. By 2003, DDOT stripped lead paint from, primed, and prepared over 700 call boxes. Over the subsequent decade, through various community grants and city funding, over 140 boxes had been transformed to reflect city neighborhood and cultural histories. Even today, the call boxes continue to be repurposed to reflect an important part of the Capital’s history.
For more information about DC's call boxes, visit:
Cultural Tourism DC - Art on Call
Golden Triangle DC - Art on Call
The House History Man - History of the Washington DC Police and Fire Call Boxes