Ever bought an old piece of furniture, only to find an old piece of history folded up inside? That's what happened to Petworth News reader Anne Katz, who sent me a couple of photos of a Washington Post newspaper she found in an old trunk bought off of Craigslist.

Looking at the paper from almost 50 years ago, the issues of the day discussed are amazing. Crime, school issues, problems with city government, the Super Bowl... actually, sounds pretty familiar.

The front page from 1969 talks about High's Dairy located at 800 Upshur Street (where the Riyad Market used to be and the new Ruta del Vino wine bar is soon to be). High's was a grocery chain located all around the region (they still exist in Delaware and Maryland) -- and they were being slammed by petty theft and armed robberies. In fact, from September 1968 to January 1969, the chain was robbed at gunpoint 285 times. In five months... for a total loss of $22,600 (in 1969 dollars, or $150,000 in today's dollars!). The store at 800 Upshur Street was robbed 16 times during that same period. Unreal.

The front page also talks about Congress Heights Elementary School in Anacostia, and the deplorable conditions found at the school (like a teacher searching for classroom space every day), along with 36 other elementary schools is Anacostia.

Check out the photos below, and thanks to Anne for sending me these photos!

Click to enlarge the photos...