Washington D.C., The Telephone in a Boardinghouse is Always Busy 1943

Esther Bubley made this silver gelatin print, "Washington D.C., The Telephone in a Boardinghouse is Always Busy," at an unknown date. Bubley worked as a documentary photographer, often for government agencies. Here, she trains her lens on the social realities of wartime Washington. Housing was scarce, so boardinghouses became a common living arrangement, especially for young women arriving to work in the burgeoning federal bureaucracy. Note how the clunky, shared telephone becomes a focal point. It's a lifeline, connecting residents to family, friends, and potential opportunities. But it's also a site of tension and competition. The woman's curlers and casual dress suggest a private moment intruded upon by the demands of communal living. To truly understand this image, we need to delve into the archives. Census records, oral histories, and government reports can reveal the lived experiences of women in wartime Washington, and further contextualize Bubley's work.