Washington, DC History & Old Stories of DC

Amazing 1890 Photo Showing Carriages in Rock Creek

Take a trip back in time with this amazing photo from 1890. It shows a group of people riding their horse and buggies through Rock Creek Park. See if you can recognize the area!

Schott's Alley on Capitol Hill in 1941

What was alley living like near Capitol Hill? This photo shows Schott's Alley, razed in the 1940s to make way for the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Wolf Escapes From Zoo, Terrorizing Cleveland Park

What a horrifying story about a wolf escaping from the National Zoo.

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Seven Corners Built on Land Owned by Former Slave

The land on which Seven Corners sits used to be owned by Frederick Foote, a former slave. He purchased the plot for $500 and left it to his children.

Hoover Field: Before the Pentagon and National Airport

There used to be an airport where the Pentagon stands today. Washington-Hoover Airport operated from 1933 to 1941, replaced by National Airport.

Negro laborers at Alexandria, near coal wharf

Uncovering the Faces of Regular African-Americans in the 1860s with a Photo from the National Archives

Uncovering the faces of regular African-Americans in the 1860s, this beautiful old photo from the National Archives captures the lives and work of those living around Alexandria. Learn more about these individuals and check out photos of young boys working in the area.

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The Hot Summer of 1952: UFOs Spotted Over DC

In the hot summer of 1952, there were numerous sightings of up to seven lights floating around the night sky in DC, including over the Capitol Building. Radar operators saw strange blips on their screens, and flight attendants on planes approaching National Airport saw lights above their plane.

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Looking east at construction on Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Note the statue on the partially-constructed pedestal just to the right of the abutments (bottom center). The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts erected this mock-up to determine how high statues on the piers of the bridge should be.

A Look Back: Building Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. - May 15th, 1928

Take a look back in time with this beautiful old photo showing the construction of Memorial Bridge looking from D.C. towards Arlington National Cemetery. The photo is dated May 15th, 1928. Source: Flickr user Tim Evanson.

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Empire of Mud: A Captivating Book Detailing the History of Washington, DC

Discover the captivating history of Washington, DC with the book, 'Empire of Mud.' From Pierre L'Enfant to Alexander "Boss" Shepherd, this book details the history of the city and its colorful characters. Check out the YouTube vid & get the book today!

Matt Williams' grandfather, Washington Senators' Bert Griffith

Uncovering the Historic Family Connection Between Current Washington Nationals Manager Matt Williams and His Grandfather Bert (Buck) Griffith

Discover the historic family connection between current Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams and his grandfather, Bert (Buck) Griffith, who was a member of the only team from Washington to win the World Series. Read the full article to learn more.

Taken by Sidney Duff in Washington, DC. Union Station was completed in October 1908. Here, only one of the six statues have been installed over the entrance. Another photo from the set shows the Tidal Basin frozen over, causing me to guess that this is January 1908.

A Rare Look at DC's Union Station Under Construction in the Early 1900s

Take a rare look at Washington, DC's Union Station under construction in the early 1900s. This photo from Sidney Duff shows only one of the six statues installed over the entrance. Click to learn more!

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Exploring Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase with a 1909 Map

Take a look at this cool old 1909 map of the area around Friendship Heights & Chevy Chase. Thanks to GoDCer Claire, we can now explore this part of DC with a vintage map. Enjoy!

Exploring the News Reports of the Burning of Washington 200 Years Ago

Two hundred years ago, the nation's capital was burned by a foreign power. Explore the reactions of two newspapers, The Columbian and the Federal Republican, to this historic event with us. PDFs of the articles are included.

The assassination of President Lincoln: at Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., April 14th, 1865

The Program for April 14, 1865 at Ford's Theater - The Night President Lincoln Was Assassinated

Take a look at the program from April 14, 1865 at Ford's Theater - the night President Lincoln was assassinated. You can see the characters, actors and the ticket prices for the show. Incredible to think of what that audience experienced that night.