Ghosts of DC

Try an address, a neighborhood, a name or a year, like “14th and U” or “1968.”

Not sure where to start?
The Best OfThe stories readers come back to If Walls Could TalkWho lived in that house? Why Is It Named…?How DC places got their names The PodcastOur stories, told aloud
Theme

From the Crazy Vault

The strangest stories from Washington, DC history. Hoaxes, scandals, freak accidents, and a few you’ll want to read twice to make sure they’re real.

147 stories
A hatchet photographed in 2004 that a Wikimedia Commons contributor identified as the one thrown in the 1970 Bunny Man incidentIs the Bunny Man Real? The 1970 Story and Bunny Man BridgeOct 23, 2025Best OfA stereograph image showcasing the inauguration ceremony of Rutherford B. Hayes, marking the beginning of his presidency in the United States.Blood on the Marble: The Taulbee-Kincaid Capitol ShootingJan 26, 2024Air Florida Flight 90 Tragedy: Blizzard, Heroism, and the Potomac’s Icy WatersJan 9, 2024

Get new stories by email

The lost and untold stories of Washington, DC, in your inbox.

1966 Arlington Biker Shootout: Pagans vs. AvengersNov 15, 2023A 1924 photo shows workmen in Washington D.C. gathered around a large hole in the ground behind a house, revealing a set of concrete tunnels underneath. This accidental discovery of elaborate secret tunnels at Harrison Dyar's old home at 1512 21st St. NW kicked off a mystery that fascinated the city.Harrison Dyar: The Scientist Who Dug Secret Tunnels Under D.C.Nov 9, 2023Best OfThe Maryland Goatman: The Real 1970s Story Behind the LegendNov 3, 2023Best OfAI illustration of a 1920s car speeding past a crowd on a city streetFrancis Aebersold, the 19-Year-Old Rum Runner Shot at 13th and D Streets NEOct 19, 2023Clarence "Major Mite" Howerton in top hat and tails beside a cameraClarence ‘Major Mite’ Howerton at the White House, 1922Oct 3, 2023October 29, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Melvin Jones, 5, who pierced heart with scissors."Melvin Jones, Age 5, Punctured His Own Heart with Scissors in 1925Jul 17, 2023
More storiesShowing 9 of 147