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.
During the depths of Prohibition, an infamous crime was committed in a near-beer saloon in Washington, DC. Read the wild story of Good Old Tom Brady’s murder, as told in December 1924 edition of The Washington Post.
In 1928, Prohibition agents raided an oyster house on 18th Street in Adams Morgan. The raid led to legal complications, a trial, and the bizarre disappearance of a jury member.
Discover the shocking reality of opium dens in Washington DC in 1894, as uncovered by The Washington Post. Learn more about the notorious ‘Gypsy Joe’ and ‘Matinee Charley’ who frequented the dens.
This is a sad story of a young man, John McCalip, who was drowned in the Potomac River in 1908, shortly before his wedding. Read more about his story and the tragedy that happened on the river.
Discover the mystery of the smokestack on Capitol Hill! An image sent to us by GoDCer Geoff and a satellite view from Google Maps help us to unravel this mystery. Check out the 1921 Baist map and share your thoughts in the comments!
A waterspout rose from the Potomac below Alexandria, came ashore, and tore a 15-mile path across Washington in under half an hour.
Take a look back at the amusing sign posted at the National Zoo in 1943 and the history behind the lion statues in the opening credits of House of Cards
The coldest day ever in Washington was in 1899. On February 11th, it was recorded to be -15 degrees fahrenheit.
In 1921, the Secretary of Treasury, Edwin Denby, issued a ‘shoot to kill’ order to the Marines on a train leaving Union Station in Washington. Read the full story here!
