Skip to content
Ghosts of DC

Ghosts of DC

  • The Best Of
  • Neighborhoods
    • Southwest DC
      • Waterfront
    • Maryland
      • Gaithersburg
      • Rockville
      • Bethesda
      • Hyattsville
      • Silver Spring
      • Bladensburg
    • Virginia
      • McLean
      • Falls Church
      • Alexandria
      • Vienna
      • Arlington
    • Southeast DC
      • Congress Heights
      • Navy Yard
      • Capitol Hill
      • Anacostia
    • Northeast DC
      • Trinidad
      • Woodridge
      • Deanwood
      • Brookland
    • Northwest DC
      • Tenleytown
      • Park View
      • Friendship Heights
      • Brightwood
      • Crestwood
      • Sheridan-Kalorama
      • The Palisades
      • Logan Circle
      • Petworth
      • Glover Park
      • Bloomingdale
      • Georgetown
      • Woodley Park
      • Dupont Circle
      • Columbia Heights
      • Cleveland Park
      • Adams Morgan
      • Mt. Pleasant
      • Chevy Chase
      • Cathedral Heights
      • Chinatown
    • Lost Neighborhoods
      • Hell’s Bottom
      • Swampoodle
      • Murder Bay
  • Notable People & Places
    • Places
      • Washington Monument
      • Library of Congress
      • The White House
      • The Capitol Building
      • Dulles Airport
    • People
      • Franklin D. Roosevelt
      • Calvin Coolidge
      • Officer Sprinkle
      • Dwight D. Eisenhower
      • Warren G. Harding
      • William McKinley
      • Abraham Lincoln
      • John F. Kennedy
      • Teddy Roosevelt
      • Woodrow Wilson

This Day in History

What happened on this day in Washington, DC history? Stories tied to specific dates across the city’s past.

Ford’s Theatre Collapsed in 1893 and Took 22 Lives With It

May 15, 2026May 13, 2026 by ghostsofdc
View from the second floor showing the chasm where three stories had pancaked into the basement

On June 9, 1893, the floors of Ford’s Theatre pancaked into the basement, killing 22 federal clerks 28 years after Lincoln was shot in the same building.

Categories Historical Events, This Day in History Tags 1890s, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, Ford's Theatre

Washington Senators Move to Los Angeles in 1957

April 27, 2026April 25, 2022 by ghostsofdc
Harmon Killebrew 1956 Topps baseball card

In 1957 Calvin Griffith swore the Senators weren’t moving to California. He’d just toured LA. Four years later they left.

Categories This Day in History Tags 1950s, Baseball, Washington Nationals, Washington Senators 3 Comments

Three Homes for Sale 70 Years Ago

November 9, 2022December 29, 2021 by ghostsofdc

These three homes in DC, MD and VA were for sale exactly 70 years ago today on December 29th, 1951. Take a look to see how they have changed (or not).

Categories This Day in History, Three Things... Tags 1950s

The Last New Year’s Eve Before Prohibition: December 31st, 1919

November 9, 2022January 1, 2020 by ghostsofdc

It’s hard to believe that 2020 is nearly upon us, but it’s also hard to imagine what it must have been like on December 31st, 1919 – the last New Year’s Eve before Prohibition was enforced. Take a look at this mildly amusing cartoon from The Washington Times.

Categories This Day in History Tags 1910s, Prohibition

When Did the Washington Post Launch a Website?

November 9, 2022December 30, 2019 by ghostsofdc
Washington Post 1996 screen shot

The Washington Post launched their first website in June 1996 after a failed attempt at online news called Digital Ink.

Categories This Day in History Tags 1990s, Washington Post

Exploring History Through a 1919 Newspaper: The Evening Star

November 9, 2022February 23, 2019 by ghostsofdc
February 22nd, 1919

Join us as we explore history through a 1919 newspaper – The Evening Star. We look at stories such as the origin of “Keeping Up With the Joneses” and Dry Detective Slain in Rosslyn. Plus, income exceptions for 1918 babies, driver right-of-way and McLean farm for sale.

Categories This Day in History Tags 1910s, The Evening Star

Celebrating the 89th Anniversary of the Washington Senators Opening Game at Griffith Stadium

May 4, 2026April 29, 2014 by ghostsofdc
1925 Washington Senators

Celebrate the 89th anniversary of the Washington Senators opening game at Griffith Stadium against the New York Yankees. Read more about the game, Walter Johnson, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth’s 1925 season!

Categories Guest Posts, This Day in History Tags 1920s, Baseball, Griffith Stadium, Walter Johnson, Washington Senators

It Was 24 Degrees Below Average 130 Years Ago Today: A Look Back at the Misery of Winter in DC

December 20, 2021January 7, 2014 by ghostsofdc

It was a painfully uncomfortable day 130 years ago in DC. We went through the papers to dig up some old stories about the misery of winter and found some good stuff. Read on to learn more about the freezing temperatures and ice jams in the Potomac River!

Categories From the Crazy Vault, This Day in History Tags 1880s, Potomac River 3 Comments

Exploring Alexandria History: A Look at the Front Page of the Alexandria Gazette 110 Years Ago

January 2, 2014 by ghostsofdc
The Alexandria Gazette - January 2nd, 1904

Take a look back in time with us as we explore Alexandria history with a peek at the front page of the Alexandria Gazette exactly 110 years ago, on January 2nd, 1904. See the original page from the Library of Congress.

Categories This Day in History Tags 1900s, Alexandria 1 Comment
Older posts
Page1 Page2 … Page5 Next →
Explore the Archive
The Best Of Old Ads & Classifieds Then and Now Lost History
GoDCers Love Maps From the Crazy Vault Faces & Places of Yesterday If Walls Could Talk
Historical Events Notable People & Places This Day in History Guest Posts
Three Things… A Personal Story Why Is It Named…? Featured
Ghosts of DC© 2012–2026 Ghosts of DC · AI Policy