A Look Back in Time: How 21st and F St. NW Appeared at the End of the Civil War
Take a look back in time to April 1865 and see a photograph of 21st and F St. NW at the conclusion of the Civil War. Does it look a little different to you
1860s
Washington spent most of the 1860s as a city at war. The Capitol dome was still under construction when the fighting started, and the city filled with soldiers, contraband camps, and field hospitals. Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre in April 1865. These are 139 stories from the decade that defined the District.
The Aqueduct Bridge in Georgetown: Photographs from the 1860s
The Aqueduct Bridge in Georgetown once carried canal boats across the Potomac River. These photographs from the 1860s show the bridge before it was converted to a road crossing and, later, demolished.
How Sarah Josepha Hale Urged Abraham Lincoln to Establish a National Day of Thanksgiving
Magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale spent 36 years asking Presidents to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. In September 1863, Abraham Lincoln finally said yes.
First Jewish Senator Supported Florida’s Secession
David Levy Yulee, of Florida, was not only one of the first senators from that state, but he was also the first Jewish senator.
Uncovering the Story of Varina Davis’ Visit to Washington in 1866
This article reveals the fascinating story of Varina Davis’ visit to Washington in 1866, when her husband, Jefferson Davis, was a prisoner at Fortress Monroe. Learn how Varina Davis called on President Johnson at the White House and more!
John Wilkes Booth’s Acting Debut at Ford’s Theatre
On November 2nd, 1863, John Wilkes Booth made his acting debut at Ford’s Theatre. Check out this advertisement from the Daily National Republican and learn more about Booth’s debut in Baltimore on our sister site.
A Rare Photo of a Civil War-Era Beer Garden in Washington, D.C.
Check out this rare photo of a beer garden from just after the Civil War located at 4th and E St. NE in Washington, D.C. Discover the history of this iconic establishment with the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
A Look Inside Armory Square Hospital From 1865
Built in 1856 and demolished in 1964, Armory Square Hospital stood for more than a century on Independence Ave and 7th Sts. SW. Take a look inside Ward K of the hospital in 1865 with this photo and map of the hospital’s location.
Discovering a Civil War-Era Map of Fairfax County
Explore a Civil War-era map of Fairfax County, Virginia, copied by J. Paul Hoffmann and approved by S. Howell Brown in 1864. Discovered at the Library of Congress.