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.
Check out this incredible find – the actual broadside advertising the play that President Lincoln and his wife chose to attend on the fateful night of April 14th, 1865. Click the image for great details.
We dug up a great old photo of Alexandria from 1864 and found another gem at the Library of Congress. What do you recognize in this photo?
Thanks to the Library of Congress, we can take a photographic look back at the East Front of the Capitol Building as it appeared in the 1860s. See the amazing photograph here!
This Civil War photograph was taken on April 15th, 1864, exactly one year before Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre. It shows Alexandria from above, packed with Union Army activity. See how much you can recognize.
Uncovering the past, we found an awesome photograph taken in the Botanical Gardens of Washington D.C. by Mathew Brady at The National Archives. View the original here.
Take a look at this awesome Civil War photograph of a haymarket in Washington, DC. See the Smithsonian in the background? If not, let us know what those buildings are
A Civil War photograph of three men at the Washington Arsenal, where an explosion in 1864 killed 21 workers.
Take an historic journey to Camp Brightwood on the Cultural Tourism D.C. Heritage Trail. Learn more about this Civil War landmark at 5704 Georgia Ave. NW.
