Washington has drawn fascinating characters throughout its history, from city planners and inventors to entertainers and scoundrels. These posts spotlight the people who shaped the capital in ways that didn’t always make it into the textbooks.
Reflecting on the life and legacy of Coach Vince Lombardi, from the Green Bay Packers to the Washington Redskins. Read about his impact on the team, and the Super Bowl, in this blog post.
In 1954, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie presented a pair of elephant tusks to District leaders in Washington, DC. Now, they have been stolen and the Metropolitan Police Department has asked for help in finding them. See photos and read descriptions of the tusks Selassie gave in other cities.
Photographer Esther Bubley documented life in Washington boarding houses in January 1943, capturing the cramped wartime routines of young workers sharing rooms and kitchens.
Explore an old photograph of Ford’s Theatre with us in the new “Pictures Tell a Story” series. We’ve dug up some fascinating facts about the people and buildings in the photo, including a prosthetic legs store and Georgetown College.
Discover the legacy of Matthew Gault Emery, the last mayor of Washington City before the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871. Learn more about his life, the era he lived in, and his accomplishments in office.
Annandale, VA was named by early settlers who brought the name of their Scottish homeland with them in the 17th century.
The Duke of Abruzzi and Kitty Elkins had a scandalous, gossiped-about love affair, but it would not be so. Read the story of their 5 year courtship against all odds, and the surprising outcome of this forbidden love affair.
Mark Twain told ‘The Man Who Stopped at Gadsby’s’ in an 1868 letter to Nevada. It was a warning to Washington office seekers.
A hand-drawn map of Washington, DC centered on Scott Circle, with Dupont Circle visible at the top right.
