The Civil War reached the outer edges of Washington in 1864. It was so close that President Lincoln rode near the front lines of Fort Stevens and came under fire.

This stunning old photo shows the city of Washington in May of 1865.

Check out this cool photo of the city back in 1861. Click on it for a larger version. Source: Library of Congress

Here is a great old photo from 1863 showing Alexander Gardner‘s photo gallery at 7th and D. Click the image for a detailed version. Source: Library of Congress

This is an old Civil War map of the D.C. area from 1861. Source: Library of Congress

Many women at the outbreak of the Civil War did not know how to support their favored side. The roles of woman at the time were limited and none of them were direct involvement in the war. Though the true number is likely much higher, we know of at least 400 women who disguised themselves […]

This is an 1863 map of the convalescent camp four miles outside of Washington. This was run by the U.S. Christian Commission, and below is a photo of their D.C. headquarters from 1865. Source: civilwarphotos.net And, if we’re not mistaken, below is a photo of that camp in 1863, showing the U.S. Sanitary Commsion. Source: […]

This is a terrific old photo of 21st and F St. NW at the conclusion of the Civil War. Does is look a little different to you? Source: civilwarphotos.net

How fascinating is this article that we dug up in The Baltimore Sun. This is correspondence from Washington, printed on May 25th, 1866. At the time, the former President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis, was imprisoned at Fortress Monroe, near Hampton, Virginia. Mrs. Jefferson Davis, accompanied by her maid only, arrived this morning from Fortress […]

This is a great old map that we dug up at the Library of Congress. It shows Fairfax County and the surroundings near the end of the Civil War. Source: Library of Congress

Walking through the Navy Yard a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon an incongruous plaque embedded on the side of a building. The building was a modern parking garage, similar to dozens around the city, and unremarkable in every particular. Except, of course, the plaque. It read, quite simply; Within this wall is deposited the […]

Here’s a terrific detailed photograph of the Union encampment at Centreville during the winter of 1861-1862. Click on it for more details. Source: Library of Congress

What an incredible photo. We dug this one up thanks to Reddit.

This is the Evening Star, published the day President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Obviously, the main headline focuses on his death and the attempted murder of Secretary William Seward. But this edition of the paper has more to tell. In what we can’t imagine ever happening in today’s newspapers, the Evening Star published a “Special Notice” […]

Here’s a great old map that we found, showing Jubal Early’s Rebel attack on Washington. Source: Library of Congress

This is an amazing image. It shows the Confederate Ironclad Stonewall in 1865, anchoring in Washington. What’s amazing, is right between the masts, you can see the Capitol Dome. Source: Library of Congress And we did a little digging on the ship. Here’s what we found, courtesy of the U.S. Navy. CSS Stonewall, a 1390-ton ironclad […]

What an awesome photograph from the Civil War. This shows a haymarket, with (what I believe to be) the Smithsonian in the background. If I’m mistaken, please let me know what those buildings are. Source: Library of Congress

This is a terrific old photo from the Library of Congress. It shows camp Brightwood during Civil War. If you’re into the Cultural Tourism D.C. Heritage Trail, you can read a little more about it on their sign at 5704 Georgia Ave. NW. Source: Library of Congress

This is an incredible stereographic card, taken during the Civil War. It’s a powerful image of an Alexandria slave pen. Source: Library of Congress

This is a photograph of Montgomery Blair’s home, known as Falkland, burnt on July 12th, 1864. Also, don’t forget to read our post on how Silver Spring got it’s name. Source: Library of Congress