The first State of the Union was in 1800 by our second president, John Adams. Thomas Jefferson began the tradition of passing along the state of the union in writing to Congress, allegedly because he felt he was an inadequate public speaker.
In 1913, the task of speaking directly to a joint session of Congress was reestablished by Woodrow Wilson.
Woodrow Wilson revived the tradition of the oral State of the Union address (1913)
Gentlemen of the Congress:
In pursuance of my constitutional duty...
Take a trip back in time to May 1913 with this amazing old photograph of the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, driving around Southwest D.C. in a car!
Interesting, and yet things never change. Read an article from The Washington Post written 100 years ago today, which speaks to the same frustrations many express today about US-Mexico relations.
Explore how far we've come in discussions of religion and politics in the US by examining an advertisement from 1918. Separation of Church and State has been an issue since the country's founding, and this advertisement provides an interesting look at the debate.
We're trying out a new category called "Lost History" today with a post about D. Mullany's Saloon. Read about its history from Irish Fenian to the birthplace of the Mamie Taylor, plus a 1927 article from the Washington Post.
Learn about the history of Inaugural Balls, 100 years ago with a look at the front page of the Washington Herald on Friday, January 17th, 1913. Discover the austerity of Obama's second term mirrored in the desires articulated by newly elected President Woodrow Wilson.
A fascinating photo from the Library of Congress shows the counting of electoral votes for the 1916 Presidential Election between Woodrow Wilson and Charles Hughes. Click on the photo to see the faces of the men, who all happen to be old white dudes.
Washington National Cathedral at twilight
Exactly one year ago today, one of the most spectacular buildings in Washington was badly damaged by the earthquake that shook our city. So much so, that the repairs are going to cost millions of dollars and keep it under scaffolding for several years.
If you love this building like we do, consider donating a few bucks to help restore this national treasure. You can give money online, so it’s effortless.
And since we love this building so much,...
Amid the implosion of yet another DC council member, it's only apropos to post a story like this. Cornelius Ford was nominated in 1913 to head up the Government Printing Office. In 1914, he was accused of misusing government funds for an automobile. Our outrage should never wane, as each time it should get even worse.
