19th Century
Ellis, John B. The Sights and Secrets of the Natio, McCabe, James Dabney, 1842-1883. Behind the Scenes, Roose's Companion and Guide to Washington and, Virginia Clay-Clopton, 1825-1915. A Belle of the F, Washington and Georgetown Directory, 1853, Washington Post: Washington's First Century, Washington, D.C., Sights Before 1850: A Select Lis
20th Century
City Beautiful: The 1901 Plan for Washington, D.C., Duke Ellington's Washington, Garfinckel's: A History of America's Sto, McMillan Commission Plan for Washington in 1902, McMillan Commission Report (1902), The 1911 Encyclopedia: Washington, The Black Renaissance in Washington, DC, 1920-1930, Vietnam Veterans Memorial: District of Columbia, WAMU: Metro Connection: 20th Century Washington, Washington As It Was
Civil War
Battle of Fort Stevens, Civil War Defenses, District of Columbia Emancipation Day Foundation, Mr. Lincoln's White House, Rose O'Neal Greenhow Papers, Rose O'Neal Greenhow, 1814-1864: My Imprisonm, Virginia Lomax, b. 1831: The Old Capitol and Its I, Washington During the Civil War: The Diary of Hora
Historical Tours
German-American Heritage Society of Greater Washin, Goethe-Institut: German-American Sites in Washingt, Historic Medical Sites, Natalie Zanin's Historic Strolls, OmniNav - The Virtual Tour Guide, ThinkQuest: A Historical Tour of Our Nation's, Washington, DC: A National Register of Historic Pl
City Museum of Washington, DC
Museum and research library devoted to the local history of the city and its neighborhoods, operated by the Historical Society of Washington, DC. Although the museum exhibits are temporarily closed, the research library is open. Includes information on the museum, the history and activities of the society, a calendar of events, and an overview and searchable catalog of the library collections.
Creation of the National Mall
Brief historical account, with a timeline of important dates. National Park Service site.
DC Preservation League
Local historic preservation group. Includes news, events, and historic information.
District of Columbia Public Library: Washingtonian
Extensive resources for local history and genealogy.
Explore DC
An exploration of the city and its role as National Capital. Covers local history and neighborhoods, key Federal government institutions, the city's African-American heritage, U.S. Presidents, and special-interest virtual tours. Includes video and audio clips, print and online resources, and lesson plans. Produced by local PBS station WETA.
Flag of the District of Columbia
Brief account of how DC got its flag. From DC Watch magazine.
George Washington University: Gelman Library Speci
Local history and university history collections.
H-DC Discussion Network
Discussion forum, bulletin board, and resource site for local history and culture.
History of Self-Government in the District of Colu
Reviews the historic conflict between self-government and Congressional authority over DC.
Origins of the Name District of Columbia
Summarizes the District's evolution as a jurisdiction.
Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site
Story of the historic avenue. Official National Park Service site.
The Capital and the Bay: Narratives of Washington
A digital library of 141 books from the collections of the Library of Congress dealing with the history of Washington and the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland and Virginia. Search by keyword or browse by subject, author, or title. Documents are displayed in text-only or page image form.
The Mall
History of the Capital's central park and its development in the 19th and 20th centuries. Plans, photos, drawings, and bibliography.
United States Capitol Historical Society
Promotes the history of the Capitol and Congress and serves as an informational and educational resource. Includes membership information, an education center, history, exhibits and a gift shop.
Washington, D.C., Railroad History
Brief chronology. From the Washington, D.C., Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society website.
Washingtonpost.com: 125 Years of the Washington Po
Vignettes of the history of the city and newspaper since 1877. Stories, photos, and videos.