Today In History
5 Fun Facts About February 10 In District Of Columbia History
1. On February 10, 1898, the USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana, Cuba. The tragedy led to the U.S. declaring war on Spain, which marked the beginning of the Spanish-American War. 2. In 1967, the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building opened on February 10. The building is named after...
5 Fun Facts About February 9 In District Of Columbia History
1. The District of Columbia was established on February 9, 1791. It was created as a result of the Residence Act of 1790, which authorized the construction of a new capital for the United States on the east bank of the Potomac River. 2. On February 9, 1861, the Peace...
5 Fun Facts About February 8 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1870, the Constitution of the District of Columbia was adopted, establishing a form of government for the nation's capital. 2. On February 8, 1894, the first pulse dial telephones were installed in Washington, D.C. The new technology allowed users to make calls by dialing a number instead of...
5 Fun Facts About February 7 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1795, the United States Congress authorized the construction of the US Capitol building in Washington, DC. The Capitol is one of the most iconic buildings in the District of Columbia and a symbol of democracy in the United States. 2. On February 7, 1962, the National Museum of...
5 Fun Facts About February 6 In District Of Columbia History
1. On February 6, 1933, the 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, which moved the inauguration of the president from March 4 to January 20. This was done to shorten the lame duck period between the election and inauguration. 2. On February 6, 1952, the African American...
5 Fun Facts About February 5 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1887, the Washington Monument in D.C. was completed, making it the tallest structure at the time. The monument stands at 555 feet tall and was built in honor of the nation's first president, George Washington. 2. On February 5, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his proposal to...
5 Fun Facts About January 30 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated as the 32nd President of the United States in Washington, D.C. Roosevelt came into office during the height of the Great Depression and went on to lead the country through some of its most challenging times. 2. In 1947, Mahatma Gandhi's assassination...
5 Fun Facts About January 29 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1861, Kansas Senator James H. Lane delivered an impassioned speech in the U.S. Senate, calling for the abolition of slavery and the immediate emancipation of all slaves in the southern states. 2. In 1850, Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, a series of legislative measures aimed at resolving...
5 Fun Facts About January 28 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28th. The shuttle disintegrated 73 seconds after the launch, killing all seven crew members, including teacher Christa McAuliffe. 2. On January 28, 1915, the U.S. Congress passed the Coast Guard Act, which created the United States Coast Guard as...
5 Fun Facts About January 27 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1909, the Washington Winter Carnival was held for the first time. The carnival featured skating, hockey games, dog sled races, and other winter sports. 2. In 1967, the Apollo 1 spacecraft caught fire during a test at Cape Kennedy, killing astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White, and...
5 Fun Facts About January 26 In District Of Columbia History
1. January 26, 2009, marked the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama, the first African American President of the United States. The ceremony took place on the steps of the US Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., and was witnessed by millions of people around the world. 2. On January 26,...
5 Fun Facts About January 25 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1812, the British invaded the District of Columbia, burning down the White House and other government buildings. This event is known as the Burning of Washington and took place on August 24, 1814. 2. In 1971, the landmark case Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of the Federal...