Today In History
5 Fun Facts About August 10 In District Of Columbia History
1. On August 10, 1790, President George Washington signed the Residence Act, which selected the district between the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers as the site for the new United States capital city. 2. In 1861, on August 10, Washington D.C. saw the arrival of the first federal troops sent to...
5 Fun Facts About August 6 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. This landmark legislation prohibited racial discrimination in voting, and was a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement. 2. August 6, 1861 marked the beginning of the Civil War in the District of Columbia....
5 Fun Facts About August 5 In District Of Columbia History
1. The Washington Aqueduct was completed on August 5, 1864. This feat of engineering supplied clean drinking water to the District of Columbia from the Potomac River and remains in use today. 2. The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified by the District of Columbia on August 5,...
5 Fun Facts About July 31 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1790, the Residence Act was signed by President George Washington, officially establishing the District of Columbia as the new capital of the United States. 2. On July 31, 1861, the Union Army established Camp Lincoln in Washington, D.C. as a training and recruitment center for the Civil War....
5 Fun Facts About July 29 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1848, the Smithsonian Institution was established by an act of Congress. The institution is named after British scientist James Smithson, who left his fortune to the United States to establish "an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." 2. In 1898, the United States took control of...
5 Fun Facts About July 24 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1832, the Franklin School was dedicated in Washington, D.C. The building served as a school until 1978, after which it was declared a National Historic Landmark. 2. On July 24, 1901, William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, visited Washington, D.C. for the last time before...
5 Fun Facts About July 23 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1990, the National Museum of Women in the Arts opened in Washington, D.C. The museum is dedicated to recognizing the achievements of women artists from all over the world. 2. On July 23, 1967, one of the worst riots in the history of the city broke out in...
5 Fun Facts About July 8 In District Of Columbia History
1. On July 8, 1790, the Residence Act was signed by President George Washington, which designated the District of Columbia as the new capital of the United States. 2. On July 8, 1863, during the Civil War, Union troops under General George Meade defeated Confederate forces under General Robert E....
5 Fun Facts About July 7 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1790, Congress approved a permanent location for the District of Columbia in a bill signed by President George Washington. 2. On July 7, 1863, during the Civil War, Congress passed a special act granting freedom to former slaves who had served in the Union Army. 3. In 1900,...
5 Fun Facts About July 6 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1776, upon hearing the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, citizens of the District of Columbia took to the streets in celebration of the newly declared Independence Day. 2. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, which granted freedom to...
5 Fun Facts About June 9 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1790, President George Washington signed into law the Residence Act, granting land for the creation of a new capital city along the Potomac River, which eventually became Washington D.C. 2. In 1863, Union troops crossed into Virginia from Maryland to begin the Gettysburg Campaign, a pivotal moment in...
5 Fun Facts About April 14 In District Of Columbia History
1. On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. by John Wilkes Booth. 2. On April 14, 1939, the historic Black Broadway theater, The Howard Theater, officially opened in Washington, D.C. and became a hub for African-American entertainers such as Duke Ellington and...