How a Taxidermist Helped Create the National Zoo and Save the Buffalo From Extinction If you were a western settler in the 1870s looking for a home where the buffalo roamed, you might have had a hard time finding one.  Homes on the range saw ever-dwindling numbers of buffalo (officially known as American bison), due to systematic campaigns of extermination that targeted not only bison, but gray wolves and cougars as well. Enter William Temple Hornaday, a hunter and taxidermist who witnessed the near extinction of the bison and decided that “preservation . . . is an imperative duty, for o ..read more

"It is Well for Us, O Brother": the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Choral Society of Washington D.C. "If you were to ask the first comer you meet in the street whether he knew 'Hiawatha' he would immediately be able to whistle it," wrote the Washington Post in 1904. Read about one of the most anticipated musical events of that year, featuring Anglo-African composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and his namesake Choral Society. Emily Bussa Fri, 11/03/2023 - 08:11 ..read more

The Goatman of Prince George’s County Those who live in Maryland may be familiar with Goatman, the half-goat, half-man creature. Perhaps you have heard that he was the result of a science experiment gone wrong, or maybe you've heard of his violent nature. The popularity of this folklore begs us to ask, how did the tale of this local beast from Clinton spread all over the state?  Sarah Kim Fri, 10/27/2023 - 08:22 ..read more

Meet the “Georgetown Witches,” Margaret Ann and Belle Laurie Those who think that the “Exorcist stairs” are the spookiest landmark in Georgetown clearly haven’t heard of the Laurie family. In the nineteenth century, in a townhouse where 3327 N Street NW stands today, two women known as “the Witches of Georgetown” were talking to ghosts and making pianos levitate. Or, at least, that’s what legend tells us. Katherine Brodt Wed, 10/25/2023 - 14:49 ..read more

When the Swamp Wasn't Drained: How a Con Man Tried to Build the World's Largest Airport in Alexandria Huntley Meadows Park near Alexandria treats visitors to over 1,500 acres of restored wetlands, forests, and meadows.  It is home to a stunning diversity of wildlife, all visible from a boardwalk, observation tower and trails. But if Henry Woodhouse, an aviation enthusiast with a shady past, had gotten his way, this gorgeous slice of Northern Virginia might have become the biggest airport in the world.  Casey Ruken Thu, 10/19/2023 - 09:10 ..read more

In the 1850s, Maryland Courts Considered Whether Freeing Slaves was Proof of Insanity In 1847, seventy slaves went to the Maryland courts to enforce a deed of manumission granting them their freedom. What should have been a simple matter exploded into a nine-year court case that spun furiously around the ominous question at its core: if a man frees his slaves on moral conviction, does that make him insane? Isabel Sans Fri, 09/15/2023 - 21:44 ..read more

President Harding and The Vagabonds Warren G. Harding, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone were some of the biggest names of the early 1920s. You'd expect these men to meet at some point, but when they finally did, it was in an unexpected place: in the remote hills of western Maryland! Read about the President's camping trip in the summer of 1921. Isabel Sans Wed, 08/30/2023 - 08:59 ..read more

The Evolution of Arlington House: From Plantation to Military Camp and Freedperson Settlement, to National Cemetery For those who have visited the Arlington National Cemetery, or simply know a lot about its origins, Arlington House is a recognizable feature of the historic site. However, before it became a dedicated national cemetery, it served multiple purposes once it was no longer a plantation both during and after the Civil War. Aliyah Thompson Fri, 08/18/2023 - 13:27 ..read more

“Vindictiveness, Vexation, and Blackmail”: Victorian Washington’s Prelude to #MeToo A woman accuses a powerful man of manipulating and taking advantage of her for years in a secret relationship. Sensational accusations emerge, causing a media frenzy. Lawyers on both sides prepare a protracted case which is followed in its every detail by the press and public. A popular Congressman faces a fall from grace. But this isn't a modern scandal—it happened a century ago in DC, and the woman at its center wanted only to see justice done. Isabel Sans Fri, 08/11/2023 - 07:40 ..read more

The Federal Government's $15 Million Cat It's no secret that the CIA sometimes thought more about whether it could and less about whether it should. Project Acoustic Kitty was one of those times. Does "trained cat" sound like an oxymoron to you? It should, but it cost the CIA $15 million to find out the same thing! Isabel Sans Wed, 07/26/2023 - 15:09 ..read more