Pennsylvania Avenue

The US Capitol building is shown under construction in 1860. President Abraham Lincoln directed that work continue through the Civil War.

Washington was once quite literally a ‘cesspool’

Books

The history of Washington features plenty of mudslinging, fighting and division, and that’s without even going inside Congress. Here’s how the capital developed from the small, dirty, disorganized town it was in the 19th century into today’s capital — and how that history still shapes the city.

Tell us about your experience accessing The World

We want to hear your feedback so we can keep improving our website, theworld.org. Please fill out this quick survey and let us know your thoughts (your answers will be anonymous). Thanks for your time!

We respect your time, attention and privacy

This is a news website, not a click casino. We do NOT employ deceptive behaviors, display annoying ads or use third party cookies and trackers to monetize your visit or help advertisers track you across the internet.

Simply, we ask that you would consider a donation to support the journalism we produce every weekday. Thank you.