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In the early years of the nineteenth century, former Virginia schoolteacher James Ogilvie embarked on a lecture tour that took th…
The South Carolina State House Grounds is a landscape of monuments and memory. Since the capital moved from Charleston to Columbi…
Two weeks ago, we brought you the story of Johann Peter Oettinger, a seventeenth-century German-speaking barber-surgeon who in 16…
In 1693, the young German barber-surgeon Johann Peter Oettinger joined a slave trading venture for the second time. In the employ…
Bienvenido a Conversaciones en la Biblioteca de Washington. Hoy, Jim Ambuske habla con el profesor José Emilio Yanes de la Univer…
In 1784, King Charles III of Spain sent George Washington a token of his esteem. Knowing that Washington had long sought a Spanis…
One of the most important things we’re able to do at the Center for Digital History is offer internships to college students. Wor…
Take a receipt out of your pocket. What does it say about you? Receipts can tell us a lot about people and the world in which the…
We wanted to let you know of some exciting changes we’ll be making to the podcast that will allow you to hear more from groundbre…
For many people, one of life’s great joys is a lovely dram of whiskey. Whether you’re a fan of Kentucky Bourbon, Single-malt Sco…
This is Part Two of Jim Ambuske's July 2019 chat with Washington Library Research Historian Mary V. Thompson. We’re recasting it …
Forty years ago, Mary V. Thompson began her career at Mount Vernon as a museum attendant and history interpreter. She was quickly…
In this season of religious renewal, we bring you a story of religious dissent. In 1638, many of King Charles I’s Presbyterian su…
In 1757, Benjamin Franklin returned to London after an over thirty-year absence. He first ventured to the imperial capital in 172…
Consuls are essential to American foreign relations. Although they may not be as flashy or as powerful as an Ambassador like Thom…
In the eighteenth century, Benjamin Franklin and other early Americans likened themselves to a rising people who were creating so…
The Great Dismal Swamp is a remarkable feature of the southern coastal plain. Spanning from Norfolk, Virginia to Elizabeth City, …
In 1783, the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which confirmed American independence. As part of the tr…