Episodes Located: Washington City, District of Columbia in the 1880's

  1. The Federal Government Passes the Dawes Act
    date February 8, 1887map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Indians

    By the 1870s, prime agricultural land remained in the plains. Many American citizens believed the federal government should free this valuable land from nomadic Indian tribes for white settlers. Other whites approached the situation from a paternalistic perspective and insisted Indians should be assimilated into American society. Named after Senator Henry Dawes of Massachusetts, the Federal Government...

  2. President Garfield's Assassin: Guiteau. His Death and Examination of his Brain
    date June 30, 1882 to September 7, 1882map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Health/Death

    Charles Guiteau, the assassin of President Garfield, was hung on June 30, 1882 and for many days after the newspapers reported his last days, his pre-death speech, his hanging and burial. Many newspapers were waiting for the results of the examination of his brain wondering if he was indeed mentally insane. At the time of his death, he still believed that he was sent by God to assassin President...

  3. The First Trial of the Star Route Cases
    date June 1, 1882 to September 8, 1882map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Crime/Violence, Economy

    The rapid expansion of the United States westward created a need for postal routes, which were known as “star routes.' Yet, the “very nature' of the western postal service, as Martin Klotsche says, “opened the way for numerous frauds.' The vast distance of the nation kept the star routes hidden from government inspection. The Grand Jury charged the defendants, leading offenders including...

  4. Hatch Act of 1887
    date March 2, 1887map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Agriculture, Health/Death, Economy, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    During and after the Civil War, many farms and ranches were without the man power needed to cultivate the land. William Henry Hatch of Missouri joined forces with Norman J. Coleman to create legislation that would promote all aspects of agriculture. The Martinsburg Gazette reported that “President Grover Cleveland approved the famous Hatch Act on March, 2 1887,' which created agricultural...

  5. Bill introduced to increase federal funding to Southern state schools
    date August 1, 1888map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Education

    The Blair bill was introduced in congress in 1888, approbated federal funding to Southern state schools based on illiteracy rates. It was violently opposed to in the Southern states. One columnist of The Washington Post wrote "One dollar voted by the people of any school district for the support of common schools is worth ten dollars given out of the Treasury of the United States", which sums...

  6. Congress Returns to the Capitol
    date 1882map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Economy, Government, Politics, Migration/Transportation, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    In the winter of 1882, Frank G. Carpenter watched all the members of Congress as they descended upon Washington in preparation for the upcoming session. With them appeared lobbyists galore, bureaucrats too many to number and Washingtonians coming from the woodwork with something to sell to the incoming crowds. The city was booming; boarders and hotel owners were tidying and revitalizing their accommodations...

  7. Frederick Douglass Addresses the New American Party
    date February 20, 1884map Washington City, District of Columbiatags African-Americans, Government, Law, Politics, Race-Relations, Women

    The American Prohibition Convention of 1884 was held in Lincoln Hall and kicked off on the evening of February 20th. Several prominent politicians, bureaucrats, religious leaders and thought leaders of the time were present to help usher the American Party into the upcoming election season. Mr. E.D. Bailey, who had just been appointed to the committee responsible for nominating a President and...

  8. Spring of 1888 in the Diary of Miss Jennie Barker
    date March 31, 1888map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Arts/Leisure, Church/Religious-Activity, Education, Politics, Urban-Life/Boosterism, Women

    Miss Jennie Barker made note of each day of her life in the year 1888 by writing inside a diary given to her as a gift by her cousins on New Year's Day of that year. On March 31st, Jennie wrote, she and her friend Clara took a trip to the market in Washington, D.C. where they lived. After marveling at the flowers and other wares, they decided to attend a nearby women's rights meeting. Jennie was...

  9. The Truth About Mormonism
    date April 3, 1880map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Arts/Leisure, Church/Religious-Activity, Politics

    It was April 3rd, 1880. Ellen E. Dickinson was about to record the official statement of Mrs. Matilda Spaulding McKinstry's, describing her understanding of the connection between her father's Manuscript Found and the infamous Joseph Smith's Mormon Bible. The connection between the old romantic manuscript and the piece of religious writing was about to expose the real, and far less celestial, origins...

  10. Washington Says Farewell to Dick Wallach
    date February 26, 1881map Washington City, District of Columbiatags African-Americans, Health/Death, Education, Government, Law, Politics, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    On February 26, 1881, the Evening Star printed an article, 'A Noble Life' about Mr. Richard Wallach. Though he had not yet passed away, the city was already mourning his inevitable passing that was sure to come within days. The residents of Washington, D.C. had been proud to call Richard Wallach their Mayor for several years, and news of his impending death caused many to reflect on the...

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