It was about 1 p.m. on an otherwise normal day on Capitol Hill in June of 1906 when the cry went up: “The elephant has come.” Members of Congress, visitors, and workers all sprang to action. In a committee room on the west front of the Capitol, Representative Olcott of New York adjourned his hearing […]

Shootings in the Capitol have a long and sordid history. From the shooting of Ex-Representative Taulbee by Charles Kincaid to the attack by Puerto Rican separatists on the House of Representatives, to the shooting of officers Gibson and Chestnut, the Capitol is no stranger to violence. There is one incident, however, that stands out, mainly […]

Last week, I introduced the story that Abraham Lincoln, well before he was President, had been involved in the funeral of his predecessor John Quincy Adams. I also recounted Lincoln’s repudiation of the story. Today, a closer look at what really happened Despite not being a member of the sub-committee that actually made the decisions […]

Hello there, Capitol Hill! This weekend, we had a whole arc of emotions with the news that Tortilla Coast would close permanently. You flooded us with some of your loveliest memories: Snippets from your first meal as an intern on the Hill, to marriage proposals, first post-baby outings, to everyday merriment and fond memories (or […]

A few weeks ago, I gave the weekly tour of Congressional Cemetery – virtually, of course, and decided to play to my strengths, talking about the stories from the cemetery that have entered our collective memory, whether as urban legends, scandals, or ghost stories. While most of the stories were drawn from my books, there […]