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Spring Valley Information Repository

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Spring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) consists of approximately 660 acres in the northwest section of Washington, D.C. During the World War I‐era, the site was known as the American University Experiment Station, and was used by the U.S. government for research and testing of chemical agents, equipment and munitions. Today, the site encompasses approximately 1,600 private properties, including several embassies and foreign properties, as well as the American University and Wesley Seminary.

Cover of The History of Gallaudet University

See What I'm Saying?

A Read Feed dedicated to Deaf culture and American Sign Language!

A Year in Rock Creek Park

DC's Wild, Wondrous Heart

Ecological, Historical & Poetic Explorations of Rock Creek Park

When many people think of our nation's capital, they focus on its political life. Yet residents here know our city environment encompasses much more than federal politics. At its heart lies my favorite area, Rock Creek Park. Over double the size of Central Park, it includes forests, streams, hills, fields, recreational and historical sites. Here residents and tourists can escape from urban stress, slow down, engage in recreation, and commune with nature.

heavens might crack

50 Years Ago

New Books about America in 1968

We are now 50 years out from the tumultuous events of 1968. DC Public Library is focusing on the ways in which events of that year resulted in the city and country we know today. Authors and publishers are doing the same, publishing a plethora of books about what happened in America during that time. While it's a year that has already had a lot of historical gaze fixed upon it, many of the new books are bringing fresh perspectives to that time.

Cracker!

DC Reads for Children and Teens

Starting a conversation about war, refugees, and immigrants

May is here, and that means DC Reads has begun. Throughout the month of May, our One City-One Book program encourages D.C. residents to read, discuss and connect around one book. This year's title is The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winner and newly appointed member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

George Derek Musgrove

Author Talk: George Derek Musgrove

Many books have been written about the politics and history of Washington, D.C. However the city's hometown aspect frequently is overlooked.

1968 Book Display

1968

Book Display

Rebecca B. Roberts photo

Author Talk: Rebecca Bogg Roberts

On March 3, 1913, a large procession of women marched down Pennsylvania Avenue with Capitol Hill as the backdrop. The Great Suffrage Parade was planned by Alice Paul, a prominent suffragist of the day. The parade was covered in the newspapers and many turned out to watch. Although events didn't go as planned that day, the Great Suffrage Parade was the first civil rights march to occur in the nation's capital.

In Resurrection City songbook by J. Edward Haycraft, signed

Poor People's Campaign Collection Online

Digitized for the 50th anniversary of the Campaign

The Library is pleased to announce that the Poor People's Campaign Collection has been added to Dig DC, your home for digital local history. The collection has been digitized in its entirety to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the campaign and Resurrection City.

Cover of the January 16, 1969 Washington Free Press, an illustration of a protest at the U.S. Capitol

Historic Washington Free Press 1967-1969 online

Digitized counterculture newspaper now available in Dig DC

DC Public Library Special Collections recently published The Washington Free Press Collection in Dig DC, the library's portal to digital local history archives. The collection contains issues of the underground newspaper the Washington Free Press published from 1967 to 1969.

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