Boundary Stones | WETA's Washington DC Local History Website

A row of tents with Washington Monument in the background.

A Place for the Poor: Resurrection City

In the early morning hours of June 23, 1968, thick clouds of tear gas rolled through a multitude of shacks on the National Mall. This shantytown was Resurrection City, and its residents were the nation’s poor. As many ran from their shelters, they saw Martin Luther King, Jr.’s final dream of economic equality withering in the gas. They had been citizens of the city for six weeks, all the while campaigning for rights for the poor around D.C. Now their work seemed all for naught. After an increase in violence and with an expiring living permit, the police had come to chase them out. Children were crying, adults screaming, and some were even vomiting. But amid the chaos, a song rang out: “we shall overcome.”

“A Great City to Be”: Architect Leon Krier’s Plan to “Finish” Washington D.C.

Should the National Mall really be a National Lake? Leon Krier thought so! The Luxembourgish architect came to D.C. in the 1970s and saw Washington as an unfinished sketch waiting to be painted in...
The Legacy of the Annapolis Liberty Tree

During the Revolutionary War, many communities adopted Liberty Trees -- living symbols of opposition to British rule. The trees became a target for destruction by British soldiers, but unlike many...
Women in Maryland and Virginia Were Valuable Fundraisers and Organizers for the American Revolution

Though they may fall by the wayside of textbooks, without the efforts American women made toward the Revolution, the Continental Army would have been in dire straits indeed. Luckily, the women of...

Painting of George Washington on white horse with British soldiers walking alongside. Groups of soldiers stand on either side of the frame.

The American Revolution & Early America

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The Annapolis Tea Party of 1774

When a damaged brig, the Peggy Stewart, arrived in Annapolis in 1774 with sick passengers and a secret stash of tea, local outrage forced a dramatic decision — the ship and its tea were run aground and burned in a protest of British taxation. It was reminiscent of the Boston Tea Party and helped set Maryland on the road to revolution.
December 16, 2012
- Maryland
By Will Hughes
Lost History: Hungerford's Tavern

Apparently Hungerford’s Tavern in Rockville, Maryland was the place to be. Constructed around 1750, it was one of America’s first real taverns and hosted a number of big shots including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry. In Rockville, it was a favorite watering hole for news, entertainment, business… and to fan the flames of Revolution.
July 25, 2013
- Maryland
By Ariel Veroske
George Washington's Complicated Relationship with His Mother

When one thinks about George Washington they probably think of the general that led America to victory in the Revolutionary War or the first president of the United States. What they may not think about is someone with a sometimes complicated relationship with his mother.
August 26, 2025
- Virginia
By Noah Brushwood

Watch & Learn

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Marion Barry and the Bus Boycott That Launched His Career in D.C.

Longtime Mayor Marion Barry kickstarted his career in D.C. politics by leading a bus boycott.
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Koreagate: Tongsun Park's Cash Bribes and Congressional Corruption

In the 1960 and ‘70s, South Korean agent gave nearly $1 Million to Congress — and got away with it.
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The Tractorcade of 1979 Drove DC Residents Crazy... And Then Saved Them From a Blizzard

In 1979, the American Agriculture Movement protest in Washington, D.C. turned into a rescue mission.