Battle of Bladensburg

Fire and Rain: The Storm That Changed D.C. History

7/30/2015 in DC by Benjamin Shaw
British soldiers set fire to Washington on August 24, 1814, prior to the worst storm that had been seen in Washington for years. (Image Source: National Archives and Records Administration, College Park)

On Aug. 24, 1814, for the first and only time in our country's history, Washington, D.C. was overrun by an invading army. The British army had easily defeated inexperienced American defenders, and set the city ablaze. The President fled to Brookeville, MD, and many of the citizens had fled along with the army. Those few residents of the capital who hadn't already fled may well have prayed for anything that could stop the flames. What they got, however, was something far more than they were hoping for: a "tornado" more powerful than any storm in living memory.

Capital for a Day

11/14/2012 in Maryland by Will Hughes
Almost 200 years later, Brookville, Maryland celebrates its brief moment in history. (Photo source: Flickr user dan reed!)

If you’re passing through Brookeville, Maryland these days the town might not seem too different from the other suburban stops along Georgia Avenue. But don’t be fooled. Brookeville has a unique claim to fame. For one day during the War of 1812, it was the capital of the United States.

But if a couple of residents would've had their way, it wouldn't have happened!