Historical Society of Washington, D.C. facts for kids
The Historical Society of Washington, D.C., also known as the DC History Center, is an organization that works to save and share the history of Washington, D.C.. They offer talks, shows, classes, and community events. They also have a museum, a library, and they publish a journal called Washington History. From its start in 1894 until 1988, it was called the Columbia Historical Society.
The society is located in the Carnegie Library of Washington D.C.. This beautiful Beaux-Arts style building is in the middle of Mount Vernon Square in Washington. It was built in 1902 to be the main District of Columbia Public Library. It was one of many Carnegie libraries built with money from Andrew Carnegie.
Today, the building is open every day from 10 AM to 5 PM. Visitors can explore the exhibits and use the society's Kiplinger Research Library. This library has many books, maps, photos, and other items about the city's past.
Washington History Journal
The society publishes an academic journal called Washington History. This journal usually comes out twice a year. It shares new research and stories about the history of Washington, D.C.
Before Washington History, the society published the Records of the Columbia Historical Society. This older publication was printed from 1894 to 1989. In the early years, money from members mostly helped pay for these Records. These hard-bound books came out every year until 1922, and then every two or three years.
History of the Society
The Columbia Historical Society started in 1894. It was founded by 36 men and women. Their goal was to "collect, save, and share knowledge" about the history of Washington, D.C. They wanted to gather the "scattered and rapidly disappearing records" of important events and people in the city.
At first, the society mainly offered a place for members to share their historical research. This research was then published in the Records of the Columbia Historical Society. The group also began to build up its own collections of books and old papers.
By 1899, the society had 108 members. Most of them were men and lived in Northwest Washington. Even though about one-third of the city's people were African American at the time, all the members of the Columbia Historical Society were white.
Over time, the society's collections grew very large. For more than 50 years, the society used rented rooms to store its offices and library. Volunteers helped manage the library and collections. In the late 1940s, a plan to give the society Francis Scott Key's home was approved by Congress. However, President Harry Truman stopped it due to budget reasons. In 1947, a professional was hired who helped organize the collections and create the first catalog.
In 1954, the District of Columbia Public Library, which was storing the society's collections, needed its space back. The society's leaders asked members for help finding a new home. In 1955, Amelia Keyser Heurich, whose husband Christian Heurich was a famous brewer, gave the society her family's four-story mansion near Dupont Circle. This mansion became the society's new main office. The society moved into the mansion in 1956 after Mrs. Heurich passed away.
The society hired its first director in 1959. However, much of the work was still done by the president of the board, Ulysses S. Grant III, who served from 1952 to 1968. For many years, the house chairman lived on the third floor. The society also rented out offices in the building to other history groups. There was enough space in the mansion for a library, which held the society's books, papers, photos, and other collections.
In 1975, a real estate deal gave the society a lot of money. This money was used to hire the first full-time professional historian, Perry Fisher, as executive director. Fisher used the growing interest in American history during the U.S. Bicentennial to expand the society's programs and get more members.
In 1989, the society changed its name to the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. It also relaunched its magazine Records as the journal Washington History.
In 1998, Monica Scott Beckham, a leader on the society's board, asked the U.S. House of Representatives for federal money to create a City Museum of Washington, D.C. In 1999, Congress gave $2 million. This money came with the condition that the District of Columbia would rent the Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square to the society for 99 years at $1 per year.
On July 14, 1999, Mayor Anthony A. Williams announced that the City Museum of Washington, D.C. would be created in the Carnegie Library. The City Museum opened in May 2003. However, it closed in November 2004 because it did not have enough money or visitors.
In 2006, the society and the National Music Center made a deal. The Music Center was allowed to use a large part of the Carnegie Library for three years.
Today, the Carnegie Library holds the society's research library, changing exhibits, and offices. About 90% of the society's historical collections are stored there. These collections include art, documents, maps, objects, and over 100,000 photos. A permanent exhibit called Window to Washington shows how the city has changed over time. It also introduces visitors to the society's collections. The society also offers research workshops to students and community groups, including D.C. Public Charter Schools and universities.
In 2017, the Historical Society moved to a temporary place while the Carnegie Library Building was being fixed up. The newly renovated building reopened on May 11, 2019. The Historical Society now shares the building with an Apple Store.
Notable People
- Mary Stevens Beall (1854–1917), was a librarian and secretary for the Columbia Historical Society.
See also
In Spanish: Sociedad histórica de Washington, D.C. para niños
