Washington in the 19th century Posted by Portland Oregon wine tours

 

 

On August 24, 1814, during the Anglo-American War 8 , British troops captured Washington and set on fire all government and public buildings of the city (the buildings of the Senate and House of Representatives, the White House, the Bank of the United States ), in revenge for the looting and burning of the city of York by the American army 27 - April 29, 1813, but a hurricane that arose forced the invaders to leave the city, where members of the US government headed by President James Madison returned. Portland Oregonwine tours wants to guide the peoples.

 

During the Civil War (1861 - 1865), an extensive system of fortifications was built around Washington, for the protection of which a separate Army of the Potomac was organized on the orders of Lincoln. Checking the security of the capital took place 11 - on July 12 1864 when the Confederate army coming right up to the north-western outskirts of Washington to attack Fort Stevens. The seriousness of the situation was appreciated by President Abraham Lincoln , who personally arrived at the forefront of the northerners and was wounded in the first attack. The indecision of the Confederates and the reinforcements that arrived in time for the northerners allowed the general Horace Wright not only defeat the 2nd Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia , led by General Jubal Anderson Early, but also go on the offensive 9 .

 

Under the Territorial Act passed by Congress in 1871, the entire District of Columbia and the city of Washington came under the control of a single Legislative Council (16 members), where Ge or get own and Washington County was represented by 4 members. At the same time, the Council for Public Works was organized, headed by Alexander R. Shepherd, through whose efforts the main urban infrastructure was created in Washington from scratch. The lack of normal roads and the general economic disorder in Washington in the 1860s - 1870s forced Congress to seriously consider moving the federal capital to Saint Louis ( Missouri ). Under the leadership of Shepherd, cleaning and drainage works were carried out: the Washington Canal 10 was enclosed in an underground pipe and a 198 km sewer system was built; also built 253 km of paved roads and sidewalks, a gas pipeline (63 km), a water pipeline (48 km), city lighting was carried out; planted 60 thousand trees; the first public transport - "horse tram" was put into operation. Extensive landscaping work and a number of social undertakings made Alexander R. Shepherd popular with the population of the district and allowed him to become governor of Washington in 1873. But huge spending and colossal budget overruns led to the economic collapse of the governor, and in 1874 Washington was returned to the jurisdiction of the US Congress.

 

Under the Included / Excluded Territories Act, passed by the US Congress in 1878, the boundaries of the city of Washington were equated to the boundaries of the District of Columbia. Washington County was abolished, but Georgetown, already part of Washington, was nominally considered a separate city until 1895. For read more Portland Oregon wine tours.