The Lost History of the Capitol

Book excerpt: The Lost History of the Capitol is an account of the many bizarre, tragic, and violent episodes that have occurred in and around the Capitol Building, from the founding of the federal capital city in 1790 up to contemporary times, including the events of January 6, 2021. In this 230-year span, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the neighborhoods nearby have witnessed dozens of high-profile scandals, trials, riots, bombings, and personal assaults, along with some inspiring events as well. This is a popular work about the US Capitol Building and its environs. Among the many incidents the book chronicles are a duel-to-the-death between congressmen, the terror bombings of the Senate, the first assassination attempt on a US president, moving tributes to war heroes and heroines, vicious brawls between senators and congressmen, protest marches both uplifting and illicit, public hangings near the Capitol steps, a gun battle in the House, bloody ethnic broils quelled by a famous father and son, and the citywide and Capitol Building riots of 2020–21.