This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Washington Fire and the 1814 British Occupation
In August 1814 British and Canadian forces landed near the Potomac, routed American troops at Bladensburg, and burned the Capitol White House and Treasury. The Madisons and Cabinet fled to The Octagon, Congress met briefly at the Patent Office, and The Brick Capitol plan followed to relocate government in a turbulent chapter of the War of 1812.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James Madison
Dolley
Cabinet
Senate
House of Representatives
Washington
Robert Ross
Potomac
Sir George Cockburn
U.S. Navy
Bladensburg
Cockburn
Ross
Capitol
White House
Treasury
England
Octagon
District of Columbia
Executive Mansion
18Th St
New York Avenue
Hge
American Institute of Architects
Congress
Philadelphia
Heritage Cavaliers
Charles G. Allison
Patent Office