Historical Society of Washington, D.C.

The DC History Center was established in 1894 as the Columbia Historical Society by 36 men and women, dedicated to the collection, preservation, and diffusion of knowledge about the history and topography of the District of Columbia. It operates the Kiplinger Research Library, runs the DC History Conference, and serves as the official affiliate for National History Day in Washington, DC. The organization has announced a planned merger with HumanitiesDC.

The DC History Center was established in 1894 as the Columbia Historical Society by 36 men and women. According to its constitution, the organization was dedicated to the "collection, preservation, and diffusion of knowledge respecting the history and topography of the District of Columbia and national history and biography." The private, White-only group of journalists, government scientists and scholars, local business leaders, and old DC families aimed to collect "the scattered and rapidly disappearing records of events and individuals prominent in the history of the city and District" in the context of national events. As in other American cities, the original Historical Society served primarily as a forum for members to present historical research papers, often on their own families or the development of the city. These papers were then published in the Records of the Columbia Historical Society. The members also amassed manuscripts and other documents. Housing those growing collections soon became a chronic challenge. For more than 50 years, the Historical Society made do with rented and donated rooms for offices, a library, and storage. Talented volunteers served as librarians and curators. Kate Field, a journalist, and W.J. McGee, an anthropologist and geologist, were among the founders of the Columbia Historical Society in 1894. The Christian Heurich House at 1307 New Hampshire Ave NW was the Historical Society's headquarters for nearly 50 years. In 1954 the Central Public Library, which had been storing the collections, needed to reclaim its storage space. The Historical Society's Board appealed to the membership for a home. In 1955, Amelia Keyser Heurich, widow of prominent Washington brewer Christian Heurich, provided a home for the society. The DC History Center and HumanitiesDC have entered into an agreement to merge and become a new organization, with the merger expected to be formalized in the fall.

One home for local Washington, DC history and the humanities

1. 1Home - DC History Centerdchistory.org
2. 2National History Day in DC - DC History Centerdchistory.org
3. 3Our History - DC History Centerdchistory.org
4. 4DC History Conference - DC History Centerdchistory.org