J. D. Dickey

Today, Washington, DC, gleams with stately columns and neoclassical memorials, but for decades it was one of the worst excuses for a capital city the world had ever seen. Before America became a world power, Washington City--as it was known for most of the nineteenth century--was an eyesore at best and a disgrace at worst. Unfilled swamps, filthy canals, and rutted horse trails littered its landscape. Beneath pestilential air, the town's muddy roads led to a half-finished Washington Monument, a domeless Capitol Building, and the wasteland of the National Mall. Boarding houses and slums lined the streets. Legendary madams entertained clients from all stations of society. Mobs and duelists ran amok with near impunity, and political bosses dispatched hooligans and thugs to conduct the nation's affairs. Featuring a rich cast of characters from radical journalists to slave traders and enterprising criminals, this book untangles the roots of our capital's beginnings to explore how the city was tainted from the start, setting a precedent for the dishonesty and mismanagement that have prompted generations to look suspiciously on the deeds of its politicians ever since.--From publisher description.

The Secret History of Washington, DC

Empire of Mud

Richie Unterberger

Rough Guides strips away Seattle's flannel to dig past the grunge and gourmet coffee. Discover Seattle's stunning physical setting, its burgeoning arts scene, unique sites such as the Space Needle and Gasworks Park, and the getaway islands in nearby Puget Sound. From music and microbrews to the all-mighty Microsoft, the Pacific Northwest is presented in all its rugged glory. 12 pages of color photos.

Seattle

Washington, DC, gleams with stately columns and neoclassical temples, a pulsing hub of political power and prowess. But for decades it was one of the worst excuses for a capital city the world had ever seen. Before America became a world power in the twentieth century, Washington City was an eyesore at best and a disgrace at worst. Unfilled swamps, filthy canals, and rutted horse trails littered its landscape. Political bosses hired hooligans and thugs to conduct the nation's affairs. Legendary madams entertained clients from all stations of society and politicians of every party. The police served and protected with the aid of bribes and protection money. Beneath pestilential air, the city’s muddy roads led to a stumpy, half-finished obelisk to Washington here, a domeless Capitol Building there. Lining the streets stood boarding houses, tanneries, and slums. Deadly horse races gouged dusty streets, and opposing factions of volunteer firefighters battled one another like violent gangs rather than life-saving heroes. The city’s turbulent history set a precedent for the dishonesty, corruption, and mismanagement that have led generations to look suspiciously on the various sin--both real and imagined--of Washington politicians. Empire of Mud unearths and untangles the roots of our capital’s story and explores how the city was tainted from the outset, nearly stifled from becoming the proud citadel of the republic that George Washington and Pierre L'Enfant envisioned more than two centuries ago.

J. D. Dickey

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