The Civil War and the Making of Modern Washington

March 21–October 18, 2015

Washington, D.C., underwent remarkable changes, both physically and politically, as a result of the American Civil War. The Civil War and the Making of Modern Washington examined the city’s transformations from the beginning of the war to Reconstruction through maps, prints, and illustrations of the federal buildings, barracks, hospitals, hotels, and markets constructed to accommodate a ballooning population. The exhibition also explored Washington’s role as a laboratory for social and political changes during this transformative period in American history.