1. In 1792, the cornerstone of the United States Mint in Washington, D.C. was laid by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Today, the historic building still stands as a museum of coin and medal production.

2. On July 18, 1864, Confederate Army General Jubal A. Early led his troops into Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War in what became known as the Battle of Fort Stevens. Though the Confederate forces were eventually pushed back, the event marked the only time that an enemy force has captured and occupied the capital of the United States.

3. In 1937, the Washington Senators baseball team played a game against the Cleveland Indians in which they scored an incredible 17 runs in a single inning. This record-breaking feat remains one of the most impressive offensive displays in the history of Major League Baseball.

4. In 1972, a mass shooting occurred at the District of Columbia headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Department. Two officers were killed and nine others were injured in the attack, which was carried out by a former police officer who had been dismissed from the force.

5. On July 18, 1980, the 15-story hotel and office building known as the Skyline Plaza collapsed in Falls Church, Virginia, killing 14 people and injuring more than 30. The disaster is considered one of the worst structural failures in the history of the Washington metropolitan area.