The District of Columbia, created by acts of July 16, 1790, and March 3, 1791, from lands ceded by Virginia and Maryland, was permanently established as the seat of government in 1800. In 1846 the Congress returned to Virginia its part, including both the city and county of Alexandria.

The Constitution of the United States gave the Congress power to legislate for the capital of the United States, and the first District of Columbia government was established under an act of May 3, 1802, which provided for a mayor, appointed by the President, and a city council, elected by District residents. That charter was modified by later acts and in 1871 was revoked. The Congress then established a territorial form of District government composed of a governor, a board of public works, and a legislative assembly consisting of a council and a house of delegates. The governor, board members, and council members were appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; house members were elected by District residents. In 1874 three commissioners were appointed by the President to govern the District. An act of June 11, 1878, authorized the President to appoint the Board of Commissioners, which was composed of two civilian resi

dents of Washington and a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers holding a rank not lower than that of captain. Those District (missioners, who had authority over all the usual activities of a municipal government, prepared annual estimates of District expenditures and submitted them to the Congress through the Bureau of the Budget. Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 provided for the Commissioner of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Council composed of a chairman, a vice chairman, and seven other members, all appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

There are 454 cubic feet of records dated between 1792 and 1967 in this record group.

GENERAL AND LAND RECORDS
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
1792-1967. 286 lin. ft.

General records include tax and assessment records, 1824-98; records relating to the issuance of licenses, 181979, and stocks and bonds, 1820-77; laws of the legislative assembly, 1871-74; minutes and orders of the Board of Commissioners, 1874-1952; records of the Treasurer's Office, 1871-81; a real estate directory, 1874; journals and ledgers,

1819-80; letters sent by the Office of the Mayor, 1857-63; annual reports, 1874-1941; records of the Office of the Superintendent of Property, Bureau of Public Works, and of the Office of the Comptroller, 1820-81; and a collection of photographs (33 items) of the Engineer Commissioners of the District of Columbia, 1873-1967.

The records that relate to land consist of deedbooks (200 lin. ft.) to real property in the District, 1792-1869 (in WNRC).

RECORDS OF THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA POLICE
DEPARTMENT. 1851-79. 9 lin. ft.

Records include reports concerning cases, 1851-78; registers of oaths, 186279, and of letters received, 1877-78; orders, 1862-63; a property book, 186175; daily precinct returns, 1861-78; and case files (in WNRC) of police personnel appointed in the District, 1862-1900 (some dated as late as 1950). Missing from these materials are all records containing information about President Lincoln's assassination and the arrest and detention of the assassins.

RECORDS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. 1819-79. 4 lin. ft.

Included are real property taxbooks, 1854-79, levy court proceedings, 181963, and a register of tax lien certificates, 1871-77.

RECORDS OF THE GEORGETOWN CITY GOVERNMENT. 1800-1879. 9 lin. ft.

These consist of tax and assessment records, 1800-1879, journals and ledgers, 1801-73, ordinances, 1803-71, a daybook, 1800-1807, and a list of municipal jobs, 1878.

RECORDS OF THE WASHINGTON CANAL COMPANY. 1810-71. 1 lin. ft.

Included are a minute book, 1810-34; proceedings of the Joint Committee on the Canal Fund, 1830-34; a ledger, 185758; statements of interest due, 1835-38; and Canal Commission records, consisting of the act creating the Commission, a list of bids, 1870, and minutes of meetings, 1870-71.

Microfilm Publications: Records of the City of Georgetown (D.C.), 1800-1879, M605, 49 rolls, DP; and Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 1791-1802, T69, 1 roll.

The National Capital Housing Authority, the public housing agency for the District of Columbia, was established as the Alley Dwelling Authority by Executive Order 6868 of October 9, 1934, in accordance with the District of Columbia Alley Dwelling Act of June 12, 1934. It was given its present name in 1943, the Commissioner of the District of Columbia was designated the National Capital Housing Authority in 1968, and the functions of the Authority were delegated to the Commissioner's assistant.

Originally the Authority reclaimed District of Columbia slums in squares containing inhabited alleys, but 1938 amendments to the Alley Dwelling Act enabled the Authority to provide lowrent housing for low-income families under the auspices of the U.S. Housing Authority and in accordance with the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as amended. The wartime objective of the Authority was to provide housing for war workers under the Lanham Act and other legislation. When slum reclamation in the Dis