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W E D N E S D A Y

In the latter half of the 19th century, Washington was also flirting with bankruptcy, but then the city’s leaders had a compelling excuse: They had transformed the District from a rough settlement into a world capital. Alan Lessoff, author of The Nation and Its City: Politics, “Corruption,” and Progress in Washington, D.C., 1861-1902, discusses the period in his lecture, “The Nation and Its City,” stressing parallels between Washington and other U.S. cities that grew swiftly in the period. At 6 p.m. at the Historical Society of Washington, 1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW. FREE. For reservations call (202) 785-2068. (MJ)