Boundary Stones

“The Exorcist” was Based on an Actual Maryland Exorcism. Here’s what REALLY Happened

Did you know that “The Exorcist,” one of the most famous horror movies of all time, was based on a real DC-area exorcism? The 1949 exorcism allegedly took place in PG, Maryland, and inspired “The Exorcist” author and producer William Peter Blatty while he was a student at Georgetown University. But some of the details in this famous case of demonic possession don't add up.

“The Exorcist” was Based on an Actual Maryland Exorcism. Here’s what REALLY Happened

2m 46s

  • How Smokey Bear Became an Icon and a Real Life Neighbor in Washington DC: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Smokey Bear Became an Icon and a Real Life Neighbor in Washington DC

    4m 9s

    In 1950, an orphaned bear cub was rescued from a wildfire in New Mexico and brought to Washington to live at the National Zoo. Named "Smokey" after the popular Forest Service character, the cub became a real life advocate for fire prevention and got so much fan mail that the U.S. Postal Service gave him his own private D.C. zipcode.

  • Washington, D.C.’s First Election Riot: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Washington, D.C.’s First Election Riot

    2m 46s

    Even in Washington, D.C.'s long and complex history of suffrage, the deadly election riot of June 1, 1857, stands out. That was the day anti-immigrant rioters — armed with sledgehammers, pistols, and even a cannon — attempted to win an election through brutal violence at the polls, clashing with police and forcing President James Buchanan to order out the United States Marines.

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