DEC 24: Fire Ravages Library of Congress

Library of Congress building in the 1920s. (Credit: Library of Congress)

On Dec. 24, 1851, a fire sweeps through the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and destroys two-thirds of Thomas Jefferson's personal books and papers, which included items from the Louisiana Purchase. Core journals from Lewis and Clark’s expedition (1804-06) survived, but many specimens collected during their journey to the Pacific Coast were destroyed.