District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871

Background. By 1870, the District's population had grown 75% to nearly 132,000 residents. Prior to the Organic Act, the cities of Washington and Georgetown operated under individual charters. The need for a unified administrative structure led Congress to pass legislation that revoked these separate charters and combined the cities with Washington County to create a single territorial government for the entire District of Columbia.

Legislative Action. The Act repealed the individual charters of the cities of Washington and Georgetown and established a new territorial government for the whole District of Columbia. It was the first legislation to create a single municipal government for the federal district. The Seal of the District of Columbia features the date 1871, recognizing the year the District's government was incorporated.

Implementation. In 1873, President Grant appointed Alexander Robey Shepherd, an influential member of the board of public works, to the post of governor. However, in 1874, Congress replaced the District's quasi-elected territorial government with an appointed three-member Board of Commissioners, effectively ending the territorial structure established by the 1871 Act.