In 1873, President Grant appointed <a rel="mw:WikiLink" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/Alexander_Robey_Shepherd" title="Alexander Robey Shepherd" id="... by @wikipedia

In 1873, President Grant appointed Alexander Robey Shepherd as Governor of the District of Columbia. Shepherd authorized large projects that modernized the city but bankrupted its government. In 1874, Congress replaced the territorial government with an appointed three-member board of commissioners.