Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States. It is coterminous with the District of
Columbia (abbreviated as "D.C."). The city and the district are located on the banks of the
Potomac River and bordered by the states of Virginia (to the west) and Maryland (to the
north, east and south). The city was planned and developed in the late 18th century to
serve as the permanent national capital; the federal district was formed to keep the
national capital distinct from the states.
The city was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States.
The district's name, "Columbia," is an early poetic name for the United States and a
reference to Christopher Columbus, an early explorer of the Americas. The city is
commonly referred to as Washington, The District, or simply D.C. In the 19th century, it
was called the Federal City or Washington City.
The history of Washington, D.C. is tied intrinsically to its role as the capital of the United
States. The site along the Potomac River was chosen for the capital city by George
Washington, and approved by the United States Congress in the 1790 Residence Act.
The city came under attack during the War of 1812 in an episode known as the Burning of
Washington. Upon return to the capital, numerous public buildings including the White
House and United States Capitol Building needed to be rebuilt. The 1902 McMillan Plan
helped restore and beautify the downtown core area, including establishing the National
Mall, along with numerous monuments and museums.
Slavery was abolished throughout the District on April 16, 1862, though the city remained
racially segregated until the 1950s. During the early 20th century, the U Street Corridor
served as an important center for African American culture. After desegregation, racial
tensions remained high in the city, and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in
1968 sparked major riots. Following the riots, large sections of the city remained blighted
areas. The Washington Metro opened in 1976, and gentrification in the late 1990s and
2000s allowed many neighborhoods to revitalize.
PLACE TO VISIT
National Mall - is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the
capital of the United States. However, the term commonly includes the areas that are
officially part of West Potomac Park and Constitution Gardens to the west, and often is
taken to refer to the entire area between the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol, with the
Washington Monument providing a division slightly west of the center.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial - is a presidential memorial in Washington, D.C.
that is dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father and the third
president of the United States. The neoclassical building was designed by John Russell
Pope. It was built by Philadelphia contractor John McShain and was completed in 1943.
When completed, the memorial occupied one of the last significant sites left in the city.
Washington Monument - Located in the center of the National Mall, the
Washington Monument is an imposing presence. If you have time, definitely ride the
elevator up or even opt for a ranger-led walk down. If you don't have time to wait to go in
(lines can be very long), you can at least take some great photos of the monument and
the area around it.
Lincoln Memorial - located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is a United
States Presidential memorial built to honor 16th President Abraham Lincoln. The
architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of
the interior murals was Jules Guerin.
United States Navy Memorial - at 7th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue
and Indiana Avenue in Washington, D.C. (701 Pennsylvania Ave, NW) honors those who
have served or are currently serving in the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the
Merchant Marine.
Smithsonian American Art Museum - is a museum in Washington, D.C.
with an extensive collection of American art. Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the
museum has a broad variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements
found in the United States. Among the significant artists represented in its collection are
Nam June Paik, David Hockney, Georgia O'Keeffe, John Singer Sargent, Albert Bierstadt,
Edmonia Lewis, Thomas Moran, Edward Hopper, and Winslow Homer.
National Museum of Natural History - is a museum administered by the
Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The museum's collections total over 125 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils,
minerals, rocks, meteorites, and human cultural artifacts.
Library of Congress - is the de facto national library of the United States and the
research arm of the United States Congress. Located in Washington, D.C., it is the
largest by shelf space and one of the most important libraries in the world. Its collections
include more than 30 million catalogued books and other print materials in 470
languages; more than 58 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North
America, including a Gutenberg Bible (one of only four perfect vellum copies known to
exist); over 1 million US Government publications; 1 million issues of world newspapers
spanning the past three centuries; 33,000 bound newspaper volumes
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Washington, D.C. is served by three major airports.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (IATA: DCA), located in Arlington, Virginia
on the west bank of the Potomac River just south of the city, is the closest and most
convenient. Walkways connect the concourse level of the B and C terminals to the
Washington Metro rail platform; the walk from the A terminal to the metro takes 5 to 10
minutes. To get downtown (10 minutes), take the Yellow Line toward Mt Vernon
Square/UDC. For destinations to the west, take the Blue Line toward Largo Town Center.
A taxi trip to downtown costs about $15.
Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA: IAD), is located at Dulles (pronounced Dull- ess), Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown DC. To get into the city, the most convenient option may be the Washington Flyer coach , which operates every half hour to and from the West Falls Church Metro (Orange Line). It takes 20-25 minutes and costs $9 one way or $16 round trip.
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (IATA: BWI), [6] is in
Maryland and is 30 miles north-east of DC and 10 miles south of downtown Baltimore.
Metro operates the hourly B30 express Metrobus to the Greenbelt Metro Station (Green
Line). It boards on the lower level outside the International Pier. The fare is $3.10 each
way and it takes about 30 minutes. The driver does not provide change.
By train - Amtrak services arrive from all over the country, particularly the Northeast
Corridor (Boston-to-Richmond). All stop at downtown Union Station, 50 Massachusetts
Ave NE, on Metro's Red Line -- a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol steps. A few lines also
stop in adjacent Alexandria, VA, very close to King Street Metro, on the Yellow and Blue
lines. If you are coming from the south, it might be easier to stop there, depending on
your destination.
By car - Washington, D.C. is primarily served by I-95 from Baltimore, MD or Richmond,
VA. I-95 South is particularly bad on Friday afternoons and any time people are likely to be
going to the beach.
By bus - Greyhound - The stop for Washington, D.C. is at 1005 1st St NE, which is a
few blocks north of Union Station (where you can catch the Red Line Metrorail). Current
fares are around $20 (or $35 for a return ticket) from New York City. Please note that
these prices require a 3 day in advance purchase. There are other Greyhound stations
located in Silver Spring, Maryland and Arlington, Virginia.
Apex Bus - The stop for Washington, D.C. is on 610 Eye St. NW. Prices are $20 ( or $35 for a return ticket) from New York City. No advance purchase is required.
Goto Bus - You can search several carriers through this site. Sometimes discounts are
given from this site.
