DC Facts and Figures
Washington, DC, also known as the District of Columbia, Washington, the District, or DC, is unique among American cities in that it was established by the Constitution of the United States to serve as the nation’s capital. Washington, DC is a cosmopolitan city that attracts residents and visitors from around the world. Listed below are interesting facts about Washington, DC that include history, geography, statistics, and trivia.
History
Name: named after George Washington and Christopher Columbus.
Designed: by Pierre Charles L’Enfant
Federal District: Washington, DC is not a state. It is a federal district created specifically to be the seat of government.
Geography
Area: 68.25 square miles
Elevation: 23 feet
Major Rivers: Potomac, Anacostia
Bordering States: Maryland and Virginia
Parkland: Approximately 19.4 percent of the city. Major parks include Rock Creek Park, C & O Canal National Historical Park, National Mall and Anacostia Park.
Average Daily Temperature: January 34.6° F; July 80.0° F
Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time
The first official government office built in Washington, DC was the White House.
The Smithsonian Institute in Washington was created by Congress in 1846.
The two elected bodies of the Senate and the House of Representatives call the Capitol Building home.
During the War of 1812, British soldiers burned down the White House.
The library of Congress was established in 1800 using Thomas Jefferson’s archives.
The original name of the White House was the Executive Mansion.
Family Fun magazine voted DC the best city destination for family travel in the United States.
Places Rated Almanac (2000) ranked DC the second-best overall place to live in the U.S. behind Salt Lake City.
More than 100 nations have embassies in Washington, DC.
The Washington Monument is 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches tall.
The National Gallery of Art displays the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in North America.
The Pentagon has 17 ½ miles of corridors and can be seen from space.
There is no "J" Street in Washington, DC. A common urban legend had it that Pierre L'Enfant, designer of the city, bore a grudge against John Jay, 1st Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, who allegedly disapproved of L'Enfant's planned design.
The word "Lobbyist" originates from President Grant's disdain for the interest groups who loitered in the Willard Hotel's lavish lobby.
The Hope Diamond continues to be the most visited object in Washington, DC. The 45.52 carat blue diamond has had more than 100 million visitors since it was donated to the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History by Harry Winston, in 1958. It remains the most popular object in the entire Smithsonian collection.
The George Mason Memorial honors the contributions of one of our great founding fathers. George Mason wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights and attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The George Mason Memorial is located at 900 Ohio Drive, in East Potomac Park, SW, Washington, DC near the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the FDR Memorial in Washington, DC.
The US Botanic Gardens are a slice of paradise in the middle of the city. This flowering haven blooms year-round and with the recent renovations and the addition of the First Ladies Garden it is even more spectacular than ever. The Gardens are especially beautiful during the winter holidays when they bring out the electric train exhibit, including a Thomas the Train.
Georgetown’s Observatory, completed in 1844, was used in 1846 to determine the latitude and longitude of Washington, DC and was the first such calculation for the nations capital.
