In the early years of the union, the dispute over the location for the U.S.
capital was so heated that the southern states nearly gave up and seceded. The congress
roamed about like nomads, changing cities as often as three times in a year.
Finally, the northern and southern states compromised on an area directly
between them, on a site that George Washington chose in 1791. He hired Pierre
L'Enfant, a Frenchman who had volunteered during the Revolutionary War, to
design the site. L'Enfant conceived a plan that combined symbolism and
practicality on such a grand scale that he was called mad and was squeezed out
of his job by angry local landowners.
But although L'Enfant died broken and poor, it turned out that his grand
vision befit the nation. Now, his grand avenues and strategic locations seem
appropriate, and the magnitude of the monuments and structures may even be
beyond even what he imagined.
Much of the district is just a city, however, where people live under
control of the federal government. Despite several recent statehood
initiatives, Washington,
District of
Columbia, does not have the privileges of a state,
and residents only recently were able to elect their own mayor. The district is
administered by the federal government, which unfortunately has not done the
best job of addressing the depressing poverty and high crime rates it suffers
from in many of its own neighborhoods.
Most attractions are located to the west of the capitol building, which is
the symbolic and literal center of the capital. Mainly, you'll be visiting
museums and monuments. Tour the White House and the capitol, take a ride to the
top of the Washington Monument
obelisk, and stand at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave
his "I Have a Dream" speech. The Smithsonian's vast repositories are
also here, broken into numerous museums and research centers. And although you
may balk at the high cost of accommodations and meals, you'll take comfort in
the fact that many of the best attractions are free.
Washington,
DC
has also developed an active nightlife. Besides the world-class restaurants,
you can see Broadway shows, Washington-only political satires, and live music
of all types.
No matter how long you stay, you will never run out of things to do in Washington.
