Washington, D.C.
- Just the Facts
- Encyclopedias & Almanacs
- City Links
- Did You Know
- City’s Famous People
| Abbreviation | DC Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | It is the capital: of the United States. |
| Population | 705,749 Source: U.S. Census Bureau |
| Mayor | Muriel Bowser (D). |
| Entered the Union | February 21, 1871 (as a municipal corporation) |
| Motto | Justitia omnibus (Justice to all) |
| Flower | American Beauty rose |
| Bird | Wood Thrush |
| Professional Sports Teams | Washington Nationals (Baseball); Washington Wizards (Basketball); Washington Redskins (Football); Washington Capitals (Hockey); D.C. United (Soccer); Washington Mystics (Women’s Basketball). Note: The Washington Redskins football team’s home stadium is in Landover, Maryland. (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | The district is named after Christopher Columbus |
| Historical Sites and Points of Interest | Numerous sites associated with the history of the United States, including the Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials; the Smithsonian Institution, including the National Gallery of Art and the National Air and Space Museum; the National Archives |
| Bordering States | Washington D.C. borders Virginia and Maryland. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Washington, D.C. from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official City Links
- Welcome to DC.gov: Welcome to Washington, District of Columbia http://www.dc.gov/ This is the official website for Washington, DC.
- District of Columbia Public Library, http://dclibrary.org/ Here is the homepage for the District of Columbia Public Library.
- The United States Capitol Historical Society http://www.uschs.org/ Here is the homepage for the U.S. Capital Historical Society.
- U.S. National Archives & Records Administration http://www.archives.gov Here is the homepage for the United States National Archives.
- National Park Service: Parks and Recreation http://www.nps.gov/parks.html Here is the homepage for the United States National Park Service.
- Welcome to Washington, DC http://www.washington.org/ Here is the official tourism site of Washington, DC.
- FirstGov For Kids http://www.kids.gov/ Explore, learn and have fun at this special site for kids developed by the Federal Citizen Information Center.
Other City Links
- Things To Do in Washington, DC http://www.thingstodo.com/states/DC/index.htm ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Washington DC’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the city’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events.
- Roadside America: District of Columbia Attractions http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/dc.html Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in the District of Columbia.
- George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens http://www.mountvernon.org/ In addition to learning basic information about this famous historic site, online visitors can even take a virtual mansion tour.
- Washington D.C.’s official tree is the Scarlet oak.
- The District of Columbia is is divided into four quadrants–Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, and Southeast–and the U.S. Capitol Building marks the spot where all four meet.
- Washington D.C. was the first carefully planned capital in the world.
- The capital of the U.S. was transferred from Philadelphia to Washington on Dec. 1, 1800.
- In 1978, a proposed constitutional amendment to give the District of Columbia voting representation in the U.S. Congress was passed by Congress; the proposal died in 1985, having failed to get the needed 28 states to approve it.
Some Famous People from this City
- Billie Burke, comedienne and actress best known for playing Glenda the good witch in The Wizard of Oz.
- Duke Ellington, jazz musician.
- Goldie Hawn, television and movie actress whose credits include Laugh In and The First Wives Club.
- J. Edgar Hoover, former director of the F.B.I.
- John Philip Sousa, composer known for his compositions for marching bands.