"City of Washington, or Federal City, As... " a Washington D.C. Travel Page by mrclay2000

When Washington became the national capitol, it was far removed from most of the commercial and political centers of the country. Under the transportation systems of the times, it was remote and even isolated from the rest of America. At the time the finishing touches were put on the halls of Congress, the area comprehended between the Capitol and the White House was considered a swamp, a malarial and unhealthy depression now known as the National Mall. Senators and Representatives lived in boarding houses in poor conditions branching away from the Capitol. In 1800, the ordinary necessities of life such as the merest vegetables were not always easy to come by.

Since that time Washington has evolved into a national capital worthy of comparison with any on the globe. The sound of Japanese commentary around the White House and French and German around the Smithsonian tend to demonstrate the global enthusiasm in visiting a most wonderfully laid out capital city in the most powerful country on earth.

Most of the best known and most important buildings or landmarks are accessible either on the Mall or within a block or two of its boundaries. The city is evenly laid out, well served by a fine subway system, easy to navigate, and quick to receive visitors from all nations. Outside this safe theater of global attention, the city streets are somewhat threatening after dark, since D.C. unfortunately struggles with one of the highest crime rates in the country. Stick to the Mall and Arlington, and there is little need to fear anything but not having enough time in your schedule to see the Archives, the Smithsonian, the White House, the Vietnam Wall, The Korean Memorial, the Capitol, the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, and all the little statues and other relics that commemorate what is great about America and American history.