"Wonderful Washington" Washington D.C. by rexvaughan

Washington D.C. Travel Guide: 5,536 reviews and 14,554 photos

A city without a state - Washington D.C.
A city without a state

Saying something new about the US Capitol City is somewhat daunting but as I like to know the history of places I visit, maybe a little background will be helpful.

You probably know that George Washington was inaugrated in 1789 at Federal Hall in New York City which was the nation's capitol at the time. About a year later the capitol was moved to Philadelphia and about that time President Washington was given the power to select a site for the new "federal district." One factor in choosing a southern location was the fierce rivalry between the northern and southern states which ended in compromise and another may have been its proximity to Washington's own estate, Mount Vernon. The main reason apparently was that Washington thought the Potomac had great potential for shipping commerce. The land was mostly floodplain, forest and farmland; such a challenge that the planner of the new city, Pierre-Charles L'Enfant, said his work would be like "turning a savage wilderness int a garden of Eden."

L'Enfant is an interesting story in himself. He was a French born engineer who enlisted in the American Revolutionary Army where he befriended Washington and later was selected to design the new captol city. His plan is widely considered to be the US's best example of municipal planning. His vision of the "Congress Hall" or Capitol on a hill overlooking a 400 foot wide "Grand Avenue" gave us the National Mall with the Lincoln Memorial anchoring the end about 2 miles west of the Capitol and lined with grand museums and memorials. The Mall is frequently referred to as the Main Street of the US. It appears that it is now out of space for additional memorials and in the future they may have to be constructed in other parts of the city.

Statues everywhere
General Winfield Scott - Washington D.C.

General Winfield Scott

One of the things that makes Washinton so appealing is the varied architecture and the presense of art everywhere. I would not even hazard a guess as to how many statues dot the city's parks, squares and circles. Our hotel was near Scott Circle and there are statues of Winfield Scott, Daniel Webster and Samuel Hahnemann in and around this circle. Lt. Gen Scott served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and he is generally regarded as the best general of his time. In his 50 year career he commanded armies in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Black Hawk War, the Second Seminole War and briefly the American Civil War. He is credited with creating the strategy that defeated the Confederacy. He served as military governor of Mexico City and ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Presidency in 1852, losing to Franklin Pierce.

Wonderful Washington - Washington D.C.

There are all sorts of people memorialized with statues, not all of them well known. In the photo restoration work is being done on the fountain and statue dedicated to Samuel Hahnemann whom I had never heard of. It seems he was a pioneer in the field of homeopathy. It was given by the American Institute of Homeopathy with the help of President McKinley wo was a supporter of this field of medicine

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Filled with icons of US History and lovely architecture
  • Cons:It is an expensive city to visit or live in
  • Last visit to Washington D.C.: Sep 2005
  • Intro Updated Jan 21, 2006
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Reviews (32)

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Comments (12)

  • Reply
    BruceDunning's Profile Photo
    Oct 12, 2010 at 12:08 PM

    You cover page background is well done, and we cannot say enough about the history of the Capitol. YOu showed a lot of great sites with fantastic pictures and comments for the reader.

  • Reply
    deecat's Profile Photo
    Nov 7, 2009 at 2:19 PM

    Rex this is a fantastic page. Excellent transportation tips. Old Post Office, WWII Memorial, Union Station, Petersen House, & Lincoln Memorial were among my favorite tips of yours. Great Restaurant tips, too.

  • Reply
    hunterV's Profile Photo
    Nov 19, 2008 at 8:22 AM

    Hi, Rex! We stayed at Governor's House hotel near Daniel Webster's statue... Splendid city!

  • Reply
    DennyP's Profile Photo
    Jul 21, 2008 at 5:05 AM

    Hi Rex..Great page on DC ..and terrific photos..bought back a lot of memories...I worked there some years ago on building the Metro System..loved it..always something to see and do in DC....cheers Denny..

  • Reply
    RickinDutch's Profile Photo
    Jul 1, 2008 at 2:48 PM

    Rex - wonderful glimpse of our capitol! I've been lucky to make several trips on business but would love to spend a few weeks really exploring the place. Birthday greetings from sunny (today anyway) Alaska!

  • Reply
    ZanieOR's Profile Photo
    May 2, 2008 at 9:38 PM

    I'm researching (obsessing about) my upcoming visit to Washington D.C. in June and your tips are great. I know several people who were guests at the opening of the American Indian museum, one of my "must see" stops.

  • Reply
    Pawtuxet's Profile Photo
    Mar 11, 2007 at 2:59 PM

    Hi there...almost spring and I think of DC again. Wonderful to review your pics and think about my spring trips.

  • Reply
    icunme's Profile Photo
    Jul 22, 2006 at 5:28 AM

    Hi Rex - How did I miss these great DC pages? Always looking for a trip back to my Washington memory lane. Grazie, Carol

  • Reply
    moiraistyx's Profile Photo
    Jul 10, 2006 at 10:01 AM

    Wonderful tips and pictures. This is a fantastic page.

  • Reply
    gilabrand's Profile Photo
    May 8, 2006 at 1:37 AM

    Good to know about this $$$ saving bus!

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