• Date: January 12, 2012
• Author: Ellen
• 3 Comments

The Washington Monument; Washington, D.C.

The year was 1989. Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” dominated the airwaves. The Berlin Wall was on its way down. George Herbert Walker Bush had just taken the oath of office as the 41st President of the United States. And I was just an eager first grader at Stockwell Elementary School trying my best to color within the lines when I received the exciting news I would soon be traveling with my mom and grandma to Washington, D.C.

My first real trip! For a kid who could already list all the U.S. presidents in reverse chronological order, the destination could not have been more perfect.

Before leaving, I figured it would be a good idea to let the new President know I was on my way. So I wrote him a letter detailing my favorite sports and school subjects and ended with a request to meet his dog, Millie the Springer Spaniel, when I visited the White House. (I also apologized for voting for Michael Dukakis in my class election.)

How could he possibly say no to a little girl’s request?

Finally, after months of waiting, I received a response back from the President. Much to my chagrin, it was just a magazine that talked about how great it was to visit the White House, which of course he didn’t really need to convince me of since that’s why I wrote in the first place. Strangely, no mention of whether or not I’d be able to meet Millie the dog …

But it didn’t really matter anyway. My love-affair with my nation’s capital had already begun and nothing could dampen my excitement.

For 22 years, since that first trip, Washington, D.C. has been my favorite city in the United States. Some people think I’m crazy; a bit sick, actually. After all, why would I want to spend so much time in a place notorious for its politics and bickering; it’s security threats and metal detectors; and its endless monuments to dead presidents and wars?

Great questions. I have no idea, really. I just love the history. I love that something is always going on and that something always has gone on for two hundred years. I love that we’ve actually decided that it’s important to honor people who have contributed something to this nation. I love that we have a place to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for our country. I love that it is a place that feels important, for decisions made there affect the U.S. and the world, whether for the better or worse.

I love it because it is so unlike any other city in the United States. After all, it has quite the intentional history …

The Marshy Land along the Potomac

Did you know that George Washington, the first U.S. President, never actually lived in the White House? In fact, the nation’s capital was not even Washington, D.C. — it was Philadelphia (though for the first 16 months of his presidency, Washington was based in New York). But this doesn’t mean Washington did not play a large role in the development of the future capital. It was actually Washington who selected the marshy land along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers to serve as the nation’s capital. He tagged Pierre L’Enfant, a Frenchman who fought for America during the Revolutionary War, to design the layout of the city.

L’Enfant had a vision: a “public walk”, which would stretch between the Capitol Building and the White House, connecting the Legislative and Executive branches with a beautiful public space. Today this beautiful park, the National Mall, stretches for two miles bordered by Smithsonian museums and dotted with monuments and memorials honoring America’s heroes, including George Washington himself.

Although much of this city is modeled after European cities and structures of that day, it remains, nonetheless, distinctly American.

The area now known as Washington, D.C. was authorized by Congress in 1790, it would take a decade to develop it into the capital city. John Adams became the first president to live in the White House in 1800. The location was strategically selected as more-or-less a halfway point between southern and northern states and because its location on the Potomac River provided easier access to westward expansion.

The Capitol building became the focus of the city, and even to this day, there is an ordinance preventing buildings from being built beyond a certain height so as to not overshadow the grandeur of the Capitol.

In 1814, the White House was burned by the British while President James Madision was in office. It was later rebuilt and continues to serve as a symbol of America to the world at its famous address, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Today, Washington, D.C. is home to America’s Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches of government, as well as headquarters for dozens of government agencies. Many people find the government attractions in Washington, D.C. to be reason enough alone to visit (especially if you’re looking for a place to take your 8th grade civics students!).

But fortunately for travelers with broader interests, Washington, D.C. has a wealth of other attractions to keep visitors interested and entertained for days.

This is the first among several articles that will explore the highlights of Washington, D.C. over the next few weeks.

Stay tuned for more on how you, too, can visit America’s capital.

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