Getting There & Away

The US Congress met in a variety of cities - Philadelphia, New York and Princeton among them - before the fledgling republic was ready to commit to a permanent seat of government. Congress chose the Potomac as a natural midpoint that would satisfy both northern and southern states (whose cultural and political differences were apparent well before the Civil War of 1861-1865). This spot had the added benefit of being across the river from George Washington's home in Mount Vernon.

Folks started referring to it as 'the city of Washington' around 1791 and the name stuck. Maryland and Virginia agreed to cede land to create the District of Columbia (named for Christopher Columbus), and an area 'ten miles square' (26 sq km) was laid out by African American mathematician Benjamin Banneker and surveyor Andrew Ellicott. French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant was hired to design the city and though his elegant plan was widely admired, he quickly ran afoul of local politics. After L'Enfant was fired, Banneker continued to carry out L'Enfant's plans.

Work started on the ornate Capitol in 1793, but it was barely complete when British troops torched it in the War of 1812. Though the Capitol was eventually rebuilt, the city entered a slump from which it wouldn't recover for decades. A dispirited vote to abandon the capital lost by only nine votes. Charles Dickens visited and dismissed DC as 'the City of Magnificent Distances', complaining about 'spacious avenues that begin in nothing and lead nowhere; mile-long streets that only want houses, roads and inhabitants; and public buildings that need a public'.

The Civil War focused attention on Washington, bringing bivouacs, temporary hospitals and armies to its outskirts. The war's chaos and expense led Washingtonians to wonder whether construction of the elaborate Capitol dome might not be suspended. President Lincoln responded, 'If people see the Capitol going on, it is a sign we intend the Union shall go on.' In the war's aftermath, the Great Emancipator was assassinated in Ford's Theater (a memorial flag remains draped over the theatre box shrine today) and the role of the U.S. capital changed from state-led administration to centralized leadership.

The town's ailing infrastructure was overhauled in the 1870s by territorial governor Alexander 'Boss' Shepherd, whose extravagant use of federal funds and penchant for steamrolling anything in his way led to a crackdown by Congress that robbed DC of self-government for another 100 years. For the citizenry, it was a high price to pay for a city beginning to look like it might fulfil L'Enfant's original vision of a world-class capital.

A beautification plan at the start of the 20th century added most of the landscaping, parks, and monuments for which Washington is now well known. Nevertheless, until recently Washington suffered from its image as a Southern backwater. The Kennedy Center, established as a living memorial to JFK, did much to bring cosmopolitan culture to the area.

The city's intense and divisive political climate is downright romantic to political activists. Spectacular free art is visible at every turn. DC has evolved into a national pilgrimage center for many citizens. Yet Washington is notorious, too, for the many severe problems that trouble its residents. Poverty, crime and racial segregation in the shadow of glorious monuments proclaiming 'equality for all' embarrass those who would hope to hold the nation's capital up as a model. Washington, DC, is no paragon, but it is a microcosm - of the grand ideals and grim realities of the nation.

The 90s saw Washington fall into a disarray from which recovery has been slow. Mayor Marion Barry was videotaped smoking crack and the city was nicknamed the 'Murder Capital' as gang warfare became common on the streets. However, under the more low-key Mayor Williams, elected in 1999, Washington began to pull out of its decline and return to stability, assisted by nationwide boom times.

On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked Washington, flying a hijacked United Airlines plane into the Pentagon causing significant damage, killing and injuring many inside the Pentagon, and killing all aboard that flight. A second plane was also hijacked by terrorists and crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Tt, too, was intended to hit a Washington target. On the same day two more hijacked planes destroyed New York's twin towers, killing thousands of people. The terrorist attacks were the worst ever on U.S. soil.

Despite security remaining high around Washington's key monuments, it is clear that the city has come a long way towards repairing both the Pentagon and its damaged psyche, with visitors returning and hotels refilling. And, while crime remains a problem and District finances still need help, Washington's city is once more a place to live, not just to visit.

Getting Around

You'll be surprised to learn that DC has some of the nation's worst traffic congestion, so driving can be a real teeth-gritting experience. Cycling is one of the best ways to get around DC and rental companies like Better Bikes Inc. deliver and pick up bikes anywhere in the DC area.

DC's Metrobus system efficiently services the city and surrounding suburbs, as does the sleek new Metrorail. It is well funded and well maintained. Parking is available at certain outlying stations. In addition to Metro, two commuter train systems serve downtown DC from the Maryland and Virginia suburbs, but these are mainly commuter lines designed around the working week.

There is no shortage of cabs in DC - Diamond Yellow and Capitol being the two major companies, while the municipal bus service fills in the gaps in the Metro routes, although it can be slow-going in Washington traffic.

If you want to drive, all of the usual car rental operators are located downtown or at the area airports, but driving is a fool's errand in DC traffic, especially when most sights are within a few blocks of public transportation. Walking is the best way to get around central Washington - most visitors do a lot more of it than they expect.

History

The US Congress met in a variety of cities - Philadelphia, New York and Princeton among them - before the fledgling republic was ready to commit to a permanent seat of government. Congress chose the Potomac as a natural midpoint that would satisfy both northern and southern states (whose cultural and political differences were apparent well before the Civil War of 1861-1865). This spot had the added benefit of being across the river from George Washington's home in Mount Vernon.

Folks started referring to it as 'the city of Washington' around 1791 and the name stuck. Maryland and Virginia agreed to cede land to create the District of Columbia (named for Christopher Columbus), and an area 'ten miles square' (26 sq km) was laid out by African American mathematician Benjamin Banneker and surveyor Andrew Ellicott. French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant was hired to design the city and though his elegant plan was widely admired, he quickly ran afoul of local politics. After L'Enfant was fired, Banneker continued to carry out L'Enfant's plans.

Work started on the ornate Capitol in 1793, but it was barely complete when British troops torched it in the War of 1812. Though the Capitol was eventually rebuilt, the city entered a slump from which it wouldn't recover for decades. A dispirited vote to abandon the capital lost by only nine votes. Charles Dickens visited and dismissed DC as 'the City of Magnificent Distances', complaining about 'spacious avenues that begin in nothing and lead nowhere; mile-long streets that only want houses, roads and inhabitants; and public buildings that need a public'.

The Civil War focused attention on Washington, bringing bivouacs, temporary hospitals and armies to its outskirts. The war's chaos and expense led Washingtonians to wonder whether construction of the elaborate Capitol dome might not be suspended. President Lincoln responded, 'If people see the Capitol going on, it is a sign we intend the Union shall go on.' In the war's aftermath, the Great Emancipator was assassinated in Ford's Theater (a memorial flag remains draped over the theatre box shrine today) and the role of the U.S. capital changed from state-led administration to centralized leadership.

The town's ailing infrastructure was overhauled in the 1870s by territorial governor Alexander 'Boss' Shepherd, whose extravagant use of federal funds and penchant for steamrolling anything in his way led to a crackdown by Congress that robbed DC of self-government for another 100 years. For the citizenry, it was a high price to pay for a city beginning to look like it might fulfil L'Enfant's original vision of a world-class capital.

A beautification plan at the start of the 20th century added most of the landscaping, parks, and monuments for which Washington is now well known. Nevertheless, until recently Washington suffered from its image as a Southern backwater. The Kennedy Center, established as a living memorial to JFK, did much to bring cosmopolitan culture to the area.

The city's intense and divisive political climate is downright romantic to political activists. Spectacular free art is visible at every turn. DC has evolved into a national pilgrimage center for many citizens. Yet Washington is notorious, too, for the many severe problems that trouble its residents. Poverty, crime and racial segregation in the shadow of glorious monuments proclaiming 'equality for all' embarrass those who would hope to hold the nation's capital up as a model. Washington, DC, is no paragon, but it is a microcosm - of the grand ideals and grim realities of the nation.

The 90s saw Washington fall into a disarray from which recovery has been slow. Mayor Marion Barry was videotaped smoking crack and the city was nicknamed the 'Murder Capital' as gang warfare became common on the streets. However, under the more low-key Mayor Williams, elected in 1999, Washington began to pull out of its decline and return to stability, assisted by nationwide boom times.

On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked Washington, flying a hijacked United Airlines plane into the Pentagon causing significant damage, killing and injuring many inside the Pentagon, and killing all aboard that flight. A second plane was also hijacked by terrorists and crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Tt, too, was intended to hit a Washington target. On the same day two more hijacked planes destroyed New York's twin towers, killing thousands of people. The terrorist attacks were the worst ever on U.S. soil.

Despite security remaining high around Washington's key monuments, it is clear that the city has come a long way towards repairing both the Pentagon and its damaged psyche, with visitors returning and hotels refilling. And, while crime remains a problem and District finances still need help, Washington's city is once more a place to live, not just to visit.