What Is Washington DC Famous For?

Definition of "What is Washington DC famous for?"

The city capital of Washington D.C. is famous for … well … for being the capital of the United States of America. That is probably the first thing that people think about when they hear of the city of Washington D.C., but that is only one reason why the city is famous. We’ll take a look at several factors to be considered when discussing the fame and popularity of our nation’s capital.

Washington DC - the Capital City of the US

As stated above, the city’s status as the nation’s capital is the number one thing people know when they think of DC. The idea of Washington D.C. becoming the capital of the United States of America began on July 9th, 1790. At that time, Congress approved through the Residence Act the creation of the US capital on the Potomac River. Afterward, Maryland and Virginia both ceded a total of 100-square miles of land for the construction of the federal city. By 1801 the District of Columbia was placed under the exclusive control of the federal government. At that time, the District of Columbia occupied 100 square miles with four equal 10 square mile sides. The District of Columbia was an exact square. Later on, it was decided that the territory ceded by Virginia, south of the Potomac River, being no longer necessary, was returned.

Washington DC - the Status of the Capital

Currently, Washington D.C. does not belong to either Maryland or Virginia. Despite this, Washington D.C. is not a state. The highest authority over the area is the U.S. Congress, being able to overthrow local laws. Because of this bizarre situation, after the District of Columbia was placed under the federal government’s rule, the capital residents had no right to vote in presidential elections before 1961.


Other factors that influence the city’s fame are its high concentration of embassies, museums, and monuments, especially on Capitol Hill, some of which can be visited for free. All three branches of government are located on Capitol Hill: Congress (legislative), the Presidents (executive), and the Supreme Court (judicial). The rest of the territory is residential, with approximately 714,000 people living there. If you’re planning on becoming a new Washingtonian, contact the local real estate agents in Washington DC and find your home in one of the best neighborhoods of the city’s 131 neighborhoods.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

(1) Temporary and symbolic payment showing good faith and obligating two or more individuals until a final transaction takes place. The binder is typically returned if the final agreement ...

Direct line of descent as from father to son. An example of a lineal hereditament would be passing of the title of real property by virtue of a will to the first-born son. ...

Any of a number of types of covenants agreeing to do or not to do something that is attached to the title and is passed form one owner to the next. See also covenant running with the land. ...

Unable to sell an investment to obtain cash in the short-term without incurring A significant loss. Real Estate is typically not liquid because of the inability to sell property to raise ...

Opening in the wall of a structure to let in air and light. ...

Span of time a rental agreement is free to the occupant. A landlord may offer this as an incentive to stimulate rentals. For example, an owner of an office building may provide a free ...

Costs taken over an above what one is entitled to. This can occur either by claiming depreciation costs exceeding actual depreciable value or by depreciating items that cannot be ...

Charge by the lender to keep credit available to the potential borrower. Once the loan is made, interest is charged on the amount borrowed. Real estate businesses often need money available ...

Local government ordinances governing real estate development including structural and design aspects. Zoning ordinances usually define various usage classifications ranging from ...