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Although Our country was established as an official country in 1781, an “official “ capital city was yet to be chosen. For years the nation’s capital city moved from place to place. The new country’s government resided in famous cities such as Baltimore, Maryland, Princeton, New Jersey, Trenton (New Jersey), New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Finding a piece of land for the capital was tricky. Many states were eager to have the new national capital city. As a result, in 1790, land donated by both Maryland and Virginia was set aside as the home of the new capital city. The location was surveyed along the Potomac River by George Washington himself!

Washington, District of Columbia  The Name Washington D.C. was a result of a 3 ideas put together.  1. Washington – named after our 1 st president  2. District ( name of a city)  3. Columbia – nickname for the U.S. as well and borrowed from Christopher Columbus

 The American -born French architect Pierre L’Enfant was chosen to design and plan the layout of D.C. However, after a disagreement over a blueprint/map. Andrew Ellicott who was surveying the new construction laid down the final design that would become Washington D.C.

 Quite a bit of thought went into how the streets were planned out. In order to navigate easily through the city, all streets running north to south were numbered, while those running east to west were designated with letters. All diagonal avenues received state names in honor of our country.

 Finally, by the year 1800, the United States Government moved into Washington D.C. The city although still being built, was officially declared the capital of the our young country. John Adams was the first president to reside in the newly built (but unfinished) president’s home officially called the “Executive Mansion”, but nicknamed the “Whitehouse”.