Washington, D.C.

• Population- 581,500
• Time zone- Eastern
• Date of Founding- July 16, 1790
• Slogan- "Justice for All"
• Website URL- http://www.dc.gov/

Washington, D.C., otherwise known as the District of Columbia, is not a state, but a federally recognized district, owned by the federal government and intended to serve as the country’s capital. The land that comprises greater D.C. was originally a combination of Maryland and Virginia-owned lands.

The District of Columbia, architecturally planned with its series of grid-like streets named for various states of the Union, had other such plans attached to it, and was ultimately the final work of a number of designers. The White House, residence for the President and his family, is located on Pennsylvania Avenue, perhaps the most infamous street in the U.S. The historic abode was started in the early 1790s and President John Adams was the first to take up habitation in 1800.

Ground Zero for Activism

During the 60s the city was the site for countless Civil Rights demonstrations, the most notable following Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. But large-scale protests and activist demonstrations continue to be fixtures in the city. D.C, after all is one of the most politically important on the planet, there is no other more perfect venue for demonstration that proves freedom of speech is alive and well, or that delivers quite the political and social visibility.

Can D.C. Get Statehood?

Up until 1974, D.C. had no form of traditional municipal government--the likes of most states, but rather a Presidential-appointed board of commissioners whose responsibility it was to manage the affairs of the city. During the early 80s, D.C. experienced a population boom congruent with the urban influx apparent all over the U.S. Then over the next decade it succumbed to urban exodus. Today, the city seems more akin to a small state and occasional official pursuits of statehood have been common.

Tourist Mecca

The city hosts millions of tourists from all over the world annually. The monuments comprise some of the most visited in the U.S. The federal infrastructure is also headquartered within the city, including the Pentagon, the Capital, the United States Mint, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Library of Congress, to name a few; as are a number of large museums and galleries: the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Air and Space Museum. The city is also chockfull of leading broadcast companies, top-notch colleges and universities, and hundreds of historic and influential sites.