25 Crazy Things You Didn't Know About Washington DC

• published: 03 Jul 2015
• views: 11101

Did you know that Washington DC is not a city? Or even a state? And did you know that the state capitol building has its own metro system? It's true. These are 25 crazy things you didn’t know about Washington DC. Follow us on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/list25 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/list25 Website: http://list25.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/list25/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/list25/ Check out the physical list at - http://list25.com/25-crazy-things-you-didnt-know-about-washington-dc/ These facts might just change your view on Washington DC: In 1983 the District of Columbia petitioned to become a state that would be called New Columbia Why? One reason is that citizens of the district do not have a voting representative in the national legislature License plates are emblazoned with the age old phrase "taxation without representation" that the colonies used during the Revolutionary War More wine is consumed per person in DC than anywhere else in the US The Arlington Ladies is a group of women who attend the funeral of every soldier in the national cemetery so that no soldier is ever buried alone In Washington DC there is 1 lawyer for every 19 residents For every US senator there are 74 lobbyists You probably could have guessed that the "Washington" in "Washington DC" comes from George Washington but did you know that the "Columbia" in "District of Columbia" is a tribute to Christopher Columbus Washington DC is not a city or a state. It is a special federal district created to be the seat of government Remember how we said that DC residents don't have voting rights in congress? That's because the district was created as a seat of government and not intended for people to live in (although today more than half a million people call it home) Ever since 1971 the district has had one representative in the House of Representatives but he/she doesn't have voting rights. The Library of Congress is the largest library in the country It has over 500 miles of bookshelves A former Mouseketeer wrote Washington DC's song in 1951 The White House was the place of residence for every US president except George Washington The US capitol building has its own subway lines Underneath the capital building is a crypt where George Washington was going to be buried And underneath that is a nuclear fallout shelter 8 presidents never went to college: Washington, Jackson, Van Buren, Taylor, Fillmore, Lincoln, Johnson, and Cleveland. The Washington Monument is the world's tallest free standing masonry structure And the world's tallest obelisk There is a grotesque of Darth Vader on the Washington National Cathedral Other cities that have served as the US capital have been New York City, Philadelphia, and Annapolis The National Air and Space Museum is one of the most popular museums in the world. It attracts more than 9 million people annually Speaking of museums, if you ever visit you'll be happy to find out that most (over 100) of the museums and attractions are free The capitol of the United States, Washington DC is a pretty cool place. If you ever get the chance to visit you should absolutely do it. But before you do, check out these cool lists: 25 Places That Look Like They Are From Another Planet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLUXxZftNqY&index;=50&list;=PL3Ikn3SKdJHgnTKi4Fy65KWOwbban6fym and 25 Facts About Australia That Show Why It’s So Unique - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axYTfaDz9EY&index;=78&list;=PL3Ikn3SKdJHgnTKi4Fy65KWOwbban6fym