The United States’ capital city Washington D.C. exists as a separate entity from the states that surround it and has quite a great deal of visitor attractions as well as important buildings and houses the states’ most important or highest government buildings such as the White House. Most people that have visited this city agree you need multiple days to be able to see all of the interesting historical monuments and other attractions. However, there’s much more behind the U.S.’s capital than meets the eye. Here are some fun facts about Washington D.C. that you may not know.
Wine Love
Per capita, the citizens of Washington D.C. drink more wine in this city alone than in the rest of the U.S. states. Not an accomplishment many people would expect, but a single city being capable of drinking more wine per capita than the rest of the states is certainly something to consider an achievement (whether good or bad of one is up to you).
New Names
The White House has only been called that title since 1901 when President Roosevelt officially claimed the name from a newspaper discussion of the building. Before that, the White House was called the President’s House or Palace. Similarly, many other buildings and monuments have been altered or renamed over the years.
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Missing Letter?
Those that have learned about or visited Washington D.C. know that the streets are labeled in letters and numbers. North and South traveling streets get numbers, but the East and West traveling streets have the letters of the alphabet. Except for the letter J. This was because J and I were too similarly written at the time of naming the streets of D.C. so only one was used.
Hidden Underneath
Beneath the Capitol, there are miles worth of underground tunnels and a crypt. The crypt was designated for George Washington but wasn’t used by him in his death. However, the tunnels are still in use and are for only senators and House members which can’t be seen or used by any members of the public. There are also dozens of underground nuclear fallout shelters in the city.
Bigger Than It Looks
We all know the White House is massive from the many aerial views and photos that have been taken of it. But to put this into perspective from a numerical standpoint, the White House has 6 floors worth of levels and 132 rooms. There are also over 30 bathrooms within the building and even a total of 28 fireplaces. That’s truly large.
Diversity
Washington D.C. has been known for being heavily diverse and continues to do so, there have been many important causes protested or fought for within the city throughout the decades it has been in existence. Not only this, but around 15% of its residents speak languages other than English in the home or primarily. And it’s home to over 100 cultural centers and embassies.
It’s true that when you visit D.C. you can see a great deal of history and learn much about the city, especially with repeat visits. But some of these fun facts aren’t discernable from visits or simple historical research on the city, and they’re quite interesting to be able to add to your knowledge of the United States as a whole or Washington D.C. in specific. There are even more items that could be added to this list of fun facts, but these are some of the most eye-catching and lesser known ones that hopefully give even knowledgeable people something new to think about when regarding this important U.S. city.