Before Washington, D.C. became the established capital of the United States in 1800, the nascent government convened in various cities, from Baltimore to New York City. The selection of a permanent capital was a subject of considerable debate among the nation’s founders. Ultimately, the Residence Act of July 1790 marked a turning point, stipulating that the capital would be located along the Potomac River. This act also empowered President George Washington to pinpoint the exact location and appoint commissioners to oversee the development of this new federal city, with a deadline set for December 1800 to have a legislative building and presidential residence ready.
In January 1791, President Washington declared his choice: a 100-square-mile area of land donated by Maryland and Virginia. While a portion of the Virginia land was later returned in 1846, this area was to become the nation’s capital. By September of the same year, the commissioners formally named the federal city “Washington,” in honor of the president. Crucially, they designated the surrounding area, the federal district itself, as the “Territory of Columbia.” This name, “Columbia,” was a popular patriotic reference to the United States during the Revolutionary era, derived from the explorer Christopher Columbus. It wasn’t until 1871 that the “Territory of Columbia” was officially renamed the “District of Columbia.”
To design this new capital, President Washington enlisted Pierre Charles L’Enfant, a French-born architect and engineer with Revolutionary War experience, in the spring of 1791. L’Enfant envisioned a city of grand avenues and public spaces. However, disagreements with the commissioners and local landowners led to his resignation from the project within a year. Despite this, L’Enfant’s original plan significantly shaped the future development of Washington, D.C., even as it was refined by subsequent planners.
Congress officially convened in Washington for the first time in November 1800, shortly after the death of George Washington. In February 1801, the District of Columbia, which at that time included Alexandria and Georgetown, was formally placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. Today, Washington, D.C. is a vibrant capital city with a population exceeding 650,000 residents. While these residents are represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by a non-voting delegate, they gained the right to vote for president in 1964 with the 23rd Amendment and have elected their own mayor and city council since 1974. The name “District of Columbia” thus reflects both the historical context of its naming, honoring Christopher Columbus through the symbolic name Columbia, and its unique status as a federal district, distinct from the states, under the direct authority of the U.S. Congress.
