The DC Traveler

The United States Marine Band will honor its most famous leader, American march composer, John Phillips Sousa, in a memorial morning concert at Congressional Cemetery.  This free concert will pay tribute on the 152nd anniversary of his birth.
The U.S. Marine Band was formed by Act of Congress during the presidency of John Adams in 1798 and has performed for every Presidential Inauguration since Thomas Jefferson’s.
Sousa took over the as the 17th leader of the U.S. Marine Band in 1880.  During his years as bandleader, he embarked on the first of many national tours where they introduced the nation to the …read more

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In the heart of Georgetown, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of retail shops, offices and restaurants, is The Old Stone House. It’s the oldest building on its original site in Washington DC.
The Old Stone House is an excellent example of pre-Revolutionary Vernacular architecture.  Built in 1765 before the District was even planned as the nation’s capital; it reflects an early-American middle-class home and cabinetmaker’s workshop.
Before being purchased by the Federal government in 1953, it housed among other things, a paint store, a clock store, a haberdashery, a tavern (perhaps) and even a used car sales office.
Now furnished with period …read more

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Washington DC can initially be a confusing place to get around in on foot or by car.  Understanding the basic framework of streets, avenues and circles can make traveling in DC significantly easier.  
It’s rumored that the city’s primary planner, Pierre Charles L’Enfant, designed the city to confuse potential invaders. Well, he probably succeeded in confusing at least a good portion of the tourists some 200 years later.  Once you understand the city’s grid, numbering and street naming system, getting around is fairly easy. Besides, if you’re planning on invading…you’ll first need a government permit.
General City Layout
Washington DC is a city divided …read more

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First, I’d like to start with a bit of history about the original layout and design of Washington DC.
 
As the new federal capital was being planned in the early 1790s, U.S. Army Major Pierre Charles L’Enfant, urban planner and architect, was appointed by George Washington to design the initial street plan of a Capitol or Federal City – now called Washington DC.
 
He previously served on General Washington’s staff as well as with him at Valley Forge during the infamous winter of the American Revoliution in 1777-8. He was later promoted to Major in the Corp of Engineers in 1783 due …read more

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