What’s The Inside Track On Washington DC?

Unlike most other American cities - which have usually evolved from railroad junctions or Native American settlements - Washington DC was purpose-built.

In order not to inflame inter-state rivalries, a swamp, perhaps ominously, was chosen by George Washington to be the fledgling seat of federal government. Because of this historic decision to build from scratch, Washington has an overt orderliness to its planning.

French architect, Pierre L'Enfant was commissioned to design the city. His wide tree-lined boulevards, lush parks and elegant civic buildings give Washington a distinctly European appearance. Even today, there are few skyscrapers to disrupt the low-rise cityscape.

Thought was also applied by the first President to Washington's physically strategic, as well as diplomatically strategic, location. Therefore, the capital lies on the Potomac River, which gives onto the Atlantic, and is roughly equidistant between North and South.

Being home to the world's largest democracy and machinery of government means Washington has seen more than its fair share of political intrigue and scandal over the centuries. In everyday terms, Capitol Hill shapes the lives of Washington's inhabitants - from providing federal government jobs to the more recent heightening of security in and around the city.

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