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Washington, D.C.

Washington Monument Lightning Rod

The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

The Cairo

This unacceptably tall building was the real reason for Washington, D.C.'s skyscraper ban.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

Serenity Statue

This poor little statue is the most vandalized memorial in Washington.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

Site of the Knickerbocker Disaster

You could be standing at the site of one of D.C.'s most fatal tragedies and not even know it.
WhiskeyBristles Added by WhiskeyBristles
Washington, D.C.

Uncle Beazley the Triceratops

A celebrity from the late Cretaceous period.
Added by brazellrobert
Washington, D.C.

Alferd Packer Cannibal Plaque

A brass plaque dedicated to a convicted cannibal hangs in the National Press Club, and that's not even the craziest part of the story.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

The Mutilated Currency Division

An obscure public service from the U.S. government that redeems burnt, moldy, and soiled old greenbacks.
Added by Joshua Sack
Washington, D.C.

Inside the Capitol Dome

The walls of the iconic dome are hollow and have a secret stairway.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

Lincoln Memorial Undercroft

A cavernous three-story, 43,800-square-foot basement that was forgotten about for 60 years.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

National Capitol Columns

The United States Capitol's former columns still stand.
LeahC Added by LeahC
Washington, D.C.

Catacombs of Washington, D.C.

Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

George Washington University's River Horse

The hippo that stands on this university campus was once a drunken flea market purchase.
Added by dczippy
Washington, D.C.

First Teddy Bear

The story behind this beloved toy—named for Theodore Roosevelt and owned by his grandson—is more complicated than you might guess.
Added by heshsf
Washington, D.C.

The Kreeger Museum

The legacy of a wealthy executive and his wife, this little-known art museum features works by Picasso, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, and more.
Added by blimpcaptain
Washington, D.C.

Old Post Office Tower

The National Park Service’s best-kept secret with views that rival any in D.C.
Added by heshsf
Washington, D.C.

Rotunda of the Provinces

An echo chamber with a waterfall wrapped around its base at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C.
Added by blimpcaptain
Washington, D.C.

Foundry Branch Tunnel

Once a sewer culvert, this road tunnel now offers cyclists and pedestrians a subterranean stroll under the C&O Canal.
Added by blimpcaptain
Washington, D.C.

General Sheridan's Horse Rienzi Winchester

This taxidermy horse was a Civil War hero.
e1savage Added by e1savage
Washington, D.C.

Letelier-Moffitt Monument

A diminutive memorial marks the site of a successful assassination by a right-wing death squad in America's capital.
WhiskeyBristles Added by WhiskeyBristles
Washington, D.C.

Hall of Fake Presidents

Where you can hail your favorite fictional commanders-in-chief.
Pat Cassels Added by Pat Cassels
Washington, D.C.

Mummified Bison

The 28,000-year-old specimen is remarkably intact.
Added by dinosaur
Washington, D.C.

Capitol Air Conditioning Towers

"Congress may voluntarily remain in session throughout the summer, in order that our Congressmen may be protected from the intolerable discomforts and dangers of the ordinary outdoor weather!”
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

Overthrust Fault

A surprising, but overlooked example of geology in the middle of the nation’s capital.
bryanwoerner Added by bryanwoerner
Washington, D.C.

Baptist Alley

This unassuming passageway played a key role in one of the most important events in U.S. history.
dlc31723 Added by dlc31723