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796 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
What was the original size of the District before the VA retrocession? What size is it now?
100 square miles originally. Now 68 square miles (61 square miles land, 7 water).
What is the meaning of the District's motto "Justitia Omnibus"?
"Justice for all"
In 1967 who became the first home-rule mayor of DC and the first black mayor of a major US city?
Walter Washington
Which President did DC police officer William West cite for speeding in his buggy?
Ulysses S. Grant
What tragic event involved DC policewoman Gail A. Cobb in September 1974?
She was the first female police officer in the US to die in the line of duty
Margaret Gorman of Washington DC was the first woman to win which contest?
The Miss America pageant (then called the Atlantic City Pageant, Inter-City)
If the District were to achieve statehood, what name has been suggested for the new state?
New Columbia
The per capita income of Washington DC comes second to which state?
None. Counting DC as a state, it has the highest per capita income of any state at $66,000 a year; Connecticut has the highest of any actual state at $54,000. Answer current as of 2009. [Changed answer from packet. Orig. answer Alaska, which appears to never have been the case. Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Commerce Dept., going back to 1995.]
Which late Motown superstar was born in Washington DC on April 2, 1939?
Marvin Gaye, at Freedmen's Hospital
What hotel chain got its start in Washington DC?
Marriott International; J. Willard Marriott started the company as a root beer stand in 1927, at 3128 14th St. NW
What Washington first did the Miller House (2201 Massachusetts Ave NW) feature in 1901?
An automobile garage
Next to government, what is the largest industry in Washington DC?
Professional, scientific and technical services, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010. [Changed from "Publishing" in orig. Very ambiguous question, depending on how one defines "industry", but publishing is subset of "Information" in BLS' "supersectors", and the "Legal Services" subset of "Professional, Scientific and Technical Services" outnumbers all of the "Information" supersector.]
What popular book, written in 1886, was authored by Washingtonian Frances Hodgson Burnett?
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Alexander Graham Bell's father-in-law, Gardner Hubbard, founded what famous magazine in 1888?
National Geographic
For what newspaper did Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward work when they broke the Watergate scandal?
The Washington Post
What church owns The Washington Times?
The Unification Church (Rev. Sun Myung Moon)
The files of what former Washington newspaper are kept at the MLK, Jr. Memorial Library?
The Washington Star
What was unusual about Washington DC's streetcars?
They had no overhead wires (banned by Congress in 1889)

[NOTE: This only holds true in Georgetown and in the original boundaries of Pierre L'Enfant's design of Washington, i.e. the "historic center city", bounded by the Anacostia, the Potomac, and Florida Ave., then called "Boundary Street". The "new" parts of DC constructed throughout the 20th century did allow overhead wires, though Congress tried to limit them, as part of a piecemeal set of compromises as the cost of extending underground power for new streetcar lines in "new" DC became prohibitive, especially in the then-new suburbs in hilly areas like Cleveland Park or marshy areas like Anacostia.]
In 1871, Congress established the first Territorial Government of the District of Columbia. Who was the first Territorial Governor?
Henry D. Cooke
Outside the Wilson Building (formerly District Building) stands a statue of what Territorial Governor?
Alexander Robey "Boss" Shepherd (removed by Marion Barry in 1979, restored 2005)
What Territorial Governor was responsible for paving much of DC during the 1870s?
Alexander Robey "Boss" Shepherd
Who nearly bankrupted Washington DC during Territorial Rule?
Alexander Robey "Boss" Shepherd
What stadium did the Washington Senators use before RFK Stadium was built?
Griffith Stadium (Georgia Ave. and W St. NW), named for owner Clark Griffith
In 1960 the original Washington Senators left town to become what baseball team?
The Minnesota Twins
In 1972 the expansion Washington Senators left town to become what team?
The Texas Rangers
Who did Joe Louis defeat to retain his heavyweight title at Griffith Stadium on May 23, 1941?
Buddy Baer
In what year did the Washington Bullets win the NBA championship?
1978
During what season did Vince Lombardi lead the Washington Redskins?
1969
What was the first federally built airport in the United States?
Washington National Airport (later Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport)
What action was taken in part to consolidate the B&O and B&P railroad stations?
The construction of Union Station
Who is the original architect of the Federal City?
Pierre Charles L'Enfant
When did the federal government move from Philadelphia, PA to Washington, DC?
November 17, 1800; Congress meets in session [Changed from "November 22, 1800; Congress convened" in orig. This is wrong -- Nov. 22 is President Adams' State of the Union, not when Congress entered session, and this was NOT when the Sixth Congress "convened", i.e. started a new term -- that was March 4, 1799]
Which black mathematician and astronomer helped survey the original District?
Benjamin Banneker
What are the District's official tree, flower and bird?
Scarlet oak, American Beauty rose, wood thrush
When was the official District flag design adopted?
On Oct. 15, 1938

It consists of three red stars ("mullets") over two horizontal red bars on a white field

Designed by Charles A.R. Dunn in a contest
What is the District flag patterned after?
George Washington's family coat of arms
What eight cities have served as the national capital before Washington DC?
Annapolis, MD
Baltimore, MD
Trenton, NJ
Princeton, NJ
New York, NY
Lancaster, PA
York, PA
Philadelphia, PA
When was the city of Washington, DC chartered?
On May 3, 1802; given a mayor and six-member city council appointed by the President
When was the city of Georgetown merged into the single Washington, DC entity?
February 21, 1871, with the District of Columbia Organic Act
How many members sit on the DC City Council currently?
13, plus the mayor
What is the population of Washington DC? How does it rank against other cities nationally?
591,833. 27th in the nation. [As of 2008]
President Taft established what commission in 1910 to oversee subsequent city development?
The United States Commission of Fine Arts (or Council of Fine Arts) [Note: The CFA lacks authority over the Capitol Complex, i.e. Capitol, Library of Congress, etc., which remains under authority of the Architect of the Capitol]
What legislative body retains final review and veto power over most of DC's laws?
The United States Congress
What was the first leg of the DC Metro to be opened to the public?
Farragut North to Rhode Island Ave., Red Line, March 27, 1976
Under which President was the current Washington DC city council system established?
Lyndon Baines Johnson
For which two famous people is Washington DC named?
George Washington and Christopher Columbus
What is the name of the main library of the District of Columbia?
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
What features were originally designed for city beautification and possibly defense, but now help create traffic problems?
L'Enfant's circular and square parks
What is the center of Washington's four quadrants?
The Capitol
What are the only two states that do not have avenues named for them in DC?
California (St), Ohio (Dr)
On what street does the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade take place?
Constitution Ave.
On what bridge is there a plaque dedicated to the President of the CSA, Jefferson Davis?
Union Arch Bridge (a.k.a. Cabin John Bridge); dedicated to him as he was the Secretary of War when work started on it, inscription later removed by Congress, then restored by Teddy Roosevelt
By what other names is the Dumbarton Bridge known?
Buffalo Bridge, Kicking Bear Bridge, Q Street Bridge
What bridge, named for a President, was once called the "Million Dollar Bridge"?
Taft Bridge or Connecticut Avenue Bridge (Connecticut Ave. crossing Rock Creek Park)
What bridge is named for the 28th President of the United States?
Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge (Capital Beltway spanning Potomac)
Into what bridge did Air Florida Flight 90 crash after taking off from National on Jan. 13 1982?
The 14th Street Bridge (E. Potomac Park crossing the Potomac into VA, carrying Rt. 1, 395 and Metro Yellow Line)

Specifically, the central of the five bridge spans, carrying northbound car traffic on 395 -- then known as the Rochambeau Bridge, now named the Arland D. Williams Memorial Bridge after the heroic passenger who sacrificed his life to save the five other survivors (the Rochambeau Bridge is now the second bridge from the west, carrying 395's HOV lanes).
What feature do all DC bridges lack?
Overhead structures
For whom was the Key Bridge named?
Francis Scott Key (Rt. 29 across Potomac from Rosslyn to Georgetown)
What was the name of the first bridge built in DC, in 1797?
Chain Bridge (connects Canal Rd and Clara Barton Pkwy to Rt. 123/Chain Bridge Rd. in VA)

[This is the answer they want if they ask 1797, but it's WRONG: Chain Bridge is the first bridge built over the Potomac, but the first bridge built in the DC area was the M Street Bridge across Rock Creek, between Georgetown and Foggy Bottom, in 1788. The first bridge built after the District was established in 1792 was the old Rock Creek Bridge, known as Federal Bridge, on K Street, where the interchange with I-66 currently is; this bridge was adorned with the names of the 13 states to commemorate the creation of the new capital and John Adams famously crossed it when moving into the White House, and thus is probably the best answer to this question]
What President has two equestrian statues in Washington showing him as a soldier?
George Washington, at Washington Circle and the National Cathedral

[Note: Interestingly enough, there is another answer to this question: Simón Bolívar, the President of Gran Colombia, who is honored with a smaller statue in the OAS building courtyard and at the big monument between the Dept. of the Interior and the OAS building, which may be the tallest equestrian statue in the USA]
Who is the only female equestrian statue in Washington DC?
Joan of Arc, in Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park
Where was Washington DC's first City Hall?
Old City Hall and Courthouse, 451 Indiana Ave. NW (now undergoing renovation as DC Court of Appeals building)
How is Washington DC laid out?
Four quadrants (NW, NE, SW, SE) centered on the Capitol
How are north-south streets identified?
Ascending numerical order starting from the Capitol
How are east-west streets identified?
By letter in alphabetical order starting from the Capitol; then with two-syllable names in alphabetical order, then three-syllable names in alphabetical order, then botanical names without reference to syllable in alphabetical order (this is only necessary in the NW quadrant)
How are most diagonal streets (avenues) named?
After states
Where was the old DC jailhouse built in 1840?
4th and G St. NW
Legend has it that Ulysses S. Grant suggested what street name in DC after a stand of walnut trees?
Tunlaw ("walnut" backwards)
Where is the zero milestone located?
The Ellipse along E St, just south of the White House
What 70-acre area in downtown Washington contains a "unified group of prominent government buildings"?
The Federal Triangle, formed by Constitution Ave, Pennsylvania Ave, 6th St and 15th St (all NW)
What features does Rock Creek Park offer and maintain?
Golf course, paved roads, hiking/jogging trails, bike and bridle paths, picnic areas, stables

Specific features:

Carter Barron Amphitheatre
William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center
Old Stone House
Peirce Mill
Fort Stevens
Battleground National Cemetery
Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park
Montrose Park
Dumbarton Oaks Park (but not the house)

and many, many other parks and Civil War forts throughout DC
What percentage of DC land is owned by the federal government?
23%

[Orig. said 45%. Stats for this are hard to find but it seems this is totally inaccurate -- the Bureau of Land Management has the figure at 23% as of 2000, and steadily decreasing since 1998, when it was 24%.]
How many acres does Rock Creek Park include?
Rock Creek Park proper: 1,754 acres
Administered by Rock Creek Park: 2,820 acres
What institution is the second largest landowner in the District?
George Washington University
Where is the US Naval Observatory now located?
Massachusetts Ave at 34th St. NW, on Observatory Hill
Where in the city is there a center of Islamic art and culture where Muslims representing over 70 countries are called to prayer five times a day?
The Islamic Center of Washington, 2551 Massachusetts Ave NW
The spot where Rock Creek/C&O Canal enters the Potomac, an apartment complex, and a political scandal all share what name?
Watergate
What name was given to B St. N in 1931?
Constitution Ave.
What is the longest street in Washington DC?
Massachusetts Ave (7.6 miles)
What is the second longest street in DC?
Either Southern Ave. (forms the SE border of the District) or 14th St. NW/SW (longest uninterrupted n/s street through the widest n/s portion of DC), both at 7.1 mi -- depends on if you count 14th St. NW/SW as two streets or not

[Orig. had Pennsylvania Ave. as longest -- this is WRONG. Even if we only count the diagonal "state avenues" that are typically used as thoroughfares through the city, the second longest one of these is New York Avenue at 6.3 miles. Pennsylvania is only 5.8 miles, unless you count Pennsylvania's extension into Maryland, and the question implies we're only talking about DC city limits -- or else Pennsylvania would in fact be much longer than Massachusetts.]
Who is the only President to have earned a Ph.D.?
Woodrow Wilson (history and poli sci from Johns Hopkins)
Which six former Presidents served in the US Navy?
John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush
At what club did Ronald Reagan announce his candidacy for President on Nov. 20, 1975?
National Press Club (529 14th St NW)
What President was taught to read and write by his wife?
Andrew Johnson (N.B. As stated here, this Q/A is false -- Andrew was not illiterate when he married Eliza and had taught himself to read and write, but Eliza did help her husband improve his literacy as well as teaching him arithmetic)
President Calvin Coolidge made the first national radio broadcast to the West Coast at the dedication of what organization in 1924?
Original answer: Chamber of Commerce, but it's incorrect.

The premise of this question is incorrect. The broadcast they are referring to, Coolidge's Feb. 22 1924 address, indeed probably was the first radio message to be retransmitted from "coast to coast", though in a more limited sense than what we usually mean -- 42 stations picked up that broadcast, including some on the West Coast. The first "coast-to-coast" broadcast in the sense of being broadcast on a nationwide network was the newly-formed NBC's broadcast of the Rose Bowl from California in 1927.

However, Coolidge's speech was given from the White House, and was a speech in honor of George Washington on his birthday. It bears no connection to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, whose building at 1615 H St. NW was not finished until 1925. (The organization itself had existed since 1912.)

The question may be confusing this speech with the first "political" speech made by a US President on the radio, which was Coolidge's speech on February 12 (Lincoln Day) to the National Republican Club at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York in support of tax cuts for the wealthy. This was, however, only broadcast in the New York area, not across the country.
Where are President George Washington and his wife Martha buried?
Mt. Vernon, VA, family crypt
In 1817, what President was the first to have his inauguration outdoors?
James Monroe, in front of the Old Brick Capitol (1st and A NE, present site of Supreme Court, while Capitol was being rebuilt after War of 1812)

[Note: This was held outdoors by necessity, not choice. The first President to choose to have a large, outdoor public inauguration on the East Portico of the Capitol was Andrew Jackson.]
Which President's son has a memorial on Capitol Hill?
William Howard Taft (son Sen. Robert A. Taft, Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon on Constitution Ave. between 1st St and NJ Ave NW)
Who was the only President to be inaugurated in two different cities?
George Washington (Federal Hall in New York City, Senate Chamber of Congress Hall in Philadelphia)

[Note: Only true if we're only counting official inauguration ceremonies. Otherwise you can also count times a VP took the oath while in another city before taking it again in DC, i.e. Arthur, TR, Coolidge and LBJ]
In 1853, who was the only President to use the word "affirm" in his oath of office?
Franklin Pierce
At what hotel was John Tyler sworn in as President?
Brown's Indian Queen Hotel (6th and Pennsylvania NW, current site of the Newseum)
In what city was Theodore Roosevelt sworn in upon the death of William McKinley?
Buffalo, NY (Ansley Wilcox House)
What President was sworn into office in the House Chamber twice, once in 1809 and again in 1813?
James Madison
Besides outside the Capitol, what other places in DC have been sites for inaugurations?
White House South Lawn (FDR's fourth inaugural), Capitol Rotunda (Ronald Reagan's second inaugural), Senate Chamber, House Chamber, 1st & A NE (Old Brick Capitol, Monroe's first inaugural)
Which President gave the shortest inaugural address?
George Washington (second inaugural), 134 words
Which President gave the longest inaugural address?
William Henry Harrison, 8,444 words, two hours
Which President was sworn into office by his father?
Calvin Coolidge (at the family farm in Vermont at 2:30 AM; John Coolidge was a notary public)
Who was the first President to live in the White House?
John Adams
Who was the only man to serve as both President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
William Howard Taft
Which President sold his personal library to rebuild the Library of Congress?
Thomas Jefferson (6,487 books!)
Which President lent his personal library to begin the White House library?
Millard Fillmore
Who was the first President born in a hospital?
Jimmy Carter (Wise Clinic, White Plains, GA, Oct. 1, 1924)
Who was the only President to have studied medicine?
William Henry Harrison (at UPenn; never completed his degree due to lack of funds)
Where was John Hinckley initially held after he shot President Reagan?
Marine Corps Brig, Quantico, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, VA

[Orig. said GWU Hospital. This is completely false as far as I can tell. Reagan was taken to GWU hospital after he was shot. Hinckley was sent to Quantico and then transferred to the Butner, NC Federal Correctional Complex for psychiatric testing.

The original answerer may have confused GWU Hospital for St. Elizabeths (1100 Alabama Ave. SE) where Hinckley was and is held after declared not guilty by reason of insanity.]
What hotel was Reagan leaving when he was shot by Hinckley in March 1981?
Washington Hilton Hotel
After Lincoln was assassinated, at what hotel was VP Andrew Johnson sworn in?
Kirkwood Hotel (12th and Pennsylvania NW), after getting extremely drunk the night before
What First Lady was once employed by the Washington Times-Herald as the "Inquiry Camera Girl"?
Jacqueline Kennedy
Which Presidential daughter authored a number of murder mysteries, including "Murder in the White House"?
Margaret Truman
President William Taft is credited with establishing which two baseball traditions?
Ceremonial presidential first pitch, seventh inning stretch (Washington Senators at National Park in 1910)
Who was the first President to ride in an automobile during his inaugural parade?
Warren Harding (a Packard Twin-Six)
Who was the first President to fly in an airplane?
FDR (1943) was the first sitting President to do so. Teddy Roosevelt had flown in one of the Wright Brothers' planes in 1910, a year after he left office.
Which President was the first to arrive in Washington DC by train?
William Henry Harrison
Who was the first President to be honored with a funeral train returning his body to his home state?
Abraham Lincoln
What statue is in the middle of Lafayette Park?
The equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson
In what year did Washington become the first President?
April 30, 1789
What President served only one month in office?
William Henry Harrison
Which President and First Lady had both been models before they married?
Gerald (Cosmopolitan and Look magazine) and Betty (John Robert Powers) Ford
Who was the first President to be photographed while in office?
William Henry Harrison

(Orig. said John Tyler, but a famous daguerreotype exists, made by traveling photographers Moore and Ward, of Harrison on his inauguration day -- I don't know whether it was before or after he was sworn in but this is a quibble)
In what theater was Abraham Lincoln assassinated on April 14th, 1865?
Ford's Theater, 511 10th St NW
At what facility were John Wilkes Booth's cervical vertebrae on display?
National Museum of Health and Medicine, 6900 Georgia Ave NW

[Orig. said St. Elizabeths. Completely false. Probably a mix-up between two assassins named John, Booth and Hinckley. St. Elizabeths is a working mental hospital, not a museum.]
In what house did Abraham Lincoln die on April 15th 1865?
The Petersen Boarding House (across the street from Ford's Theater, 516 10th St NW)
Who shot President Lincoln?
John Wilkes Booth
What type of gun was used to shoot Lincoln?
Philadelphia Deringer [This is the name of the real McCoy; the term "derringer", with two R's, refers to the knockoffs of Henry Deringer's invention]
What play was Lincoln watching when he was shot?
Our American Cousin, by Tom Taylor
Where and when did Abraham Lincoln die?
7:22 AM, April 15 1865, Petersen Boarding House
How was President Lincoln laid down on the bed at the Petersen Boarding House?
Diagonally; he was too tall for the bed
How did John Wilkes Booth escape from Ford's Theater after the shooting?
He leapt down to the stage from Lincoln's box seat and fled out a rear door where he had a horse waiting in an alley; as an actor at Ford's he was intimately familiar with the layout of the theater
When and where was Booth eventually captured?
April 26, 1865; the Garrett farm in Port Royal, VA
What VP was once employed as a pharmacist?
Hubert Humphrey (family business)
Father and son Henry C. Wallace and Henry A. Wallace both held which position?
Secretary of Agriculture
The National Aquarium is in the basement of which building?
Herbert C. Hoover Building (Dept. of Commerce), 1401 Constitution Ave NW
What is the largest government building ever constructed?
The Pentagon (by floor area; by total volume it's the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida)
What is the official title of the head of the Government Printing Office?
The Public Printer
The US Coast Guard is a branch of what department?
Homeland Security in peacetime; can be transferred to Department of the Navy (under Department of Defense) in war
Who served as the first Secretary of State?
Thomas Jefferson
What do we call the twelve buildings between Pennsylvania Ave, Constitution Ave and 15th St.?
The Federal Triangle
What congressional office building, constructed in 1965, contains an indoor swimming pool?
The Rayburn House Office Building

(Note: The Russell Senate Office Building also has a pool, but it was built in 1909.)
What building obstructs the view of the Capitol from the White House?
The Treasury Department Building
When was the Treasury Building built?
1836 to 1869
Who was the first Secretary of the Treasury?
Alexander Hamilton 1789-1795
When and why was the Secret Service established?
July 5, 1865, to suppress counterfeiting
When was the Bureau of Engraving and Printing established?
August 29, 1861, in a printing room in the basement of the Treasury
When was the first Federal Reserve note printed by the US government?
1914

[Orig. said 1874, but this is patently impossible as the Federal Reserve was not created until 1913. The first fiat currency in the USA was the United States Notes from the Treasury, but those started in 1862 because of the Civil War. I have no idea what 1874 refers to.]
When was the first postage stamp printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing?
The BEP took over printing stamps on July 18, 1894
What is the average lifespan of a $1 bill?
21 months

[Orig. said 18, this figure is from the Federal Reserve website]
What % of bills printed by the BEP is simply replacing worn out old bills?
95%
What is the largest denomination printed by the BEP since 1945?
$100
What is the largest denomination bill still in circulation?
The Fed ordered all large-denomination bills to cease circulating in 1969, but the $10,000 bill is still technically legal tender; effectively all such are in the hands of private collectors
What is the name of the greenhouse home for plants on Capitol Hill?
US Botanic Garden
Where is the US Botanic Garden located?
1st and Maryland Ave SW
By what name did Pierre L'Enfant refer to the Capitol?
The Congress House
What is the name of the physician who designed the Capitol?
Dr. William Thornton
Who laid the cornerstone of the Capitol on Sept. 18 1793?
George Washington (dressed in masonic attire)
Which state capitol is taller than the US Capitol?
Several. The US Capitol is 289 ft tall.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 450
Lincoln, Nebraska: 400
Springfield, Illinois: 361
Tallahassee, Florida: 345
Austin, Texas: 308
Topeka, Kansas: 304
Charleston, West Virginia: 292
Providence, Rhode Island: 289 (exactly matching US Capitol)
What is the name of the 19.5 foot tall statue on top of the Capitol Dome?
Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace, or The Statue of Freedom (also: Freedom or Armed Freedom)
On what hill is the Capitol located?
Jenkins Hill or Jenkins Heights (also New Troy), now called Capitol Hill
Who was the first Speaker of the House in Washington?
Theodore Sedgwick (5th and 6th Congresses, 1799-1801)
What famous message did Samuel Morse send on the telegraph from the basement of the Capitol in 1844?
"What hath God wrought?" (Supreme Court office in Senate chambers to Mount Clare Station, B&O Railroad, Baltimore)
Who painted most of the 300-foot frieze in the Capitol Rotunda?
Filippo Costaggini

[Ambiguous question. Brumidi *designed* the frieze and should be given primary credit for it. However, the greater portion of the frieze was actually painted by Costaggini; Brumidi painted seven and a half panels and then Costaggini painted the remaining eight and a half.]
Who was the first President to be sworn in on the west steps of the Capitol?
Ronald Reagan (1981)
What is considered the world's largest library?
United States Library of Congress
What is the address of the Library of Congress?
101 Independence Ave, SE Washington DC 20540
Where is the Thomas Jefferson building of the LoC located?
Between East Capitol and 1st St on Independence Ave SE
Where is the John Adams building of the LoC located?
Between East Capitol & Independence Ave on 2nd St SE
What is the name of the movie theater in the James Madison building of the LoC?
The Mary Pickford Theater
What other job did the Librarian of Congress once hold?
Clerk of the House of Representatives
What is considered to be the Library of Congress' most valuable possession?
Original drafts of Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence

[Subjective, since many of these items have only speculative market value and would never be up for sale, but I'd agree with this one]
Who is the only actor to have a statue in Capitol Statuary Hall?
Will Rogers (Oklahoma), only one primarily known for his entertainment career; however, Ronald Reagan (California) now also counts
What Savior of the South was honored with the first statue in Statuary Hall?
Nathaniel Greene (Rhode Island)
Which religious personage from California has a statue in Statuary Hall?
Junipero Serra
How tall is the Statue of Freedom?
19 ft, 6 in
Which American artist created the Statue of Freedom?
Thomas Crawford
When was the Peace Monument erected, and where is it located?
1877 to 1888, designed by Franklin Simmons; 1st St and Pennsylvania Ave NW (in front of the Senate chamber)
What does the Peace Monument depict?
Grief weeps on the shoulder of History (who holds a tablet and stylus reading "They Gave Their Lives That Their Country Might Live") for lost Civil War sailors; Victory stands below over Mars and Neptune, and on the other side Peace faces the Capitol

[The figure weeping is named "Grief", NOT "America". Source: Architect of the Capitol]
Who is the only Senator to be honored with a memorial on Capitol Hill?
Senator Robert A. Taft
How high and wide is the Capitol dome?
180 ft high, 95 ft wide
The frieze encircling the interior of the Rotunda was created by what three artists?
Constantino Brumidi (original design, first 7 1/2 panels), Filippo Costaggini (next 8 1/2 panels), Allyn Cox (filled the 31-ft gap)
Who designed the current Capitol Dome?
Thomas Ustick Walter
How much does the dome of the Capitol weigh, and of what is it made?
8.9 million pounds, cast iron
Which Speaker of the House held that position longer than any other?
Sam Rayburn (D-TX), 17 yrs (1949-1953, 1955-1961)
How long was Union Station's Grand Concourse when constructed?
760 ft (by 130 ft)
What was the first section of the Capitol to be completed?
The Senate wing
Where is the Supreme Court located?
1st and E. Capitol St NE
Prior to moving into its current home in 1935, what building did the US Supreme Court call home?
The Capitol (prior to that, City Hall in Philadelphia, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Merchants Exchange Building in NY)
Who was the first Supreme Court Chief Justice?
John Jay
What is the time limit for an attorney arguing before the Supreme Court?
Thirty minutes
What motto is engraved above the Supreme Court entrance?
Equal Justice Under Law
Who designed the Supreme Court building?
Cass Gilbert
The Liberty Bell cracked tolling the funeral of what Supreme Court Chief Justice?
John Marshall
Which President has selected the most Supreme Court justices since Washington?
FDR
Who is the only person to have served both as President and Chief Justice?
William Howard Taft
Who was the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court bench?
Sandra Day O'Connor
What percentage of cases submitted to the SCOTUS does it decide upon?
~1.5% (100 granted plenary review, 50 decided without plenary review, out of 10,000 submitted)

[Orig. said 4%, that's way too high. Source: Supreme Court Historical Society]
When was the current Supreme Court building completed?
1935
When does the Supreme Court begin its annual session?
First Monday in October
When was the US Supreme Court first called to assemble?
Feb. 1 1790
How many Supreme Court Justices sat on the original bench?
6; 5 associate, 1 chief
How many Supreme Court justices sit on the bench today?
9, 8 associate, 1 chief
How are Supreme Court justices selected?
Nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate
What is the name of the oval park just south of the White House?
President's Park South, or The Ellipse (properly the Ellipse is the name for the road, not the park)
What is the name of the park just north of the White House, originally called President's Park?
Lafayette Square

[Note: Orig. said "President's Park North". There was no such name. Originally Lafayette Square was just "President's Park", and the name "President's Park" was instead extended to the whole area around the White House when Lafayette Square was renamed. The Ellipse area became President's Park South, but nowhere was officially called President's Park North.]
During what war did the British burn the White House and Capitol?
War of 1812
Who submitted a design for the Presidential Mansion using the initials A.Z.?
Thomas Jefferson
In what city was the first Presidential Mansion, located at 3 Cherry St.?
The Samuel Osgood Mansion/Franklin House/Palace in New York City
Where did the Trumans live while the White House was being renovated from 1948 to 1952?
Blair House
In what room of the White House have six Presidents lain in state?
None. [Although the terms are not always used consistently, "lying in state", when used by presidential funeral organizers, specifically refers to lying in the Rotunda at the Capitol with a military honor guard. Presidents "lie in repose" in the East Room *before* the funeral, then lie in state for a 24-hour viewing period afterwards. This should be treated as a trick question.]
During whose presidency was the balcony added to the White House, causing the $20 bill to be redesigned?
Harry S. Truman
During whose administration was the White House swimming pool added?
Gerald Ford

[Orig. said FDR. FDR was the first president to put *a* swimming pool in the White House, but Nixon built the White House pressroom -- now the Brady Press Briefing Room -- over the pool in 1970. FDR's indoor pool technically still exists but hasn't been used for decades; "the" White House pool is Gerald Ford's outdoor pool and cabana on the South Lawn.]
What is unusual about the White House's zip code?
The only zip code to end in double zero (20500)

[NOT NOT NOT 25000]
What is the street address of the White House?
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20500
Which President lent his personal library to begin the White House library?
Millard Fillmore
What building obstructs the view of the Capitol from the White House?
The Treasury Department building
Which statue is located in the middle of Lafayette Park?
Andrew Jackson
When was the cornerstone of the White House laid?
Oct. 13, 1792
Who designed the White House?
James Hoban
What home inspired the White House?
Leinster House in Dublin, Ireland
What stone was used to build the White House?
Aquia Creek sandstone from Stafford County, VA
Who was the first President to live in the White House?
John Adams
The White House grounds cover how many acres?
18
How many rooms are there in the White House?
132
How many bathrooms are there in the White House?
35
When was the third floor of the White House built?
March 14, 1927 (converted from attic)
When was running water first piped into the White House?
May 1833
When was the balcony added to the South Portico of the White House? Who was President?
1948; Harry S. Truman
Name the house that served as the first interim residence for James and Dolley Madison after the White House was burned in 1814
The Octagon House, or the Colonel John Tayloe House
Where is the new Lincoln Museum located?
The "new" Lincoln Museum is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, IL, which opened in 2005. [The original answer to this question, the Ford's Theater museum, has existed since 1932 and is hardly "new".]
Where can someone see the gun used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln?
Ford's Theater (part of the Oldroyd collection sold to the government)
Where was the funeral service for the 35th President, John F. Kennedy, held?
The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Held on Nov. 25, 1963.
When did the city of Georgetown become fully integrated into the single Washington DC entity?
February 21, 1871, with the DC Organic Act
What organization oversees the C&O Canal?
The National Park Service
What does "C&O" stand for?
Chesapeake and Ohio
The C&O Canal connected Georgetown with what other city, 184 miles away?
Cumberland, MD
What was used to propel the original barges on the C&O Canal?
Mules
What caused the demise of the C&O Canal?
Obsolescence; the B&O Railroad had already reached Cumberland eight years before the canal did
What does "B&O" stand for?
Baltimore and Ohio
What president was an investor in the C&O Canal?
Technically speaking no one; the federal government as a whole was an investor in C&O and one of the largest ones, but no President individually was.

George Washington was a major investor in the Patowmack Company, the predecessor to the C&O Company that built the Patowmack Canal to make the Great Falls navigable (now in Great Falls Park in Fairfax, along the G.W. Parkway) but when the C&O Comapny acquired the Patowmack Company they abandoned the Patowmack Canal in favor of an artificial waterway traveling parallel to the Potomac allowing boats to avoid the Potomac's difficult waters entirely, something not even conceivable when Washington was alive.

[The C&O Company bought the Patowmack Canal and its assets, but it is highly doubtful you could argue this means that George Washington is a correct answer to this question. The Patowmack Canal never became part of the C&O; the Patowmack Canal is on the Virginia side of the Potomac whereas the C&O was built entirely on the Maryland side, abandoning the Patowmack Canal grounds entirely.]
From what site does the 90-foot boat leave Georgetown daily?
The Foundry (1055 Thomas Jefferson St. NW), now a theater, restaurant and gallery
What is the primary cargo canal barges brought into Washington DC?
Coal, mined from the Alleghenies
Why were steam vessels barred from using the canal?
Many concerns about steamboats, primarily the fear that faster-traveling vessels' wakes would damage the canal sides, but also greater maintenance costs for steamboats and the fear of explosions
What was the C&O's duration of operation?
1831-1924 (construction from 1828-1850)
How many locks are in the C&O Canal?
74
The 74 locks adjust the C&O's water level by how much?
From sea level in Georgetown to 610 ft in Cumberland
When did the US government take over the C&O Canal?
1938; bought from the B&O Railroad for $2 million, to help pay off an $80 million loan to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
When was the entire C&O Canal designated a historical park?
1971
At C&O Canal Lock #3 in Georgetown there is a bust of which Supreme Court Justice who was instrumental in preserving the canal?
William O. Douglas
The blueprint for the United Nations was drawn up during a conference at what DC mansion in the autumn of 1944?
Dumbarton Oaks (1703 32nd St NW, between S and R streets, in Georgetown)

[NOT at Q St]
Where is the only surviving pre-Revolution building in DC located?
3051 M St NW, in Georgetown

[NOT 3501]
What is the name of the National Zoo's most famous bear?
Smokey Bear (although an argument could now be made for Tai Shan/Butterstick)
Which Washington museum publishes a monthly magazine?
There are at least two: The Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society

[How the hell did whoever made the packet miss the second one?]
In 1972, the People's Republic of China presented the National Zoo with a pair of what rare animals?
Pandas: Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling
At what theater can you watch films "To Fly" and "On the Wing"?
The Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, National Air and Space Museum

[On the Wing is no longer being shown; the current schedule is To Fly! and Hubble 3D]
In what museum building is James Smithson interred?
The Smithsonian Institution Building, a.k.a. the Castle
What is the world's most visited museum?
The Louvre. The second is the National Museum of Natural History, the third is the National Museum of Air and Space.
Rodin's The Burghers of Calais stands in front of which museum?
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (950 Independence Ave. SW)
The Peacock Room is on exhibit in which museum?
The Freer Gallery of Art (1050 Independence Ave. SW)
In what museum does Time magazine display its famous covers?
National Portrait Gallery (800 F St NW)
What museum displays Howdy Doody, Oscar the Grouch, Fonzi's leather jacket, Archie Bunnker's chair, railroad locomotives, cars and trucks?
National Museum of American History (1400 Constitution Ave. NW)
What branch of the Smithsonian Institution opened across from the White House in 1972?
Renwick Gallery (1661 Pennsylvania Ave. NW)
Where can you find one of the world's largest displays of model bridges?
National Building Museum (401 F St. NW)

[I can find no reference to the American History museum holding a model bridge display, as referenced in the packet. The NBM does hold a model-bridge-building event for local schools every year.]
Where is Horatio Greenough's statue of George Washington now located?
National Museum of American History (originally intended for the Rotunda, but moved within two years because Washington's barechestedness was seen as offensive; then went to the East Lawn of the Capitol, then moved to the Smithsonian Castle, finally transferred to the then-Museum of History and Technology.)
Where would you find an eight-ton African bush elephant that stands 13 feet tall?
Inside the Mall entrance of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW.
Which popular author referred to the Smithsonian as "America's attic"?
Mark Twain

[Can't find confirmation, this may be one of those nicknames with no real origin]
When was the Smithsonian established, and how did it happen?
In 1829 James Smithson, a British scientist, stipulated that if his nephew (Henry Hungerford) were to die without heirs, his fortune would go to the US government for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge among men". The US won a lawsuit contesting the will in 1838 and eleven boxes of 105,000 gold sovereigns were shipped to DC and reminted into 508,000 US dollars. After a long debate, Smithson's bequest was used to found the Smithsonian Institution in 1846. Its original secretary Joseph Henry saw it more as a research institution, but as the US government amassed increasing collections of artifacts from its various geographic surveys, especially the Navy's U.S. Exploring Expedition from 1838 to 1842, the Smithsonian increasingly became a museum complex.
Where is the National Museum of American History located?
On the mall, on Constitution Ave. between 12th and 14th Sts.
What museum features over 7,000 examples of traditional bronze, cooper, wood, ivory and fabric African art?
The National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Ave. SW.
How many acres does the National Zoo occupy in Rock Creek Park?
163 acres.
Who was the architect of the original red "castle" building of the Smithsonian?
James Renwick Jr.
Who is interred in the Smithsonian Castle?
James Smithson, whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution
Where was James Smithson buried when he died, and until his remains were moved to Washington DC?
In Genoa, Italy, where he died in 1829, at the English San Benigno Cemeter; moved in 1904 by Alexander Graham Bell
Where can you find what is believed to be the largest Bengal Tiger ever taken in India?
In the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals
Formerly the US Patent Office, later a Civil War hospital and the Civil Service Commission, this building, at 8th and G St, NW, now serves as what?
The Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture (National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of American Art)
What is the address of the National Zoo?
3001 Connecticut Ave NW 20008
What was the site of the National Zoo before it moved to Rock Creek Park?
This is kind of a trick question. The official National Zoo was established in Rock Creek Park from the very beginning in 1889. However, William Temple Hornaday, the Smithsonian's chief taxidermist and the founder of the zoo, had established a live-animal exhibit -- a "try-out zoo" -- behind Smithsonian Castle in 1887 to convince Congress to fund the zoo project, featuring animals from the American West, which were then moved to Rock Creek Park when the National Zoo was established. An exhibit of his beloved bison remains in the Zoo today in his memory.
What building is between 4th and 7th Sts NW on Constitution Ave.?
The National Gallery of Art, West Building
What is the West Building of the National Gallery of Art constructed of?
Rose and white Tennessee marble, darker on the bottom, lighter on top; $15 million to build
When was the National Gallery of Art opened to the public?
March 17, 1941 (West Building)
Where is Raphael's Alba Madonna?
National Gallery of Art, West Building
What architectural style did the designer of the National Cathedral choose to employ?
Frederick Bodley's signature style was 14th-century English Gothic, as a leading Victorian Gothic Revival architect
How long did it take to complete Washington National Cathedral?
83 years (Sept. 29, 1907-Sept. 29, 1990)
Where does the Washington National Cathedral rank in size among the world's cathedrals?
By volume:

10th largest cathedral (seat of a Christian bishop) in the world, 18th largest Christian church in the world, 2nd largest cathedral AND Christian church of any kind in the USA (after St. John the Divine's in NYC)

[The "sixth largest cathedral" stat given on the website is unreliable, as are many such stats: note that the volume of a church is very difficult to calculate due to the irregular shape and is therefore always apt to be a guesstimate]
How many acres does the Washington National Cathedral cover?
57 acres
When was the cornerstone of the Washington National Cathedral laid?
Sept. 29, 1907, in a ceremony led by President Theodore Roosevelt
Of what is the Canterbury Pulpit in the Washington National Cathedral made?
Stones from the Central Tower ("Bell Harry Tower") of the Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England
In what design is the floor of the National Cathedral laid out?
Cruciform
What denomination is Washington National Cathedral?
Episcopal
What is the official name of Washington National Cathedral?
The Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
How many pieces of stained glass are included in the west rose window of the National Cathedral?
More than 10,500 individual pieces
How heavy is the single largest stone in the National Cathedral?
5.5 tons (the center boss stone over the west balcony, 5 feet wide, depicting Moses with the 10 Commandments)
Where is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception located?
400 Michigan Ave. NE
When was the foundation stone of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception laid and blessed, and by whom?
Cardinal James Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, laid the cornerstone on Sept. 23, 1920

[Wrong in the packet: "Cardinal" was his title, not his middle name]
When was the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception dedicated?
Nov. 20, 1959
How many chapels are there on the main floor of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception?
55 chapels in the Upper Church, 15 in the Crypt, 70 total [hard to find confirmation, but there's definitely 70 total at least, and more in the Upper Church than the Crypt]
Identify the university that sits across from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Catholic University of America.
What natural habitat is considered to be a living memorial to President Theodore Roosevelt?
Theodore Roosevelt Island, an 88-acre wooded island in the Potomac between the Key Bridge and the Roosevelt Bridge, accessible only by footbridge from George Washington Pkwy in Arlington, VA
What was the original name of Theodore Roosevelt Island?
Anacostine Island

[This is the earliest recorded name, after the Nacotchtank Indians. "Anacostine" or "Anacostian" and the variant pronunciation "Analostan" were both commonly used; the name was officially made "Analostan" on maps in 1926. The island had also previously been called "Barbadoes" after the Caribbean birthplace of discoverer Capt. Randolph Brandt, and before that "My Lord's Island" in honor of Lord Baltimore. After George Mason's family moved there it was commonly referred to by the nickname "Mason's Island", all the way up to when the TR memorial was established.]
What memorial fountain is in front of Union Station?
The Columbus Statue (a.k.a. Columbus Memorial Fountain)
Where is the Boy Scouts of America Memorial located?
In the Ellipse, at 15th and Constitution (site of the first Boy Scout Jamboree in 1937)
Which memorial was designed by Maya Ying Lin?
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (the Wall)

[Also the designer of the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama]
Rudolph Evans sculpted the 19-foot-tall statue in what memorial?
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial
What memorial was hit by shellfire during WWII?
The Lincoln Memorial [story may be apocryphal]

The story goes that soldiers from Ft. Myer, VA, near Arlington Cemetery, were on full alert immediately after Pearl Harbor, placing two machine-gun and anti-tank gun nests near the Lincoln memorial to guard Memorial Bridge and placing AA guns on the roof of the Treasury Building during WWII. The AA guns were loaded and armed, and a careless soldier left the safety off when the soldiers broke for lunch, leaving the gun unattended when a federal worker, also on lunch break, walked up to the gun and pressed the firing lever.

The shell passed over the roof of the White House, traveled down the Mall and ended up hitting the state of Connecticut's place on the Lincoln Memorial frieze, destroying it -- this is why you can see that Connecticut is a slightly different color of marble today. The troops at Memorial Bridge, fearing the worst, almost opened fire on the bridge traffic, carrying Harold Ickes, Secretary of the Interior at the time. It would go down in history as one of the greatest screw-ups caused by the paranoia and unpreparedness of American security forces immediately after Pearl Harbor rocked the nation.

This story is told in tours at Ft. Myer; how true it is is impossible for me to verify with the sources at hand.
What is the tallest monument in Washington DC?
The Washington Monument, 555 ft, 5 1/8 in
What garden was created on the Mall for the Bicentennial?
Constitution Gardens
What outdoor theater is located near the Washington Monument?
The National Sylvan Theater, at 15th and Independence, about 400 ft southeast of the Monument
What was the name given to the $72 million National Cultural Center, on which construction began in 1958?
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts
What library is found at the Kennedy Center?
Originally the Performing Arts Library, run jointly with the LoC, from 1979 to 1994; then discontinued, kept as a reading room as the Educational Resource Center until 2003

[I can find no reference to a film or theater library in the Kennedy Center; I believe that's actually in the Madison building of the LoC]
What government agency operates the Washington DC Tourmobiles?
The National Park Service. (Technically not true; Tourmobile is a private contractor local to DC that works under terms stipulated by the Park Service. The Park Service itself does not operate the vehicles.)
What is the maximum height for statues in Washington DC?
19 feet (other than the Statue of Freedom), by convention rather than law
When was the cornerstone of the Washington Monument laid?
July 4, 1848
When was the Washington Monument completed?
December 6, 1884 (aluminum cap put in place)
When was the Washington Monument dedicated, and by whom?
February 22, 1885 (Washington's birthday); President Chester A. Arthur

[Packet says Robert Winthrop; this is wrong. Robert Winthrop, former Speaker of the House and professional orator, gave the speech that opened the dedication ceremony, but President Arthur was the one who gave the closing speech that officially "dedicated" the monument. Source: Contemporary NYTimes article.]
When was the Washington Monument finally opened to the public?
October 9, 1888
What historic symbolic trowel was used to lay the Washington Monument's cornerstone?
The Masonic trowel used by George Washington to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol
What powered the Washington Monument's first elevator? How long was the trip to the top?
Steam-powered, took 20 minutes to travel to the top (wine and cheese was served)
What powers the Washington Monument's elevator today, and how long is the trip to the top?
Electricity; 70 seconds
How tall is the Washington Monument from base to tip?
555 ft 5 1/8 in
What caused the difference in color of the stones 150 feet up the Washington Monument?
Construction had been delayed from 1854 to 1879 (25 years) due to the private funding drying up and the Know-Nothings taking over the Washington National Monument Society, making Congress unwilling to appropriate tax money for the project.

When construction resumed in 1879, the Texas, MD quarry originally used for Cockeysville marble was unavailable. An attempt was made to continue with Lee Marble from Lee, Massachusetts, but this was untenable; Cockeysville marble from Cockeysville, MD was then used to complete the Monument. All blocks were from the same kind of marble, but they showed significantly different weathering and therefore a visible color difference.
What is at the very top of the Washington Monument?
A solid aluminum cap, serving as a lightning rod, weighing exactly 100 ounces (7 1/2 pounds)
How many steps are there from the bottom to the top of the Washington Monument?
897 steps (50 landings)
What adorns the walls of the interior of the Washington Monument?
193 commemorative stones (donated by states, foreign countries, civic organizations and individuals to the Society)
When did construction begin on the Lincoln Memorial?
February 12, 1914
Who sculpted the statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial?
The design and initial plaster models were done by sculptor Daniel Chester French. The actual carving of the full-sized statue was mostly done by the Piccirilli Brothers firm in New York, with French coming in to put the finishing touches on the separate marble blocks the statue came in.
How was the statue of Lincoln in the Memorial made?
French spent a long time making clay figures and then rendering them life-size in plaster, based on photographs of Lincoln and his life mask, before hiring Piccirilli Brothers to carve Lincoln out of 28 blocks of Georgia Murphy Marble.
How tall is the statue of Lincoln in the Memorial?
19 feet tall (enlarged from the original plan of 10 feet tall), designed so he would be 28 feet tall standing
What does the statue of Lincoln in the Memorial rest on, and what material is it made of?
An oblong pedestal and platform of Tennessee marble
What are the inscriptions on the walls in the Lincoln Memorial?
North wall (right side): The Second Inaugural Address
South wall (left side): The Gettysburg Address
West wall (behind his head): Epitaph by famed art columnist for the NY Herald Royal Cortissoz: "IN THIS TEMPLE/AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE/FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION/THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN/IS ENSHRINED FOREVER"
What do the 36 Doric columns around the Lincoln Memorial represent?
The 36 states in the Union when Lincoln died (having been reunited by the Union victory in the Civil War)
What do the 48 state seals atop the Lincoln Memorial represent?
The 48 states in the Union when the Memorial was dedicated
Where are the 49th and 50th states recognized on the Lincoln Memorial?
Alaska and Hawaii are recognized on the Indoctrination Plaque added to the steps in 1959
Where will you find the inscription: "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man"?
Around the interior of the rotunda of the Jefferson Memorial
When was the Jefferson Memorial dedicated and which President attended?
April 13, 1943, the bicentennial of Jefferson's birth; FDR
What is depicted on the pediment of the Jefferson Memorial?
Jefferson presenting the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress, flanked by John Adams, Ben Franklin, Robert Livingstone and Roger Sherman
Who sculpted the statue of Jefferson in the Memorial?
Rudulph Evans
Designer John Russell Pope incorporated elements from what other Jeffersonian structure in his design of the Memorial?
Monticello and the UVa Rotunda (the latter more than the former IMO)
What type of stone does the Jefferson statue in the Memorial stand on?
Black Minnesota granite (6-ft high block)
When were the first cherry trees planted by the Tidal Basin?
March 27, 1912
From whom were the cherry trees a gift?
Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo
Who planted the first two cherry blossom trees?
First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda (wife of the Japanese ambassador)
How many varieties of cherry trees are here, and which are predominant?
Twelve varieties; the Yoshino and Kwanzan predominate (Yoshino along the Tidal Basin and around the Monument, Kwanzan in E. Potomac Park)
Where is the statue of our 20th president, James Garfield?
In the circle at 1st St. and Maryland Ave. SW, outside the Capitol
Where is the memorial to our 18th President, Ulysses S. Grant?
1st St. on the Mall immediately across from the West Front of the Capitol
What is the largest single "statuary group" in DC?
The Ulysses S. Grant memorial, 252 ft long, depicting Grant on horseback with the Artillery Group to his left and the Cavalry Group to the right
Who designed the Grant Memorial, and how long did it take?
Henry Merwin Shrady; 20 years, from 1902 to 1922. Shrady died from overwork two weeks before completion; the panels on Grant's pedestal were finished two years later by Sherry Fry in 1924.
When was the Grant Memorial dedicated?
April 27, 1922 (Centennial of Grant's birth)
Where is the first equestrian statue in the US located, and who is its subject?
In Lafayette Square (President's Park); Andrew Jackson, rendered by Clark Mills and dedicated in 1853 (first equestrian statue in the world to depict a rearing horse)
What is the origin of the cannon at the base of the Jackson statue?
These cannon were captured by Jackson in Pensacola, Florida from Spain; inscribed with "Violati Regis Fulmina", or "The thunders of an invicible king"; a congressman petitioned they be melted down to make the statue to show how an "invincible king" had been defeated by a free republic. Mills discovered the bronze was too high in tin content to be recast, so the cannon were instead included in the statue's base.
What are the names of the statues flanking the Lincoln Memorial circle entrance to the Memorial Bridge and the Rock Creek Parkway, and who sculpted them?
On the Memorial Bridge, The Arts of War, by Leo Friedlander. On the Rock Creek Parkway, The Arts of Peace, by James Earle Fraser.
What are the individual names of the Arts of War statues?
(From the Memorial) On the left Valor, on the right Sacrifice
What are the individual names of the Arts of Peace statues?
(From the Memorial) On the left Music and Harvest, on the right Aspiration and Literature
According to local legend, what event led to the construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge?
The Armistice Day traffic jam (Nov. 11, 1921) for over three hours as cars attempted to make it to the Armistice Day ceremony for the burial of WWI's Unknown Soldier; President Harding's limo had to stop more than 50 times and frequently drove off the road onto Potomac Park to try to get around the jam, caused largely by there being only two bridges, the Aqueduct Bridge (now Key Bridge) and Highway Bridge (now 14th St Bridge) to the cemetery.

Congress approved a new bridge, to be 60-ft-wide rather than the formerly typical 40-ft-wide, the very next year. The concept for the bridge had existed for almost a century since Andrew Jackson had proposed a bridge in this location as a way to more conveniently link DC and VA and therefore North and South, but the unprecedented traffic jam forced them to take action.
Apart from the Lincoln Memorial, where are two other statues of Lincoln in DC?
Old City Hall and Courthouse (now District Court of Appeals), Indiana Ave. in Judiciary Square; Emancipation Memorial, Lincoln Square, E. Capitol St. and 12th St.

Also the Ream statue in Capitol Rotunda (first female sculptor commissioned for Rotunda), by the front door of the Washington National Cathedral (as president-elect, depicted with the Farewell Address at Springfield) and the famous Council of War statue group w. Lincoln, Grant and Stanton at Ford's Theatre
What is the title of the Abraham Lincoln statue in Lincoln Square?
The Emancipation Memorial.
Who suggested the concept of the Emancipation Memorial?
Mrs. Charlotte Scott, a former slave who still worked as a servant to her former masters, and gave her employer Dr. William Rucker the first $5.00 she'd earned as a freedman as soon as she heard Lincoln had been shot, saying that as he was "the best friend colored people" had died, "colored people ought to raise a monument in his memory".
When was the Emancipation Memorial dedicated, and who delivered the primary address?
Emancipation Day, April 16, 1876; Frederick Douglass (he criticized the depiction of the slave in the statue on his knees)
What was the first memorial to FDR, and where is it located?
A simple stone block "about the size of (FDR's) desk" on Pennsylvania Ave. and 9th St. NW, outside the National Archives
What memorial fountain was designed by Lorado Taft?
The Christopher Columbus Statue in front of Union Station
What is the thickness of the walls of the Washington Monument at the base and at the top?
At the base, 15 feet; at the top, 18 inches
The statue of Thomas Jefferson in the Memorial depicts him wearing a fur-trimmed coat given to him by which Revolutionary War hero?
General Tadeusz Kosciuszko (originally given to him by Czar Paul I upon being freed from prison)
How tall would the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Memorial be if he stood?
28 feet
Who designed the Vietnam Women's Memorial?
Glenna Goodacre, 1993
What theatre-in-the-round was founded by producer Zelda Fichandler, and built in 1960?
Arena Theatre, 1101 6th St. SW (6th, M and Maine Ave.)
What park was originally named Meridian Hill Park?
Malcolm X Park (still officially Meridian Hill Park, unofficially renamed by activist Angela Davis in the demonstrations in 1970)
What library has more Shakespeare memorabilia than any other?
The Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St SE
What DC museum has the largest collection of Russian decorative art outside the former USSR?
The Hillwood Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnaean Ave. NW
In DC's Channel Park there is a memorial to what famous ship?
The Titanic (at 4th and P)
What Avenue is commonly referred to as Embassy Row?
Massachusetts Ave.; the area known as "Embassy Row" lies between Thomas Circle and Ward Circle
What is the largest embassy building in Washington DC?
The new Chinese embassy at 3505 International Place (at Van Ness St.; I.M. Pei came out of retirement to design it), 250,000 square feet
What is the second largest embassy in Washington DC?
Russian Embassy, 65,000 square feet, 2650 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Why does one foot of the statue of Sir Winston Churchill at the British Embassy stand on British soil and the other on American?
Churchill's father was British, his mother American
Which were the first four countries to have embassies in Washington DC?
Great Britain, France, Denmark, Spain

(This is the best answer to this question as far as I can tell -- Jefferson famously held a dinner in 1803 for the sake of snubbing Merry, the minister from Britain, in some way involving all four of these ministries -- though it's inaccurate in many ways.

Technically all of these were "legations" rather than "embassies", the higher rank of diplomatic mission; the USA was too small and weak a country to merit ministers with the full rank of "ambassador" until America's emergence as a new great power at the turn of the 20th century. The UN abolished the distinction between legations and embassies after WWII by declaring all sovereign states to be equal in rank.

Also, technically none of these were in "Washington" itself at this time. Pierre L'Enfant had wanted to include dedicated space for foreign missions all around the National Mall, but this plan had fallen through, and there was barely enough land in the new city for the American government's offices, much less foreign legations. All four of these ministers/charges d'affaires resided in Georgetown, DC, rather than Washington.

I cannot find information on which exactly the first embassies rather than legations opened in DC or when the first ministers moved from Georgetown to Washington, but this is almost certainly the answer they wanted.)
Which country had a minister in Washington during the city's first six months?
Great Britain (George Hammond, officially titled the "Minister in Washington", arrived October 20, 1791, although technically he spent most of his time at the temporary capital in Philadelphia as well as New York, and only visited DC once)

Technically speaking there were no diplomatic missions in the "first six months" the city existed -- there were barely any inhabitants when construction started in 1791, and the government did not officially move there until 1800.
What flowering plant is named for a US Minister to Mexico?
Poinsettia, named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, because he brought it back to the US; in Mexico it had been known as the "Christmas Eve flower" (Flor de Noche Buena)
What country has never broken diplomatic relations with the US?
There are many.

[Orig. said Denmark, but there are many, many more. Israel never broke diplomatic relations from the date of its creation, for instance. Denmark is, however, notable as having had unbroken relations for the longest period of time, since 1791.]
Who was the first reigning European monarch to visit the US?
King Albert I of Belgium (1919)
"Embassy" technically refers to an Ambassador's residence. What are his offices called?
This question premise is incorrect. The distinction between an "embassy" and a "chancery" is that the embassy is the institution while the chancery is the official building, although some may use the terms differently.

(This confusion may have arisen because of the tradition that any home of an ambassador is considered an "embassy" for legal purposes -- the legal protection of diplomatic immunity given to an ambassador and his staff follows the ambassador's person, not the building, so technically even an ambassador's hotel room is an "embassy" in that it is immune to most local laws (cops can't break into it, etc.).

Thus you will frequently hear the "ambassador's residence" described separately from the place where he works, which is called the "chancery". However, both places are officially part of the "embassy"; the "embassy" is anywhere any member of the official mission of a foreign nation happens to be.)
At what organization is there a WWI ambulance on display?
There's one at the National Museum of the Marine Corps at 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Triangle, VA, 36 miles south of DC on I-95.

That's as close as I can find in DC; it is possible there will be one at the National Museum of the US Army slated to open in 2013. The question is possibly referring to the famous Clara Barton Ambulance at the National Museum of American History, but this was a Civil War ambulance never used in WWI (its last use was during the Spanish-American War in 1898; Barton died two years before WWI began).

The original answer, that it's at the American Red Cross National Headquarters (431 18th St NW), seems to be false; that museum area only has art and photographs.
Who founded the American Red Cross in 1881?
Clara Barton
What complex housed the DNC in 1972?
The Watergate
Where did FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover eat lunch nearly every day?
Mayflower Hotel
What exclusive hotel has the same name as a 1981 Alan Alda film?
The Four Seasons
What hotel was featured in the 1974 film The Godfather: Part II?
Hotel Washington
What famous hotel reopened for business on Aug. 20 1986?
The Willard Hotel, as the Willard InterContinental Washington
What song lyrics did Julia Ward Howe write at the Willard in 1861?
The Battle Hymn of the Republic (to the tune of John Brown's Body, sung by Union troops under her window)
At what Massachusetts Ave. venue is the Society of the Cincinnati located?
Larz Anderson House (2118 Massachusetts Ave. NW, in Dupont Circle)
What famous house was built by Dr. Joseph Lovell, the Army's first Surgeon General?
Blair House (1651-1653 Pennsylvanie Ave. NW)
Dwight F. Davis, of tennis' Davis Cup fame, owned what house on Decatur Place?
The Codman-Davis House (2145 Decatur Pl. NW in Kalorama), now the residence of the Thai ambassador
In the Woodrow Wilson House (2340 S St. NW) there is a replica of which President's bed?
Abraham Lincoln (called the "Lincoln bed" although he probably never slept in it; bought by Mary Todd as a guest bed and then because of its size and prominence became a presidential bed)
Name the house that served as the first interim residence for James and Dolley Madison after the British burned the White House in 1814.
The Octagon House, or the Colonel John Tayloe House
How many sides does the Octagon House have?
Eight

[People disagree about this. If you actually look at it it's a hexagon with a half-circular bulge sticking out of it where the front entrance is, where the circular room Madison used as his office is. The circular bulge technically makes the southwestern face have three "sides" in my view.]
Describe the two lions at the front entrance of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (510 17th St NE).
The director of the museum, Frederick B. McGuire, acquired them for $1,900 from the estate auction of Bill Holiday, founder of the Pony Express. They are copies of original statues by Antonio Canova that guard the cenotaph of Pope Clement XIII in Rome.
Where is the finest public doll collection in DC?
The New Hampshire Society of Children's attic, in the DAR Museum
Where is the Textile Museum located?
2310 and 2320 S St NW
Where is the Franciscan Monastery located in Washington DC?
1400 Quincy St. NE
Where is the statue of Samuel Gompers located in Washington DC?
10th St. and Massachusetts Ave. NW (Gompers Square), ironically across the street from the Cato Institute
What church at 16th and H St. NW is called the Church of the Presidents?
St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square
Where can visitors find 14 secluded acres of aquatic plants in Washington DC?
Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, on the east bank of the Anacostia and south of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
What is the only nongovernmental building on Constitution Ave. west of the Capitol?
There are two: 101 Constitution Ave. (home to the International Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, the American Association of Life Insurers, and other offices) and 2215 Constitution Ave. (headquarter building of the American Pharmaceutical Association)
Who designed St. John's Episcopal Church, and when was it established?
Benjamin Latrobe; established 1815, first service Oct. 27 1816
Who designed the APhA building, and what stone was used in its construction?
John Russell Pope; Vermont marble used to match Lincoln Memorial
Andrew Mellon contributed significantly to the National Gallery of Art. Where is his memorial located?
Pennsylvania & Constitution, the eastern point of the Federal Triangle; Mellon Memorial Fountain (or Zodiac Fountain)
Who designed and who sculpted the Mellon Memorial Fountain and when was it dedicated?
Designed by Otto Eggers, sculpted by Sidney Waugh, dedicated in 1952
What organizational HQ building on Constitution Ave. features an interior lobby dominated by a tropical patio designed to resemble a Spanish colonial courtyard?
The Organization of American States (Constitution Ave. at 17th St.)
At which President's home can you find a shell casing from ammunition fired by US forces in WWI?
Woodrow Wilson's home, 2340 S St. NW (first shell fired at German forces, by the First Artillery; kept on a mantel in bedroom)
What memorial is located between 14th St. and Raoul Wallenberg Dr.?
The US Holocaust Memorial Museum
The bronze statue of Joan of Arc astride her horse is located where in Washington DC?
Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park, 16th St NW between W and Euclid Sts.
What is the address of the Daughters of the American Revolution HQ?
1776 D St. NW (between 17th and 18th Sts.)
What is the name of the auditorium owned by the DAR?
DAR Constitution Hall, 311 18th St. NW
What is the seating capacity of DAR Constitution Hall?
3962 people (including box seats)
Where is Decatur House located?
748 Jackson Pl NW, in Lafayette Square (across from the White House)
What famous collection is considered to be DC's first art museum?
The Phillips Collection
What organization is located in the historic Sewall-Belmont House (144 Constitution Ave NE)?
National Woman's Party
Identify the university that sits across from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Catholic University of America
When is Arlington National Cemetery expected to be filled to capacity?
2020-2025
Who designed the US Marine War Memorial and the National Guard Monument?
Felix de Weldon
Who once owned the land that is today Arlington National Cemetery?
John Parke Custis, George Washington Parke Custis, Mary Anna Custis Lee, George Washington Custis Lee
Which Polish Prime Minister was at one point buried in Arlington National Cemetery?
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Where can the inscription attributed to Admiral Chester Nimitz "Uncommon valor was a common virtue" be found?
On the base of the Marine Corps War Memorial
What country gave the 49 bell carillon near the Marine Corps Memorial?
The Netherlands
By what other name is the Custis-Lee Mansion known?
Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial
What are the only two presidents buried in Arlington?
William H. Taft and John F. Kennedy
How many acres made up the original Arlington Plantation?
1,100
How many acres of Arlington Plantation were taken to form Arlington National Cemetery?
612
Who occupied Arlington House in the years immediately prior to 1861?
Robert E. and Mary Custis Lee
When did Robert E. Lee and Mary Custis marry?
June 30, 1831
When did Lee resign his commission in the US Army?
April 20, 1861
What year did the Arlington estate become a cemetery?
1864
Who built Arlington House?
George Washington Parke Custis
Who designed Arlington House?
George Hadfield
What did Felix de Weldon use for the design of the US Marine Corps War Memorial?
Joe Rosenthal's famous Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photograph, taken atop Mt. Suribachi, Feb. 23, 1945
When was the flag raised over Mt. Suribachi?
Feb. 23, 1945
In what year was the battle of Iwo Jima fought?
1945, from Feb. 19-Mar. 26
How many men are depicted raising the flag?
6 (5 Marines, 1 Navy medic)
How were funds for the construction of the Marine Memorial raised?
Soliciting donations from current and former Marines, Marine Reservists and members of the Naval Service as well as their friends and families. No public funds used.
When was the Marine Memorial dedicated and by whom?
Nov. 10, 1954 (179th anniversary of the founding of the USMC) by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
What is the inscription on the base of the Marine Corps Memorial?
In honor and in memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775
How tall are the figures on the Marine Corps Memorial?
32 ft
What kind of rifles are they carrying and what size are they?
M-1 rifle and M-1 carbine; 16 ft and 12 ft long respectively
How tall is the flagpole on the Marine Corps Monument?
60 ft
How tall is the Marine Corps Monument in all?
78 ft
How much water could the canteens on the memorial carry?
32 qts (8 gallons)
What is inscribed on the sarcophagus of the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington?
Here lies in honored glory an American soldier known but to God
Where is Pierre Charles L'Enfant buried?
Directly in front of Arlington House at the Arlington National Cemetery, at the Pierre Charles L'Enfant Memorial
What does gold lettering on the government-issued headstones at Arlington National Cemetery signify?
That the deceased had been awarded the Medal of Honor
What memorial in Alexandria VA was constructed in 1932 with funds contributed by over three million Americans?
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial
When was the first section of George Washington Memorial Parkway completed?
In 1932, to commemorate Washington's bicentennial (then called "Mt. Vernon Memorial Parkway")
When did Ft. Washington, MD, become part of the National Park Service?
1946
What special construction technique was used on the Mt. Vernon mansion?
Beveled pine siding with sand applied to fresh paint, creating a protective coating that simulated the appearance of stone blocks at a fraction of the cost and effort. Called "rusticated boards" by George Washington.
What organization has managed the Mt. Vernon estate since 1860?
The Mt. Vernon Ladies' Association
How many acres does the Ladies' Association manage?
They started with 200 acres; now they manage nearly 500
When did George Washington inherit Mt. Vernon?
1761, when Anne Fairfax Washington Lee (his older half-brother Lawrence Washington's widow) died, though George had already purchased her "life estate" from her in 1755 and been more or less the sole owner since then
When did George Washington resign as commander of the Continental Army?
December 23, 1783, following the Treaty of Paris
In what year did George Washington become our first President?
April 30, 1789, until 1797
After Washington retired from the Presidency what did he do?
He returned to Mt. Vernon as a gentleman-farmer, Adams called him back into service as commander-in-chief in 1798, fearing war with France; he helped plan for a provisional army, but did not take the field. He died of pneumonia in 1799.
How many times did Washington visit Mt. Vernon while President?
15 times, spending 434 days there
Identify the 19th-century Georgian-style mansion called Woodlawn
9000 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA (in Fairfax County), near Mt. Vernon. A historic house designed by Dr. William Thornton, who designed the Capitol and the Octagon House. Built on land given by George Washington to Maj. Lawrence Lewis (his nephew) and Eleanor "Nelly" Parke Custis Lewis (Martha's granddaughter, his step-granddaughter). Now a National Trust for Historic Preservation site.
Who founded the City of Alexandria?
Three major founders: Scottish merchants John Carlyle, John Dalton and William Ramsay.

Cousins Philip Alexander II and John Alexander did not found the city, but donated land to the city founders in return for being listed as "founders" and the city being named "Alexandria".
Who surveyed the streets of Alexandria?
The area was first surveyed by Fairfax Deputy Surveyor John West Jr., but the surveys used to petition for a new city were made by a young George Washington (as a favor to his brother)
When was the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria (321 S. Fairfax St., in Old Town Alexandria) built?
Original building built in 1775; cupola and bell added in 1790. Rebuilt almost entirely in 1837.
Who helped establish the Alexandria Fire Company? In what year?
George Washington was a volunteer member of the Friendship Fire Company from its beginnings in 1774
In what cemetery were Congressmen who died between 1807 and 1876 buried?
Congressional Cemetery (1801 E. St SE)
Where can the graves of poet John Howard Payne and Secretary of State Dean Acheson be found?
Oak Hill Cemetery
Where is the famous statue Grief on the gravesites of Henry and Clover Adams?
Rock Creek Cemetery (Rock Creek Church Rd. and Webster St., NW), in Petworth; Section E
Where are Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan buried?
The National Cathedral
What famous football coach died in Washington DC on Sept. 3 1970?
Vince Lombardi
Where are George and Martha Washington buried?
Mt. Vernon, VA; new tomb built in 1831
Where would Washington have been buried had Congress had its wish?
The Crypt in the Capitol; it was never used, and is now a main thoroughfare and museum for the Capitol. The tomb itself lies unused; formerly the Lincoln Catafalque (on which Presidents lie in state) was stored there when not in use, but it has been moved to the Visitor Center
Where is Robert E. Lee buried?
Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University, in Lexington, VA
Who is the only President to be buried in Washington DC?
Thomas Woodrow Wilson, the National Cathedral
What is the name of the statue sculpted by August Saint-Gaudens over the graves of Henry and Clover Adams?
The Mystery of the Hereafter and the Peace of God That Passeth Understanding (Saint-Gaudens' original name); also the Adams Memorial.

(Popularly called Grief, but Henry Adams opposed this usage and preferred to give the statue no proper name.)
What famous Civil War photographer is buried at Congressional Cemetery?
Mathew Brady
What is reputed to be the oldest cemetery in DC?
Rock Creek Cemetery
Who was the most famous DC-born Marine Corps bandmaster?
John Philip Sousa
What think tank founder made his fortune manufacturing clothespins?
Robert S. Brookings, Brookings Institute, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW

(Technically Brookings got his start selling clothespins, not making them. The company he worked for and eventually made partner at, Cupples & Marston, made all sorts of wooden household implements, but the clothespins were the most numerous and memorable.)
What Choctaw Indian chief served with Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812?
Pushmataha
In December 1824, who became the first foreign dignitary to address a joint session of Congress?
The Marquis de Lafayette (Informal "joint session"; officially a speech to the House, but many Senators sat in, starting the tradition of receiving dignitaries with a joint session)
What astronaut now buried in Arlington Cemetery has an Air Force base named for him?
Col. Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom; Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base
Which financier, Secretary of the Treasury and Ambassador to Great Britain bequeathed substantial sums of money to help establish the National Gallery of Art?
Andrew Mellon
Ike Hoover was employed from 1891 to 1933 as the Chief Usher at what Washington DC landmark?
The White House
During the Civil War who used his influence to recruit black soldiers and to persuade President Lincoln to legally end slavery?
Frederick Douglass
What great 20th century jazz composer and performer was born in Washington DC?
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington
Which former slave became well known as an abolitionist, orator and member of the DC government?
Frederick Douglass (his home Cedar Hill is in Anacostia)
Which poet worked as a clerk in Washington while searching for his brother during the Civil War?
Walt Whitman

[This is worded a little wrong; he had already found George on the way south before he arrived in DC, it was just that the sight of all the wounded soldiers and his brush with fear from thinking George had died made him determined to be a part of the war effort rather than sitting on the sidelines in NY. He took the patent office job to support himself while volunteering as a nurse.]
Who was the first person to raise jackasses in the US?
George Washington

[Donkeys and mules existed from the days of the conquistadors, of course, but Washington was the first to start breeding imported mammoth jack stock from Europe after the Revolution, acquiring Spanish donkeys fit for the purpose at great expense and then sending them as studs around the country; these were the first "work mules" available in the USA]
What Air Force base is located in DC on the east bank of the Potomac?
Bolling Air Force Base
At what military installation is the Vice President's official residence located?
The US Naval Observatory, 34th and Massachusetts Ave NW
What is the oldest US Marine Corps post in the US?
The Marine Barracks, 8th and I St. SE
At what Air Force base is the President's aircraft Air Force One hangared?
Andrews Air Force Base, MD

[Technically "Air Force One" is a radio callsign for any Air Force plane containing the President. The Presidential Air Fleet consists of two VC-25A planes whose official "tail numbers" are 28000 and 29000.]
What WWII submarine and destroyer are berthed at the Navy Yard?
USS Barry, destroyer. There is no submarine berthed at the Navy Yard. The USS Drum was never kept as a museum ship in the Navy Yard; it served in the Naval Reserve in Washington, but when it went out of commission they sent it to Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama. (It was originally in the water there but moved ashore after Hurricane Georges.)
First Lady Caroline Scott Harrison was the first President-General of what organization?
The Daughters of the American Revolution
What 2.5 million member women's organization is affiliated with the Masons?
The Order of the Eastern Star

[Technically not a women's organization but a coed organization for male Masons *and* female relatives; however, most who identify primarily as Eastern Star members are women]
"The right of the people to keep arms should not be infringed" is the motto of what organization?
There is no such motto. This is a misquote of the Second Amendment, which is "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

The NRA does not have an official motto, but certainly takes the Second Amendment as central to its mission.
What organization is made up of 35 member countries from North and South America?
The Organization of American States (orig. Pan American Union)
What Ohio city was named after a society formed in Washington DC?
Cincinnati (The Society of the Cincinnati)
WWII Medal of Honor winner Lt. Hulon Whittington served as the model for the statue on the face of what building?
The American Legion
At what site is the world's largest collection of Masonic literature?
Library of the Supreme Council at the Scottish Rite Temple (1733 16th St. NW)

[The "Temple of the Eastern Star" mentioned in the packet is not a place. It's called the Order of the Eastern Star, and although it has an "International Temple" in Dupont Circle it's not nearly as important as the Temple of the Scottish Rite on 16th St.]
What facility was established in 1913 to "elevate the standard of surgery, to establish a standard of competency"?
American College of Surgeons (1640 Wisconsin Ave. NW)
What is the most common street name in the US?
2nd or Second. This is because generally "First Street" isn't always named "First Street", but is often "Main Street" or "Broad Street" or else gets renamed to commemorate something. (Note that this is not the case in DC, where both 1st Streets still exist, and where it was the B Streets rather than A Streets that got renamed Constitution and Independence Ave.)

[Source: US Census Bureau and the Big Bang Theory sitcom]
The Mormon Tabernacle holds a statue of which prophet?
The Angel Moroni
When was the Smithsonian Institution founded?
August 10, 1846
Who designed the Quadrangle Museums Project (in front of Smithsonian Castle) in 1987?
The firm Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson and Abbott under the leadership of Jean-Paul Carlhain; based on original design by Junzo Yoshimura

(Consists of the Museum of African Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art, the S. Dillon Ripley Center and the Enid M. Haupt Gardens)
How many Smithsonian Museum buildings are there in Washington DC?
15 (counting the Smithsonian Castle, the Ripley Center, and the still-closed Arts and Industries Building; otherwise 12)
The USDA was established in what year?
May 15, 1862
Who designed the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church (1518 M St. NW)?
Samuel G. T. Morsell
The Joseph Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is how many feet in diameter?
231 ft 7 in
In what historic district is the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site located?
Anacostia
When was Abraham Lincoln assassinated?
10:15 PM, April 14, 1865
Who took the photograph that inspired the Marine Corps War Memorial?
Joseph John Rosenthal
How many statues are there in the Korean War Memorial?
19 (38 with the reflections) -- 14 Army soldiers, 3 Marines, a Navy corpsman and an Air Force forward observer
What message is carved in the Mall at the end of the Korean War Veterans Memorial?
"Freedom is not free"
Of the 58,000 names in the Vietnam Wall, over 1,100 have crosses before or after them. Why?
Denotes MIA; confirmed dead are a diamond, MIA but found alive are circled crosses (never happened)
At the main entrance of the National Arboretum (24th and R Sts. NE) stand 22 sandstone Corinthian columns. How tall are they?
34 feet
What country did the granite used in the Vietnam Wall come from?
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
What is the age requirement to be elected President?
35 (by inauguration)
What is the age requirement to be elected Senator?
30 (by inauguration)
What is the age requirement to be elected Representative?
25 (by inauguration)
How long is the term of office for a member of the House?
2 years
How long is a term of office for a member of the Senate?
6 years
What is the order of succession to the office of President of the United States?
Vice President of the United States
Speaker of the House of Representatives
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Cabinet secretaries in order of creation (starting with State, Treasury, and Defense in that order, ending with Homeland Security)
Where is the President's guest house for foreign heads of state or heads of government?
Blair House; 1651-1653 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Who designed Washington DC?
Pierre Charles L'Enfant, though his plan was modified greatly by Andrew Ellicott, and much of the modern Mall layout is owed to the 1901 McMillan Commission
What size and shape was DC originally?
100 square miles; a diamond, oriented with the points of the square in the cardinal directions
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson, with help of the rest of the Committee of Five (John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert L. Livingston)
Where can the Declaration of Independence be seen?
The National Archives Building (Archives I, Constitution Ave. between 7th and 9th Sts. NW), the Rotunda for the Chartesr of Freedom
What style of architecture is the Washington National Cathedral
Victorian Gothic Revival ("neo-Gothic"), based on 14th-century English Gothic
How tall is Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace?
19 1/2 ft
How much does Freedom Triumphant weigh?
14,985 lbs
Alexander Graham Bell's first wireless message occurred where in Washington DC?
The Franklin School (13th and K Sts. NW) to Bell's laboratory at 1325 L St. NW, 213 meters (700 ft), on a beam of sunlight
Who was our 23rd President?
Benjamin Harrison
How much land did Virginia take back from Washington DC in 1846?
31.7 sq mi
How many rooms are in the White House?
132
All avenues in DC except one are named for our 50 states. Name the one that isn't.
There are several, including Constitution, Independence, Cleveland, Baltimore, Southern, Western, Eastern, etc. Also, although Puerto Rico is not a state there is a Puerto Rico Avenue (this is probably what the question was asking for).
For whom is Howard University named?
Oliver Otis Howard (Union general and first Commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau)
Who was the architect of the Kennedy Center?
Edward Durrell Stone
How many stars are on the flag that flies over the Marine Corps War Memorial?
50.

[There are 48 stars in the flag in the original photograph, of course -- the flag is now on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico -- since Alaska and Hawaii only became states in 1959. However, the flag at the Marine Corps Memorial is a regulation 50-star flag, as are all flags at all federal monuments. The National Iwo Jima Memorial Monument, in Newington, CT, chooses to instead have a "historically accurate" 48-star flag, as it is specifically a memorial to the Battle of Iwo Jima rather than symbolically to all Marines.]
What do the lions at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Judiciary Square symbolize?
Sculpted by Raymond Kaskey. They are of adult lions protecting cubs, symbolizing the role of law enforcement officers' courage and strength in protecting innocent civilians so that civilians may live lives safe from violence.
What is the oldest public building in Washington?
The White House (Oct. 13 1792 to Nov. 1 1800)
In Washington, what is the height limitation for buildings?
No building may be taller than the width of the street it faces plus 20 feet.
Where is Woodrow Wilson buried?
The National Cathedral's columbarium
In what museum can you find George Washington's wooden teeth?
None of Washington's sets of false teeth were of wood, so this is a trick question.

The lower set of one of Washington's ivory dentures is at the Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry (31 S. Greene St., Baltimore, MD, on the U-MD Baltimore campus). A full set -- one of the most colorful experiments of his dentists -- made from a combination of human teeth, cow teeth and elephant teeth set in lead, can be seen at the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center at the Mount Vernon, VA estate.
How many statues are located in Lincoln Park?
Two: the Emancipation Memorial and the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial.
Where does the Potomac River start?
The North Branch starts at the Fairfax Stone in West Virginia; the South Branch starts near Hightown in Highland County, Virginia. They meet at Green Spring in Hampshire County, West Virginia to form the Potomac.
What four rivers run into the Potomac?
The four major tributaries that form the Potomac proper are the North Branch Potomac, the South Branch Potomac, the Anacostia (joins with the Washington Channel at Buzzard Point; changes the Potomac into the Tidal Potomac) and the Shenendoah (only major tributary once Potomac proper starts, joins at the VA/WV border at Harper's Ferry)

There are far too many other tributaries to list. Important ones include Occoquan, Capacon, Monocacy (the only large tributary from MD), etc.
For whom or what was Alexandria named?
Philip Alexander II and John Alexander, who agreed to give the land for the city in return for being named as founders
When was Alexandria founded as a city?
May 11, 1749, the settlement is established under a Board of Trustees. It does not become incorporated as a self-governing municipality until 1779.
Name the second and third largest office buildings in the world.
Depends on the precise definition of "office building". Assuming buildings that are primarily resorts/entertainment/shopping complexes don't count, as well as buildings where most of the space is dedicated to production or storage (K-25 uranium enrichment facility in Tennessee or the ATL Logistics Centre in Hong Kong), then the second biggest is the Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Building at the University of Washington in Seattle (which contains in one structure the university's School of Medicine, of Public Health and of Pharmacy, as well as the UWa Medical Center teaching hospital), and third is the Renaissance Center in Detroit (which, along with being a Marriott hotel and shopping complex, is GM's office headquarters and the site of the RNC in 1980).

This is using a loose definition of "office building". If we exclude these buildings because the Magnuson Center contains lecture halls, labs and a hospital and the Renaissance Center contains a hotel, shops and restaurants, the second largest office building would then probably be the Willis Tower in Chicago, formerly the Sears Tower, and the third largest would be the McDermott Building serving as the USAA headquarters in San Antonio.
What does "DC: The Last Colony" mean?
DC must obey federal law and pay federal taxes while having no voting representation in the federal legislature and with its government being totally subject to federal whim -- the same issues the original 13 colonies rebelled against the Crown over. DC's position is arguably worse than that of a territory, since a territory may someday become a state but DC's statehood is explicitly forbidden by the current Constitution.
What state did the rose granite in the FDR Memorial come from?
South Dakota
Who is the current mayor of Washington DC?
Adrian Malik Fenty
How many amendments are there to the US Constitution?
27 (since 1992)
Why is the President's house called the White House?
It was whitewashed starting from 1798 or so with lime, in order to protect the sandstone from winter erosion. It was later painted with white paint to keep it looking "fresh" as the whitewash deteriorated. The first known use of the term was by Francis James Jackson, former British minister to the US, in 1811, without explaining the term, indicating it was in common usage. Abijah Bigelow in 1812 famously wrote the oldest surviving example of an American using the term, mentioning "the White House" to his wife, adding "as we call it, I mean the President's".

Legends about the White House only becoming white and only gaining that name after the burning in 1814 are therefore clearly false. The name only became official in 1901 when Teddy Roosevelt changed the stationery.

There is also a possibility, though it cannot be confirmed, that George Washington started referring to the (not-yet-completed) Executive Mansion as "White House" after the White House Plantation in New Kent County, VA, where he met his wife Martha.
Where is the residence of the Vice President located?
Number One Observatory Circle, on the grounds of the US Naval Observatory off Massachusetts Ave. NW
What was the original Blair House used for before 1942?
A private residence -- originally built for Surgeon General Joseph Lovell, then purchased by the Blair family
Who is the only individual to have served both as President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
William Howard Taft
Where is the exhibit "Washington DC Symbol & City" located?
National Building Museum
How many statues are in Statuary Hall?
100
How many rooms are in the US Capitol?
540 rooms, 658 windows (158 in the dome alone), 850 doorways
Where is the only non-government piece of moon rock displayed in DC?
The Space Window in Washington National Cathedral
In what museum can a moon rock be touched?
The National Air and Space Museum
What is the height limitation for statues in Washington DC?
Unofficially 19 ft (for human statues from head to toe)
What is the second oldest public building in Washington DC?
The US Capitol Building (cornerstone laid Sept. 18, 1793)
When were the cornerstones laid for the two oldest buildings in Washington DC?
White House - Oct. 13, 1792 (no special ceremony)
Capitol Building - Sept. 18, 1793 (George Washington, in Masonic ceremony)
For whom or what was Georgetown named?
This is undetermined -- some think King George II, some think George Gordon and George Beall, the original landowners
What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?
The Bill of Rights
What year did the famous cherry trees arrive in Washington DC?
The first shipment came in 1910 but was destroyed due to infestation. The ones we see were planted on March 27, 1912.
Andrew Jackson, Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Marquis Gilbert de Lafayette, Comte Jean de Rochambeau, and Frederich Wilhelm von Steuben's statues can be seen in which park?
Lafayette Square
What architect designed the East Building of the National Gallery of Art?
Ieoh Ming Pei
Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln?
John Wilkes Booth
Where is the memorial to Benjamin Banneker?
Benjamin Banneker Park and Memorial, the south end of L'Enfant Promenade SW (exactly half a mile south of Smithsonian Castle), inside Benjamin Banneker Circle

There is also a Memorial Park in his hometown of Catonsville, Baltimore County, MD consisting of a museum and replica of his log cabin

The actual memorial is still in the planning stages -- planned to be done in 2010, it is likely to take much longer than that, especially after Tina Allen, the primary artist, fell ill.
Who was the first African-American woman to be honored with a statue in Washington DC?
Mary McLeod Bethune in Lincoln Park
What is the popular name for the Marine Corps War Memorial?
The Iwo Jima Memorial (there is an actual National Iwo Jima Memorial Monument in Connecticut, built privately by the Iwo Jima Survivors Association)
An IMAX Theater and Planetarium can be found in which museum?
The National Air and Space Museum
Where is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located?
Arlington National Cemetery, before the Memorial Amphitheatre
Who is buried inside the Lincoln Memorial?
Nobody; Abraham Lincoln is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois.
Where is the Columbus Memorial?
In front of Union Station, in Columbus Circle
Who was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Carter?
Nobody received both from Carter. Gen. James H. Doolittle is the only person to receive both medals, the Medal of Honor in 1942 from FDR and the Medal of Freedom in 1989 from George H.W. Bush.

If you want two people with either medal, Jimmy Carter famously restored Mary Edwards Walker's MoH from her service as a surgeon in the Civil War (after it had been rescinded due to new rules restricting the MoH to uniformed combatants), allowing her to remain the only female medal recipient.

The most famous MoF recipient of Carter's is certainly Martin Luther King Jr, though other notables are Earl Warren, LBJ, HHH, Tennessee Williams, John Wayne, Eudora Welty, Margaret Mead, etc.
Who or what is the Charles Sumner School named for?
A Massachusetts Senator who led the Radical Republican faction in the Senate and was the foremost champion of black civil rights in his era. His brutal caning at the hands of Preston Brooks in 1856 marked the beginning of the radical sectional divide that would lead to the Civil War. The Charles Sumner School (17th and M NW), constructed by Boss Shepherd in 1872 and one of the earliest and finest African-American public schools in the country, was named in his honor. It is now a museum.
What is the name of the original Interior Building now?
The U.S. General Services Administration Building (fills the whole block between E, F, 18th and 19th NW)
What is the address of the US Department of the Treasury building?
1500 Pennsylvania Ave NW
What is the address of the Old Executive Office Building?
17th St., between Pennsylvania Ave. NW and State Pl. NW
What is the address of the Pension Building?
401 F St. NW (now the National Building Museum)
What year was the Mayflower Hotel built?
1925
What President lived at the Mayflower during the first 90 days of his term?
Harry S. Truman (White House was being renovated, he then moved to Blair House)
What is the address of the Willard Hotel?
1401-09 Pennsylvania Ave NW (corner of 14th and PA Ave)
Who is the sculptor of the Bethune Memorial and the Kennedy Bust?
Robert Berks (signature "rough-hewn" style)
Why was the Washington Monument built?
Washington was by far the most revered of the Founding Fathers, considered the "Father of the Country", and it's likely he could've been crowned a monarch had he really wanted it. The most universally popular President, there was no question there would be a public monument after his death.

Originally the plan was for a simple equestrian statue where the Jefferson Pierstone now is, but this was abandoned soon after his death in favor of a plan to build a massive crypt in the Capitol to house his remains. His estate refused to let his body be moved from Mount Vernon, though, and plans stalled due to infighting and lack of funds.

Finally in 1832, Washington's centennial, the Washington Monument Society was founded, determined to get some kind of monument built. Though they, too, were not able to get nearly enough money to build the design that won their contest (the obelisk submitted by Robert Mills), they believed that if they at least started the project it would provide a spur to further donations.
How much does the Washington Monument weigh?
90,854 tons
In what year did the Washington Monument Restoration Project begin?
Dec. 1998
What is the address of Union Station?
50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
How long is Memorial Bridge?
2,163 ft
What is the last existing mill in the District of Columbia?
Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park (Tilden St and Beach Dr NW)
How many towers are there on Smithsonian Castle?
Nine (four with usable rooms, five decorative)
What are the two oldest churches in DC?
Georgetown Lutheran Church, Wisconsin Ave. and Volta Pl. NW, built in 1770 (still the same site, building has been rebuilt) -- George Washington reputedly worshiped here

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish, Rock Creek Church Rd. and Webster St. NW, built in 1775 (home of Rock Creek Cemetery)

If we're only counting churches with still-intact original buildings, then the second oldest after St. Paul's is St. John's Episcopal Church, Georgetown Parish, 3240 O St. NW, built in 1804 (by William Thornton, Architect of the Capitol)
What are the addresses of the two oldest churches in DC?
Georgetown Lutheran: 1556 Wisconsin Ave NW, oldest location

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish: Rock Creek Church Rd. & Webster St. NW (physical address), or 210 Allison Rd. NW (mailing address and trade entrance), oldest building and second oldest location

St. John's Episcopal Church, Georgetown Parish, 3240 O St. NW, second oldest building
Where is the Aztec Garden?
OAS headquarters, 17th and Constitution
List three statues of women in public parks
Mary McLeod Bethune, Lincoln Park
Joan of Arc, Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park
Eleanore Roosevelt, FDR Memorial
Olive Risley Seward, adjacent to Seward Square
Queen Isabella, OAS Courtyard
Founders of the DAR, at DAR headquarters

(If we count idealized rather than specific women)
Vietnam Women's Memorial on the Mall
Civil War Nurses Memorial adjoining Dupont Circle
The Spirit of Haida Gwaii at the Canadian Embassy
Rodin's Crouching Woman at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden
What is the address of Ford's Theater? The Kennedy Center? FBI Headquarters?
Ford's Theater: 511 10th St NW
Kennedy Center: 2700 F St NW
FBI Headquarters: 935 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
What department is on Constitution Ave. between 8th and 9th?
The National Archives are on the north side of Constitution Ave. between 7th and 9th NW; the Sculpture Garden is on the south side.

Between 8th and 9th NE on Constitution Ave. is the Capitol Hill Medical Clinic, as well as the offices of the Ellis Development Group (a DC-area real estate developer)
Where is the Smithsonian's Museum of History and Technology?
This is the original name of what is now the National Museum of American History, on Independence Ave. between 12th and 14th Sts.
What is the purpose of the Tidal Basin?
It stores water that comes in at high tide and then releases it into the Washington Channel at low tide, to wash away silt.
Who painted most of the Rotunda frieze?
Filippo Costaggini actually painted slightly more than Constantino Brumidi; Brumidi finished seven and a half panels before dying, and Costaggini painted the next eight and a half. Brumidi was the original designer for all the panels, however, and Costaggini was not permitted to add his own ideas.

Allyn Cox then added the final three panels to close a 31-foot gap caused by Brumidi's miscalculation.
What is the street address of the White House?
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC, 20500
Prior to 1935 where did the Supreme Court meet?
In the Old Senate Chamber in the Capitol; before then they met in the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the basement
Who designed the White House?
James Hoban
How does the Treasury Department rank in age among federal buildings?
Third (1836)
Where was the first Bureau of Engraving and Printing building; when was it occupied?
14th and B St. SW (i.e. 14th and Independence SW). Directly north of the current BEP, now part of the USDA and contains the Forest Service Museum. Occupied July 1, 1880.
What is the address of the Textile Museum?
2320 S St NW
The First Unitarian Church at 6th and D NW was designed by Charles Bulfinch and had the city's first church bell. Who made the bell and where is it now?
Joseph Revere, son of Paul Revere, at his Boston foundry in 1822. (A.k.a. the Revere Bell of Freedom, or the Abolition Bell when it tolled for John Brown's funeral.)

It is still in the bell tower of the church, now called All Souls' Church, Unitarian, at 1500 Harvard St NW
What museum features over 7,000 pieces of bronze, copper, wood, ivory and fabric pieces of traditional African art?
Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
Where is the Octagon House?
18th St and New York Ave NW
Who designed the Octagon House?
Dr. William Thornton
When was Octagon House built?
1798-1800
For whom was the Octagon House built?
Colonel John Tayloe, owner of Mt. Airy Plantation, probably the wealthiest Virginia planter of the time; got sold the land as a favor from George Washington (who had had Navy Secretary Benjamin Stoddert buy up DC-area land before the District was chartered)
Jefferson Memorial:

Number of columns?
Location?
Who is buried there?
26 columns
900 Ohio Drive SW (on the banks of the Tidal Basin in W. Potomac Park, facing the White House)
No one; Jefferson is buried at Monticello.
Old Executive Office Building

Location?
Who works there, which branch?
17th and PA Ave. NW, just west of the White House
Agencies of the Executive Office, in the Executive Branch, including Office of Management and Budget, National Security Council, and the VP's staff; this is where the Ceremonial Office of the Vice President is, where various meetings and conferences are held
When was the Jefferson Building of the LoC opened?
November 1, 1897
Who designed the Jefferson Building?
John L. Smithmeyer was the original architect, replaced by his assistant Paul J. Pelz. Pelz was replaced by Gen. Thomas Lincoln Casey of the Army Corps of Engineers and his assistant Bernard R. Green. The interior was finished by Casey's son, Edward Pearce Casey.

The style is said to be based on the Palais Garnier in France.
Where in Washington DC can you visit a replica of ancient catacombs?
The Franciscan Monastery, 1400 Quincy St. NE.
Where is the National Air and Space Museum?
On Independence Ave. between 4th and 7th Sts. SW
Who designed the National Air and Space Museum?
Gyo Obota
When did the Air and Space Museum open?
July 1 1976
Where was Benjamin Banneker buried?
An unmarked grave in a Oella, MD churchyard, near which an obelisk was erected by the Maryland Bicentennial Commission in 1976
What did Arthur Brown, Jr. design?
Many things, but most famously in DC the three-building complex consisting of the US ICC Building, the Customs Service Building, and the Departmental Auditorium (now the two buildings of the EPA headquarters and the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium) that were the flagship buidings of the Federal Triangle
Who designed the Ralph Bunche House in Queens, NY?
Hilyard R. Robinson
What were some other notable designs by Hilyard Robinson?
Public housing projects such as Langston Terrace (21st and Benning SE), the Frederick Douglass Dwellings and Cedar Gardens (both in Anacostia).

Tuskegee Army Air Field

Slowe Hall and Cramton Auditorium at Howard University among others, also buildings at the Hampton Institute in VA and other colleges
Who can use the words "sightseeing", "tour" and "guide" on promotional material?
Licensed Class A tour guides or their employers.
Who can talk to people in the street about sites?
Anyone can talk to people about sites; however, if you are both on public property at the time and being paid, you must have a tour guide license. (Tours entirely on private property don't require a license, nor do you need a license if you're not making any money.)
When did the Holocaust Memorial Museum open?
Dedicated April 22, 1993; opened to public April 26, 1993
What museum is located at 1901 Fort Pl SE in DC?
The Anacostia Community Museum
Who founded Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens?
Walter B. Shaw, a Civil War veteran, who opened the W.B. Shaw Lily Ponds as a commercial attraction in 1912; his daughter Helen Shaw Fowler sold it to Congress as a National Park in 1938
List three accomplishments of John F. Kennedy
- Resolved the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962
- Signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
- Created the Peace Corps
- Loosened fiscal and monetary policy (the first Keynesian administration since WWII ended), creating the economic boom of 1961-1966
- "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, rallying Germans against East/West separation
- Sent marshals to protect James Meredith at Ole Miss and the two students at U Alabama, as well as the Freedom Riders
- Proposed what would be the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Proposed what became the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, ending practice of giving European nations preferential treatment in immigration
- 1961 speech to Congress and 1962 speech at Rice kicking off NASA's race to the Moon; initial appropriation for Project Apollo
How does the Eternal Flame at JFK's grave work?
System designed by Fenwal Controls in Boston, and maintained by Army Corps of Engineers. Electronic box monitors the flame and the gas line to it; the 20,000-volt spark electrode now only goes off if the flame is extinguished.
RFK stated in his will he wished to be buried in Massachusetts. Why was he buried in Arlington National Cemetery?
The family states they didn't wish to separate the two brothers.
RFK was assassinated June 6, 1968 after he won which Democratic presidential primary?
California
How many chaplains are honored at the Chaplains Monument?
There are three monuments on Chaplains Hill in Arlington National Cemetery. The Catholic Chaplains Monument honors 83 Catholic chaplains who died in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. "Chaplains" in WWI honors 23 chaplains who died in WWI. The Protestant Chaplains Monument honors 134 Protestant chaplains who died in WWI and WWII.
Which monument honors 250 servicemen who lost their lives on a Coast Guard ammunition ship near Guadalcanal on January 29, 1945?
USS Serpens Monument, Arlington National Cemetery
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

Chappie James
Served as an Air Force fighter pilot in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Became the first black man to become a four-star general in America.
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

Medgar Evers
A major early civil rights leader from Mississippi who was Field Secretary for the NAACP and began the initial attack on segregation at Ole Miss that culminated with James Meredith's enrollment in 1962. Shot by a KKK assassin in 1963 -- who would then go free, acquitted by white juries, for three decades before being convicted. Evers fought in WWII in France as a young man and so was buried at Arlington with full honors.
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

Richard Byrd
Rear Admiral in the Navy, served in WWI. Received the Medal of Honor for a claimed overflight of the North Pole in 1926 (though this is now believed to have been falsified). Used acclaim from this for several Antarctic expeditions including a confirmed first overflight of the South Pole.
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

Medgar Evers

General George C. Marshall
Modernizer of the Army. Aide-de-camp to Pershing in WWI, then Army Chief of Staff in WWII, overseeing largest military expansion in history (40fold increase entering WWII). As Secretary of State under Truman, created the Marshall Plan, rebuilding the economy of postwar Europe.
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

Joseph Louis Barrow, a.k.a. Joe Louis
The "Brown Bomber", first black world heavyweight champion in boxing from 1937 to 1949. "Saved" the respectable popularity of boxing after it had devolved into being perceived as seedy and criminal after Jack Dempsey. Considered the first African-American celebrity to achieve universal popularity with whites and blacks alike. Famously quit boxing to enlist as a cavalryman in WWII and encourage black participation in the war effort; became an icon of anti-Nazi sentiment due to his rivalry with German Max Schmeling.
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

General Montgomery Meigs
Quartermaster-general of the Union Army during the Civil War. An architect and engineer who built many fortifications as well as the Washington Aqueduct before the war, and afterwards the Pension Building ("Meigs' Old Red Barn"), now the National Building Museum. Was the one who first proposed that the Custis-Lee Mansion estate be seized to become Arlington National Cemetery.
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

Audie Murphy
Most decorated American soldier in WWII, earning 33 US medals, five from France and one from Belgium for his service in Europe, including the Medal of Honor. Then became an acclaimed movie star in Hollywood for 25 years, famous for his leading roles in Westerns but most acclaimed for starring in To Hell and Back, a film based on his autobiographical book about his war experiences. Also became a country music songwriter of some repute. Now has the second-most-visited grave at Arlington after JFK's; refused the honorary gold engraving for a Medal of Honor recipient, insisting on the headstone of an ordinary soldier.
Thurgood Marshall
Chief Counsel for the NAACP, with the most successful Supreme Court record (winning 29 out of 32 cases) in history, including Brown v. Board of Education, before he became a judge and then a Supreme Court Justice himself. First black Supreme Court justice, upheld a liberal record on many issues most notably being staunchly pro-choice and anti-death-penalty.
Give a descriptive sentence about this Arlington Cemetery honoree:

General Philip Kearny Jr.
"Kearny the Magnificent". Legendary cavalry officer who rode into battle sword in one hand, gun in the other, reins in teeth. Led a unit of dragoons in the Mexican-American War, where he served with distinction (and lost his left arm), and was the first American soldier through the gates of Mexico City. Entered the Civil War as a Union Brigadier-General despite his disability, steering reins with his teeth. Invented unit insignia patches (had his men wear red cloth on their caps). Clashed with the timid Gen. McClellan, and Lincoln may have been on the point of replacing McClellan with him when he was killed in the Second Battle of Bull Run.
When was JFK's last visit to Arlington National Cemetery?
Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1963, only a short time before he was interred there on Nov. 23 the same year
Why did George Washington Parke Custis erect Arlington House in the 1800s?
He intended it as a living memorial to his step-grandfather George Washington. Originally intended to name it "Mount Washington" just as Lawrence Washington had named his estate "Mount Vernon" after his commanding officer, but was persuaded to name it after the family estate of "Arlington" on the Eastern Shore.
Which of George Washington Parke Custis' children was the only one to live to adulthood?
Mary Anna Randolph Custis (married Robert E. Lee)
When did Arlington Estate become the National Cemetery?
1864
Was Robert E. Lee ever a member of the US Army?
Yes. He was a US Army Colonel when he defected to the Confederacy.
Who are the Apollo 1 astronauts buried in Arlington?
Roger Chaffee, Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom. Ed White was buried at West Point Cemetery.
Why are some headstones closer together?
Some are cenotaphs commemorating those whose remains are elsewhere. In some cases graves are being placed closer together where possible (if bodies have decayed allowing bones to be placed in smaller caskets, if bodies were cremated, etc.)
What brave young man was awarded 28 medals in WWII and then became an actor?
Audie Murphy (Technically received 33 US medals; only 28 medals existed at the time, and he received 5 of them twice)
Why was the Memorial Amphitheatre built?
Primarily to hold the three services -- Easter, Veterans Day, Memorial Day -- where American servicemen are honored as a whole; also to hold state funerals for particularly notable individuals buried at Arlington
Complete the quote:

"Here rests in honored glory..."
"...An American soldier known but to God."
How many unknowns are interred at the Tomb of the Unknows?
Three.
From what wars are the Unknowns at the Tomb of the Unknowns?
WWI, WWII, Korea.
How many unknown soldiers are buried at the Monument to the Civil War Unknowns, near the front lawn of Arlington House?
2,111 (from the fields of Bull Run and the route to the Rappahanock); Montgomery Meigs ordered the mass grave opened on Mary Custis Lee's rose garden
Describe an exhibit in the Postal Museum
The "Moving the Mail" exhibit on transportation technology in the Postal Service, with the "On the Road" exhibit showing information about the different automobiles the USPS has used over the years (including a full exhibit of a modern mail truck and an old mail jeep next to each other)
What building once contained a Turkish bath, a mortuary and a five-bed hospital?
Union Station
The Capitol divides the city into four quadrants. Name them.
Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast
The quadrant that contains Rock Creek Park and the downtown area is?
Northwest
The largest quadrant is?
Northwest
The quadrant that contains Union Station and the Senate Office Buidings is?
Northeast
The smallest quadrant is?
Southwest
Why did Dr. William Thornton receive $500?
It was the prize for the competition to design the Capitol
What prevented the Capitol from total destruction during the War of 1812?
A thunderstorm kept the fires from burning all the way through, and the storm led to a tornado that drove the British back to their ships
How many new items does the LoC receive daily?
About 22,000
Why was the Capitol expanded in the mid 1800s?
Increased population increased the size of the House and new states increased the size of the Senate; the size of staffs for members of Congress also increased as the workload increased
What was the original name for the nation's capital?
Washington. At no point was this seriously contested. It is recorded that the name "Washingtonpole" was mentioned in Congress in Philadelphia, but the city commissioners, who had been delegated with sole authority over the decision by Washington, picked the name "Washington" almost immediately.

Before this name was invented, the capital was generally referred to as "The Federal District".
Who set the boundaries for the new district?
George Washington was given the power to choose the site himself by the Residence Act. The specific boundaries were set by the commissioners Thomas Johnson, David Carroll and Daniel Stuart. The boundaries were actually surveyed by Major Andrew Ellicott along with a team of helpers (of whom Benjamin Banneker was only one).
Name at least three Supreme Court Justices currently serving.
John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Samuel A. Alito, Elena Kagan, Anthony M. Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, David H. Souter, Clarence Thomas, Steven G. Breyer.
Give the tour times for the White House.
7:00-11:00 a.m. Tue-Thu
7:00-12:00 noon Fri
7:00-1:00 p.m. Sat

Must make reservations at least 30 days ahead of time through Congressman
Give the tour times for the Capitol
8:50-3:20 Mon-Sat, tours every 10 mins.

Please reserve online. Same-day tickets at kiosks run out very quickly
Give the tour times for the U.S. Supreme Court
9:00-4:30 Mon-Fri, no guided tours
Give the tour times for the FBI Building
FBI Building is currently closed to tours
Give the tour times for the Library of Congress
Mon-Fri 10:30-3:30, on the half-hour
Sat 10:30-2:30
Fed holidays 9:30-3:30
Give the tour times for the Kennedy Center
10:00-5:00 Mon-Fri
10:00-1:00 Sat-Sun

Walk-in tours every 10 mins., group tours every 30 mins.
Give the tour times for the Holocaust Museum
No guided tours are offered except for people with disabilities

Normal hours:
Exhibitions 10:00-5:20
Library & Archives 10:00-5:00 (closed holidays)
Pass Desk 10:00-4:30

Spring Hours (March 29-June 11, except Days of Remembrance)
Exhibitions 10:00-6:30
Library & Archives 10:00-5:00
Pass Desk 10:00-5:30

March through August, passes are required to see Permanent Exhibition. These go from 10:00 to 3:45, every 15 minutes.
Give the tour times for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Closed on all federal holidays, weekends and from Christmas to New Year's

Sept.-Feb:
Every 15 mins from 9 to 10:45 and 12:30 to 2

March-August
Free tickets required
March: Same as above
April-August:
9 to 10:45, 12:30 to 3:45, 5 to 7
How many Senators serve in the Senate?
100
How many members serve in the House?
435
How many items does the LoC have in its collection?
144,562,233
Briefly explain the significance of the Capitol and Congress
John Locke thought that an elected legislature was the only legitimate form of governance and should be given primacy in any government -- this coming at a time when Parliament was rapidly making inroads on the Crown's sovereignty.

L'Enfant's idea of having the Capitol be the (0,0) origin point of his Cartesian grid was to hammer home this sovereignty -- that, no matter how powerful and respected the President or the Court, it was the elected and democratic legislature, ever shifting in membership, representing the individual people and the individual states, who had the sole power to originate the laws of the nation. This would be a country based on the collective will of the people as expressed through the democratic process, not based on the charismatic rule of a single leader -- hence even the White House, the presidential palace, yielding pride of place to the Capitol rather than being the center as it would in a European city.
List the three Senate Office Buildings
Russell Senate Office Building
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Hart Senate Office Building
List the four House Office Buidings
Cannon House Office Building
Longworth House Office Building
Rayburn House Office Building
Ford House Office Building

(O'Neill House Office Building, since demolished)
What was described as "a great and impressive gateway to the nation's capital"?
Union Station
What is unique about the design of the National Gallery of Art East and West Buildings?
The two buildings are totally dissimilar, the East Building squeezed onto a trapezoidal piece of land left over from the West Building. The West Building is all neoclassical in John Russell Pope's traditional style, closely fitting the "City Beautiful" mold he championed that shaped the McMillan Plan version of the Mall.

By contrast Pei's design is almost hypermodern, stark and austere, revolving around disconnected lines made entirely of triangular panels.

The two buildings are connected by an underground passageway, which has become itself a work of art, containing Leo Villareal's work Multiverse, consisting of 41,000 programmed LED nodes running through the whole 200-foot tunnel
What is Voice of America?
The international broadcasting program of the American government, providing news, entertainment and information around the world in over 50 languages (It is, in fact, partially a propaganda operation, though the degree to which its news is "slanted" has varied over the years; it is because of this that VoA is specifically legally prohibited from broadcasting within the US itself)
Which statue on Independence Avenue is an "allegorical representation of water and light"?
The Bartholdi Fountain
Where in DC would you find a 90-foot diplodocus?
National Museum of Natural History
Where in DC would you find 90 million sets of fingerprints?
FBI Building
Where in DC would you find President Truman's bowling pins?
National Museum of American History
Where in DC would you find Neptune's Court?
Fountain in front of the Jefferson Building of the LoC
Where in DC would you find the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial?
Between 4th and 5th Sts on E, NW, in Judiciary Square (across from the Building Museum)
Where in DC would you find Ginevra de Benci?
In the West Building of the National Gallery of Art
Where in DC would you find the National Building Museum?
On F St. between 4th and 5th Sts. NW, in Judiciary Square
Where in DC would you find Statuary Hall?
The Old Hall of the House in the Capitol (directly south of the Rotunda)
Where in DC would you find an indoor waterfall?
The most obvious one is the Cascade in the underground passageway of the National Gallery of Art, but there are others. There's one in the Botanic Garden.
List four documents in the National Archives
Too many to list. Most important:

Constitution
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
13th Amendment
Emancipation Proclamation
Magna Carta
Louisiana Purchase
Articles of Confederation
etc.
List three items the BofE&P makes besides money.
White House invitations
Government securities
Military commission certificates
Military award certificates
Naturalization certificates
Federal government ID papers
etc.

DOES NOT print passports (that's the GPO) or make coins (that's the Mint)
Of what material is a dollar bill made?
75% linen, 25% cotton
How much money does the BEP make every day?
38 million notes a day, worth approximately $750 million. Almost all of this is just replacing old cash.
List five items in the National Museum of Natural History
David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins (exhibits of early hominid fossils, dating/classification systems, 3D images of what our ancestors looked like)
Hope Diamond, at Geology, Gems and Minerals -- now being shown with the Wittelsbach-Graf Diamond
Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals, with largest ever captured Bengal tiger
Stuffed African bush elephant by entrance
Insect petting zoo
List five items in the National Museum of American History
Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian - Child's famous TV set recreated as it was during her career, with all her real cooking implements and tools laid out as she used them
Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life, opened for Lincoln's bicentennial, contains a series of Lincoln artifacts -- stovepipe hat, campaign torch, early photos, Ford's Theater chair, etc.)
50 Years of Lasers - a display case focusing on the invention of lasers and their rapid propagation, including examples of laser pointers, laser sights, laser scanners, holograms, etc.
Stories on Money - examples from the museum's numismatic collection, coins from the beginning of America to today's commemorative coins, including a clamshell used as makeshift currency in the Depression
National Treasures of Popular Culture - stuff like Kermit the Frog, Archie Bunker's chair, Dorothy's ruby slippers, etc. Right now has case with Olympics memorabilia
Describe two exhibits in the Holocaust Museum
The Permanent Exhibition is the main one: The Holocaust, a beginning-to-end exploration of the period of time known as the Holocaust based on various artifacts, recreations and presentations. Notable for the Anne Frank exhibit (recreating the Secret Annex), an actual rail car used to transport prisoners, a concentration camp bunk recreation with real prisoner uniforms, and slides of Dr. Mengele's experiments. Ends with the "Liberation Mural".

State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda - a collection of Nazi posters, pamphlets, filmstrips, news articles, etc. documenting the use of the media to pave the way for the Holocaust
When do the cherry blossom trees usually bloom?
Generally around late March to early April. The festival is generally held in the last week of March and first week of April.
Why are they called "cherry blossom" as opposed to "cherry" trees?
Although all cherry trees are in the same genus, Prunus, the trees that produce the fruit we think of as "cherries" are restricted to only two subgenera, Prunus avium (sweet cherry) and Prunus cerasus (sour cherry).

The flowers that make cherry fruits are not as attractive as the "cherry blossom" trees, with tiny flowers that grow in dense combs. Likewise, the cherry blossom trees produce fruit, but this fruit is generally tiny, has almost no flesh and has juice that is ranges from tasteless to very sour.

There are exceptions that fall somewhere in between. The sweet cherry is the only cherry sweet enough to be palatable fresh, but several of the other varieties are used in cooking. Even so, the split between trees with pretty blossoms and trees with edible fruits is great enough that they aren't even named the same in Japan -- "sakura" trees are considered to be distinct from "sakuranbo" trees, and we've borrowed that distinction when we say "cherry blossom".
List four accomplishments of Thomas Jefferson
- Wrote the Declaration of Independence
- Wrote Notes on the State of Virginia, a pioneering work of natural history
- Invented scientific archeological techniques
- Invented the sliding door, swivel chair, wire coat hanger
- Founded the University of Virginia, the first secular liberal arts college in America
- Signed the Louisiana Purchase, more than doubling the USA's land
- Personal library became seed of the new Library of Congress after the War of 1812
- Started and won the Barbary Coast War, America's first foreign engagement
- Founded West Point, our first military academy
- Sponsored the Lewis and Clark Expedition following the Louisiana Purchase, first great survey of the West
What President signed the bill for the National Cultural Center in 1957?
Dwight D. Eisenhower (renamed the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after JFK's death)
When was the Kennedy Center dedicated, and what was the largest gift?
John F. Kennedy Center Act signed by LBJ on Jan 23, 1964
Opened to the public Sept. 8, 1971
Largest gift: Catherine B. Reynolds, $100 million
Which theater in the Kennedy Center is used primarily for drama? For dance?
The premise of this question is incorrect. All of the major theaters in the Kennedy Center can be used for multiple purposes. The Eisenhower Theater is primarily for modern dance and legitimate theater, the Opera House is for ballet, opera and musicals, and the Concert Hall is most often used for orchestral concerts but can be used for any other very large-scale performance. The only theater that is *only* used for one purpose is the Theater Lab, which has been the home of Shear Madness for 22 years.
How many chandeliers hang in the Grand Foyer of the Kennedy Center and how much does each one weigh?
18 chandeliers, each weighing one ton
What is the most important branch of the Department of State?
If we mean by "branches" the different undersecretaries, then it seems generally understood that the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs has the highest-status job, directly running the bureaus that control foreign policy with each individual nation and major region. The other undersecretaries and their bureaus make decisions and recommendations and so forth, but these have to ultimately be implemented by the diplomats under the Political Affairs Undersecretary.
Where was the Naval Observatory originally located?
23rd and F Sts., on a knoll to the north of where the Lincoln Memorial is; abandoned due to swampy land and fog from the Potomac blocking telescope readings
What President's Memorial contains hiking and picnic areas?
Theodore Roosevelt
Who is buried in the National Cathedral?
Many people. Henry Vaughan and Philip Frohman, architects who spent their life working on the Cathedral. Woodrow Wilson and his wife. Secretary of State Cordell Hull. Admiral George Dewey.
What were Jan Scruggs' four requirements for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial?
It be reflective and contemplative in character
It harmonize with its surroundings, especially the neighboring memorials
It contain all the names of those who died or remain missing
It make no political statement about the war
Why did James Smithson will his entire estate to a country he never visited?
We will never know for sure. His papers were all stored in the Castle and destroyed in the fire there in 1865. He seemed to have issues regarding being the bastard son of the Duke of Northumberland, wanting to set up a legacy that would outlive that of the Percy family that had spurned him his whole life, despite his efforts to earn his way into high society through his scientific achievements and wealth.

This may be why he tried to force his nephew Henry to take the name "Hungerford" (his mother's maiden name), in order to form a new family line, in return for his inheritance, and only gave the inheritance away to America if Henry died without heirs. Presumably he believed that America, a young nation with no class system, would allow his legacy to live on independent of any family name.
The US Secret Service protects VIPs, especially the PotUS, VPotUS and their families. What department does it fall under?
Originally the Treasury Department, now DHS.
What was the Secret Service originally created for?
To suppress counterfeiting.
What Memorial is in a grove of elm and holly, and has a base with a circular sky map?
The Albert Einstein Memorial
Robert Berks not only created the Einstein Monument in front of the NAS, but also a sculpture of a famous President in the Grand Foyer of the Kennedy Center. Name it
John F. Kennedy Bust.
Berks also sculpted a monument in Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill, in honor of the founder of the National Council of Negro Women and Bethune-Cookman College. Name it.
Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial
What historic woman became known as the "angel of the battlefield"?
Clara Barton.
What organization did the "angel of the battlefield" establish in 1881?
The American Red Cross.
The Organization of American States was founded in 1890 by whom?
The first International Conference of American States voted to found the International Union of American Republics, served by a secretariat called the Commercial Bureau of American Republics. The IUAR became just the "Union of American Republics" at the Fourth Conference in 1910 and the Commercial Bureau became the "Pan American Union".

The 9th Conference was held in 1948, led by George Marshall, and there the Pan American Union agreed to reorganize the UAR into the modern Organization of American States, with the stated mission of fighting communism and taking the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man as their code.
How many countries belong to the OAS?
35
What building was created in 1888 to house the Departments of State, War and Navy?
The Executive Office Building, now the Dwight D. Eisenhower Old Executive Office Building
Who is the father of independence in Uruguay?
José Artígas

Along with Simón Bolívar, José de San Martín, Bernardo de Gálvez and Benito Juárez, forms the Statues of the Liberators along Virginia Ave. NW leading to the OAS building
What memorial is in the middle of Constitution Gardens on the Mall?
The 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial
Where is the genealogical library owned by an organization established in 1890?
Daughters of the American Revolution HQ
What is inside the Washington Monument along the stairs and landings?
193 commemorative stones donated by states, civic organizations, foreign countries and individuals
What rooms can you see on the White House tour?
The public ones: State Dining Room, Red Room, Blue Room, Green Room, East Room, Library, Vermeil Room, Diplomatic Reception Room.
Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and Queen Juliana of the Netherlands all slept in which room of the White House?
The Rose Room, now the Queens' Bedroom
What President said: "I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May only honest and wise men ever rule under this roof"?
John Adams
What happened to the White House on August 24, 1814?
It was set on fire by British troops
What Memorial consists of a 15-foot statue of a woman holding a flag entitled "Winged Victory", a marble pillar, and a plaque with the names of men who served in the Army in WWI?
The First Division Monument (17th and State Pl, NW, south of the Old Executive Office Building, in the Ellipse area)
How was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial funded?
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, founded by Jan Scruggs and run entirely on solicited private donations
Who was the only President to marry in the White House?
Grover Cleveland married Frances Folsom in the Blue Room
Which two Smithsonian Museums are underground near the Red Castle?
The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the National Museum of African Art
List two of the exhibits in the Milestones of Flight at the Air and Space Museum.
It goes from the Wright Brothers' Flyer One to SpaceShipOne.
Where is the Second Division Memorial in DC?
On the southwest quadrant of the Ellipse, along Constitution Ave. at 17th St.
List two exhibits in Space Hall at the Air and Space Museum.
Somewhat obsolete terminology -- one whole half of the Museum's galleries was once "Space Hall" -- but the most significant addition to Space Hall in the modern era was Space Race, with Russian artifacts like the Soyuz TM-10 and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the two spacecraft that made their historic docking in 1975.
The name for the Potomac River comes from an Algonquin Indian word meaning what?
The most likely answer is that it's the name of a group of people, the Patowemek, who were noted as part of the Powhatan Confederacy as early as John Smith. Another popular theory is that it comes from a word for "the place where people trade" or "the place where people bring tribute".
What memorial statue will you find in the Postal Museum?
The most prominent statue in the foyer is a marble statue of Ben Franklin, the first Postmaster General of the US. There is also a bronze statue of Owney, the USPS's unofficial mascot.
Where will you find a statue dedicated to the man who designed the Monitor?
John Ericsson National Memorial, Ohio Dr. and Independence Ave. (just west of the Lincoln Memorial)
The FDR Memorial takes up how many acres of the Cherry Tree Walk?
7.5 acres
When was the FDR Memorial dedicated, and by whom?
May 2, 1997, by President Bill Clinton
What is the first Presidential Memorial to honor a First Lady?
FDR Memorial; Eleanor Roosevelt
What is the penalty for operating as a tour guide in DC without a license?
For the initial offense, a fine of up to $300 and/or a jail sentence of up to 90 days.

For someone who has had their license revoked or suspended by the DCRA and continues to operate in violation of the law, the penalty increases to a fine of $2,000 or a jail sentence of 90 days or both.
What age must you be to obtain a DC tour guide license?
Eighteen
How many colleges have campuses in DC?
If we count only accredited four-year institutions with campuses in DC proper, eleven. UDC, American University, Catholic University, Corcoran College of Art and Design, Gallaudet University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Strayer University, Trinity Washington University and Wesley Theological Seminary.
Who is depicted in this statue?

Where is it located?
"Mercury" (anonymous copy after an original by Giovanni Bologna)

At the fountain under the rotunda of the West Building of the National Gallery of Art
What is pictured here?

Where is it located?

Who is entombed here?

What is inscribed here?
The Tomb of the Unknowns, or The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Arlington National Cemetery, in the plaza of the Memorial Amphitheatre

Three unidentified soldiers, one from WWI, one from WWII and one from the Korean War

"Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God"
What is shown here?

What slowed its construction?

How tall is it?

What material crowns the top?

How long is the elevator ride up?
The Washington Monument

Lack of funding (private donations ran out, Congress was unwilling to appropriate tax money to complete the project once the Society was taken over by the Know-Nothings, and after that the Civil War put all talk of funding the project on hold)

555 ft, 5 1/8 in

Pure aluminum

Approximately 70 seconds
Who is this?

Where can his statue be found?

What was the square he was in originally called?

What statue stands in the middle of the square?
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette

The southeast corner of Lafayette Square (Madison Pl and Pennsylvania Ave)

President's Park (sometimes erroneously called President's Park North, but it was the only President's Park before it was renamed Lafayette Square; only then did the Ellipse area become "President's Park South")

Andrew Jackson's equestrian statue
Who is this?

Where can this statue be found?
Tadeusz Kosciuszko

The northeast corner of Lafayette Square (Madison Pl and H St)
Who is this?

Where can his statue be found?
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau

The southwest corner of Lafayette Square (Jackson Pl and Pennsylvania Ave)
Who is this?

Where can his statue be found?
Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben

The northwest corner of Lafayette Square (Jackson Pl and H St)
What memorial is this?

Who designed it?

What building is behind it?

Why is it important to DC?

What is symbolized here?
Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain

Lorado Taft (1912)

Union Station (50 Massachusetts Ave. NE)

Columbus is the discoverer of America, who began the large-scale movement of peoples, goods and ideas across the Atlantic and changed the world. As such, "Columbia" to this day remains a poetic term for the New World, and the District of Columbia is named in his honor.

Blind bowspirit figure = blind discovery
Globe = Outline of the Western Hemisphere, which Columbus discovered (NOT that the earth was round -- the idea that Columbus "discovered" this fact is a major misconception, it was well known in his time)
Lions = courage
Eagles = symbol of modern America
American Indian = New World
Bearded man = Old World
Three flagpoles = Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria
Medallion on rear = Ferdinand and Isabella
What is this painting?

Who is pictured here?

Who created and painted it?

Where is it located?

What materials were used?
The Apotheosis of Washington

George Washington flanked by the goddesses of Liberty and Victory, surrounded by thirteen maidens representing the thirteen colonies, surrounded on the perimeter by scenes depicting six facets of the United States: War, Science, Marine, Commerce, Mechanics and Agriculture.
What building is this?

What documents of America's foundation are displayed here?

How much do each of the bronze doors weigh?
The National Archives Building (Archives I)

The Charters of Freedom: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

6 1/2 tons
What is the name of this historic home?

What US President lived here during White House renovations?

What is the house used for today?
The Blair House

Harry S. Truman

The official presidential guest house; used for foreign heads of state and heads of government, as well as to host the President-elect during transition
What building is this?

Why was it rebuilt in the early 19th century?

What branch of the government works here?
The US Capitol Building

It had been burned by British troops in the War of 1812

Legislative
The bolting of the statue to the top of this dome marked its completion in what year?

Who designed this dome?

What is it made of, and how much does it weigh?

What event almost stopped its construction?
1863

Thomas Ustick Walter

Cast iron; 8.9 million pounds

The Civil War
Who designed this original dome?
Charles Bulfinch
What building is this?

Where is it located?

What historic event occurred here?

What is the name of the house across the street?

What historic event occurred there?
Ford's Theatre

511 10th St NW

John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln

The Petersen House

Lincoln died in bed there the next morning
Whose memorial is pictured here?

Where is it located?

Who assassinated this President?

What is the building behind this statue?
President James A. Garfield

Maryland Ave and 1st St SW, on the House side of the Capitol

Charles Guiteau

The US Capitol Building
What famous stone is this?

What is its size?

Where is it on display?
The Hope Diamond

45.52 carats

National Gem Collection, in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Who is this a statue of?

Where is this statue located?

To what building is he tipping his hat?
Andrew Jackson

The center of Lafayette Square (between H St and Pennsylvania Ave, and Jackson Pl and Madison Pl)

The White House
What is it?

How many columns?

Where is it located?

Who is buried there?

When was it dedicated?

How tall is the statue?
The Jefferson Memorial

26

On the southeast bank of the Tidal Basin, facing the White House (900 Ohio Drive SW)

Nobody (Jefferson was buried at Monticello)

April 13 (Jefferson Day), 1943, by FDR

19 ft
What is this building?

Who is memorialized here?

Who was the architect?
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts (the building itself has the "Memorial" in the name, the institution does not)

President John F. Kennedy

Edward Durrell Stone
Where is this bust located?

Who sculpted it?
The Grand Foyer of the Kennedy Center

Robert Berks
What memorial is this?

Who designed the memorial?

How many columns surround it?

Who designed the statue inside?

What significant event occurred here?
The Lincoln Memorial

Henry Bacon

36

Daniel Chester French

April 9, 1939: Marian Anderson's famous Easter concert held by the Roosevelts after she was barred from DAR Constitution Hall
August 28, 1963: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gives his "I Have A Dream" speech at the culmination of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
May 9, 1970: Richard Nixon meets at 4:30 a.m. with leaders of the student anti-war movement, five days after the Kent State shootings
What room is this?

What building is it in?
The Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress

The Thomas Jefferson Building
What bridge is this, and what building faces it?

How long is the bridge?

What is the symbolic significance of the bridge?
The Arlington Memorial Bridge, faced by the Lincoln Memorial

2,163 ft

It symbolically links North and South, by linking the Lincoln Memorial, memorial to the Union's most beloved leader, to Arlington House, Memorial to Robert E. Lee, memorial to the Confederacy's most beloved leader
Identify this uniquely shaped house.

Where is it located?

Who designed it?

Which US President used it as a temporary residence?

Why?

How many sides does it have?
The Octagon House, or the Colonel John Tayloe House

18th St and New York Ave NW

Dr. William Thornton, the original Architect of the Capitol

James Madison

The White House had been burned

Eight (It is a hexagon with a semicircular bulge coming out of one side, giving it a total of eight distinct sides)
What is this?

Where is it located?

Which government branch works here?

What departments were once housed here?

What is the architectural style?

Designed by?
The Eisenhower (Old) Executive Office Building

Pennsylvania Ave. and 17th St. NW

Executive (the Executive Office of the President, including NSC, OMB, and the official Office of the VP)

State, War and Navy

French Second Empire

Alfred B. Mullett
What building is pictured here?

When was it built?

How large is it in square feet?

What government department works here?
The Pentagon

Sept. 11 1941 to Jan. 15 1943

6.5 million square feet

Defense
What memorial is this?

Who created it?

Where is the memorial located?

Whom does it honor?
The Seabees Memorial

Along Memorial Drive, between the Arlington National Cemetery Metro stop and the front gate

The Construction Battalions of the United States Navy
What is it?

When was it built?

Which branch of government works here?

Prior to this building, where did they work?

Where is it located?
Supreme Court Building

1932-1935

Judicial (Supreme Court)

Merchants Exchange Building in New York City, Independence Hall and then City Hall in Philadelphia, a basement chamber in the Capitol (Old Supreme Court Chamber), then the Old Senate Chamber (north wing after the Senate moved to the expanded north wing in 1860)

On East Capitol St between 1st and 2nd St NE
What is this statue?

How tall is it?

Where is it located?
Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace, or the Statue of Freedom

19 ft 6 in

Atop the Capitol Dome
What building is pictured here?

Where is it located?

Who established it, and for whom is it named?
The Willard InterContinental Washington

1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Henry Willard established it; it is named for him and his two brothers, Edwin (his original partner) and Joseph (his second partner). The "InterContinental" in the name is from the InterContinental Hotel Group, which purchased, renovated and reopened the defunct hotel in 1986
What was this building originally called?

Who designed it?

Who first called it "The White House"?

Who officially renamed it "The White House"?

What is its address?

What is the name of the balcony shown here?
Originally called "President's Palace", "Presidential Mansion" or "President's House". Official title settled on "Executive Mansion" until Teddy Roosevelt renamed it.

James Hoban

The first recorded use was Francis James Jackson, a former British minister to the United States; the first recorded use by an American was Congressman Abijah Bigelow. Note that in both of these instances the speaker was referring to an existing name, not coining a name, hence the first person to say "White House" was probably much earlier, and lost to history. Some evidence exists that it may be a pet name of George Washington's, in comparison with the "White House" plantation where he met his wife.

Theodore Roosevelt in 1901

1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Truman Balcony
Who is this?

Who sculpted it?

Where was it to be placed?

Where was it actually placed?
George Washington

Horatio Greenough

Capitol Rotunda

After staying only briefly in the Rotunda (1841-1843), it was relocated to the East Lawn of the Capitol for more than fifty years. In 1908 it was placed in Smithsonian Castle, and then moved to the new Museum of History and Technology (now renamed the National Museum of American History) in 1964.
Who presided over the dedication of the Korean War Veterans Memorial?
President Bill Clinton (of the USA) and President Kim Young Sam (of the Republic of Korea)
What is inscribed at the top of the Washington Monument?
NORTH FACE:

"Joint Commission
at
Setting of Capstone

Chester A. Arthur
W. W. Corcoran, Chairman
M. E. Bell
Edward Clark
John Newton

Act of August 2, 1876"

WEST FACE:

"Corner Stone Laid on Bed of Foundation
July 4, 1848

First Stone at Height of 152 feet laid
August 7, 1880

Capstone set December 6, 1884"

SOUTH FACE:

"Chief Engineer and Architect,
Thos. Lincoln Casey,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers

Assistants:
George W. Davis,
Captain, 14th Infantry
Bernard R. Green,
Civil Engineer

Master Mechanic
P. H. McLaughlin"

EAST FACE:

"Laus Deo"

[The answer they probably want is the inscription on the east face, which means "Praise be to God".]
In what museum would you find the Ancient West African City of Benin exhibition?
Smithsonian National Museum of African Art

[Currently a virtual exhibition online only]
Who designed the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library?
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
How must a licensed tour guide in DC display their license?
They must wear it "conspicuously" as a "badge" at all times while working.
What must all licensed tour guides give to their customers on a tour?
They must give them a card or a ticket that has the name, address and phone number of someone authorized to take complaints about their tour AND the name, address and phone number of the person or company responsible for designing/managing the tour. Whoever is designated as able to receive complaints must be available during normal business hours on every day a tour takes place.
What merchandise is a license tour guide allowed to sell while also conducting a tour?
Absolutely nothing.

Also, a tour guide may not charge extra for any services additional to those disclosed in writing and agreed to before the tour started, unless the customer specifically asks for them.
Where can the Women in Military Service for America Memorial be found?
At the Ceremonial Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, at the end of Arlington Memorial Bridge
Who designed the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial?
Lawrence Halprin
For whom is Howard University named?
General Oliver Otis Howard, a Union hero who headed the Freedmen's Bureau during Reconstruction, one of the founders and, later, the president of Howard University
How many stories tall can a building be in Washington DC?
A story is generally seen as about 10 feet, so since the tallest a building's usable space can be in DC is about 160 feet (on Mass Ave or Pennsylvania Ave), the maximum is theoretically 16; since stories tend to take up a little more than 10 feet nowadays, 15 is a more reasonable number.

In practice, the most stories any building has is the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which has 32 (religious exemption), followed by the Old Post Office with 18 (grandfathered in from before the law). No other building has more than 15.
What building has the most ornate Beaux-Arts dome in Washington DC?
The Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress