Washington, D.C.: History, Former Names & Timeline
Federal capital built from scratch on the Potomac to L'Enfant's plan.
Washington, D.C.Explore Washington, D.C. in the interactive map
Former names of Washington, D.C.
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1790 | Washington, D.C. |
Timeline of Washington, D.C.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1790 | Congress chooses a site on the Potomac for the capital |
| 1800 | The federal government moves in |
| 1814 | British troops burn the White House and the Capitol |
| 1963 | Martin Luther King Jr. gives his "I Have a Dream" speech |
Who ruled Washington, D.C.
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–101 BC | Eastern North American hunter-gatherers |
| 100 BC–499 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 500–1491 | Eastern North American hunter-gatherers |
| 1492–1499 | Piscataway |
| 1500–1599 | Delaware |
| 1600–1649 | Conoy |
| 1650–1782 | Virginia |
| 1783–1814 | United States of America |
| 1815–1879 | United States |
| 1880–1913 | United States of America |
| 1914–today | United States |
Battles and sites near Washington, D.C.
- Battle of Gettysburg · 1863
Famous people of Washington, D.C.
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1732 – 1799 | George Washington | First president of the United States |
| 1743 – 1826 | Thomas Jefferson | Third president of the United States |
| 1809 – 1865 | Abraham Lincoln | Sixteenth president of the United States |
Nearby cities
- Philadelphia · about 199 km
- New York · about 328 km
Further reading
Questions about Washington, D.C.
Which states have ruled Washington, D.C.?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Washington, D.C. lies within 7 different states: Eastern North American hunter-gatherers, Piscataway, Delaware, Conoy, Virginia, United States of America, United States.
What are the key dates in the history of Washington, D.C.?
1790: Congress chooses a site on the Potomac for the capital. 1800: The federal government moves in. 1814: British troops burn the White House and the Capitol. 1963: Martin Luther King Jr. gives his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Which famous people are connected with Washington, D.C.?
George Washington (first president of the united states, 1732 – 1799); Thomas Jefferson (third president of the united states, 1743 – 1826); Abraham Lincoln (sixteenth president of the united states, 1809 – 1865).
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.