Grateful American® Foundation

What is the Residence Act, and which US city did it help incorporate today?

May 3rd

capitolandpartofwashingtoncity_22796vMay 3, 1802 — Washington, DC is incorporated as a city today.

It was a long time coming, as the signing of the Residence Act on July 16, 1790 approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country’s East Coast. The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Congress and the District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state.

The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district, which included the pre-existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria. Named in honor of George Washington, the City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital.

In 1846, Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia; in 1871, it created a single municipal government for the remaining portion of the District.

In July 2015, Washington had an estimated population of 672,228.

Words of Wisdom

Washington is a community of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.

― President John F. Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963) was the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963

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