District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. is a federal district, distinct from the states, to serve
as the permanent national capital. The city is
located on the north bank of the Potomac River and is bordered by the states
of Virginia to the southwest and Maryland
to the other sides. The District has a resident population of about 600,000.
The population during the workweek rises
to over one million. The Washington metropolitan area, which includes
the area of D.C., has a population of 5.3 million.
The Washington Monument
The monument was damaged during the Virginia earthquake of August 23, 2011
and Hurricane Irene in the same year;
it remains closedto the public while the structure is assessed and repaired.
The National Park Service estimates the
monument will be closed until 2014. Difficulties in repair include complexities
such as the time needed to erect scaffolding.

Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states of Maryland and
Virginia

(L) The Capitol viewed from the Washington Monument
(R) The stature of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincon Memorial

The Washington Monument is mirrored in the Reflecting Pool.
The U.S. Capitol building and the pond

The Capitol building

The Capitol building and a goose
Washington, D.C. is a planned city. The design for the City of Washington
was largely the work of Piere C. L'Enfant,
a French-born architect, engineer, and city planner. President Washington
empowered L'Enfant to plan the layout
of the new capital in 1791. L'Enfant's plan was modeled in the Baroque
style and incorporated avenues radiating
out from rectangles, providing room for open space and landscaping. His
design also envisioned a garden-lined
grand avenue 1.6 km in length and 120 m wide in the area that is now the
National Mall.

The National Mall, which links the Capitol, Washington Memorial and Lincoln
Memorial buildings
was the 1901 Mc Millan Plan.
The city plan was finalized by McMillan in 1901. It included the re-landscaping
of Capitol grounds and the Mall, constructing
new Federal buildings and monuments, clearing slums, and establishing a
citywide park system. Architects recruited by
the committee kept much of the city's original layout, and their work is
thought to be largely in keeping with L'Enfant's
intended design.
( Source: Wikipedia )

A welcome message to the White House and a side gate, which is not open
to public.

The northern wall of White House and a police car

A souvenir photo shot at the south fence of the White House

A lovely squirrel in the national park of District of Columbia

The Washington Monument and a flower in a park
The Department of Treasury and the official, surrounded by packages of
newly minted currency,
counting and wrapping dollar bills. Washington, D.C., 1907

Seals of the Department of Treasury, United States

(L) Cherry trees are in full bloom at Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, photographed
in April 1961 .
(R) Beautiful cherry trees link around the Tidal Basin. Washington Monument
is visible, in the distance.

(L) The photograph shows the White House in a snowy Christmas time, in
December 1960.
(R) A tourist is enjoying the eastern end of the National Mall and the
capitol ground in early spring., April 1974.

(L) A cherry-blossom parade on the Constitution Avenue (R) Miss Cherry
Blossom Queen contest in D.C
Both photos were taken in April 1961.

A cherry blossom parade is in progress on the Constitution Avenue.
Both photos were taken in April 1961.

A cherry blossom parade held in 2011 (Source:NHK TV April12, 2011)
Smoking ban in the District of Columbia
アメリカ合衆国の首都、ワシントン・コロンビア特別区(Washington, District of Columbia ) 、その行政は連邦政府の
直轄地である。市内の人口は60万人ほどであるが、メリ−ランド州、バージニア州にまたがる首都圏人口は、その数倍に及ぶ。
1791年、フランス人都市設計家、ピエール・シャルル・ランファンらによる構想で、環状交差路から放射状に広い道路が
作られた。1901年には、ジェームス・マクミランらによって公園の整備など景観を主眼に再構築された。
日本から送られたポトマック川の河畔に伸びる桜並木は4月上旬に一斉に開花し、美しい春の到来を告げる。筆者は1960年代
にこの地の病院で働いていた。1974年に今は亡き母親を伴い家族ではるばるカナダから車で再びこの地を訪れたが、多くの
思い出を秘めた地域である。冬の寒さは厳しいが、4月から5月にかけての花と新緑の季節、10月から11月の紅葉に彩られる
秋の季節はとてもすばらしい。
Washington, D.C.
Arrival to Washington, D.C. The U.S.capitol Metro railway Union Station Museums Socioeconomic aspect
Smoking ban in Washington, D.C.
Ontario,Canada and Michigan, USA
Detroit Airport Niagara Falls Toronto Upper Michigan Lower Michigan
首都ワシントンDC
2008年11月執筆 2010年10月加筆
「禁煙席ネット」主宰 日本タバコフリー学会顧問 医学博士 宮本順伯
★This Web site is link-free.
The article was written and photographs were taken by Dr. J. Miyamoto,
in October 2010,
unless otherwise described. Information about the damage to the Washington
Monument by
the 2011 Virginia Earthquake, occurred in August 2011, and it under repair
works,
was added in 2012.
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