Confusion continues 170 years later

December 12, 2023

A Tuesday Newsday classic updated

It’s been the source of much confusion and for those of us from the ‘state’, a source of consternation. When, on December 12, 1800, Congress carved out the ‘District of Columbia’ from Maryland and a bit of Virginia, I doubt they knew how it would all play out.

The trouble began in 1853 when, by an act of Congress, the territory of Washington was created from the larger Oregon territory.

From the Infallible Wikipedia:

“The territory was originally to be named ‘Columbia’, for the Columbia River and the Columbia District, but Kentucky Representative Richard H. Stanton found the name too similar to the District of Columbia (the national capital, itself containing the city of Washington) and proposed naming the new territory after President Washington. Washington is the only U.S. state named after a president.

Confusion over the state of Washington and the city of Washington, D.C. led to renaming proposals during the statehood process for Washington in 1889, including David Dudley Field II’s suggestion to name the new state ‘Tacoma.’ These proposals failed to garner support. Washington, D.C.’s own statehood movement in the 21st century includes a proposal to use the name ‘State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth’, which would conflict with the current state of Washington. 

To distinguish it from the national capital, Washington may be referred to as ‘Washington State’, or, in more formal contexts, as ‘the State of Washington’. Residents of Washington (known as ‘Washingtonians’) and the Pacific Northwest simply refer to the state as ‘Washington’, and the nation’s capital ‘Washington, D.C.’, ‘the other Washington’, or simply ‘D.C.’.”

Ironically, had they named our state Columbia there would not be any confusion today over which ‘Columbia’ is being discussed since the entire world pretty much calls the nation’s capital ‘Washington.’

Bills continue to be introduced in Congress for precisely the purpose of granting statehood to the District of Columbia. I understand the push for that. But, (my opinion) in the category of stupid ideas it’s also been proposed to call the new entity the “State of Washington, DC.”

Can’t imagine that might be confusing…

2023 Update:

The push to make the ‘State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth’ the fifty first state continues. While how to do that is still fraught with challenges, I find it insulting that they cling to giving it a state name of ‘Washington’ as if my state doesn’t already exist.

Having finally had the opportunity to visit our nation’s capitol in August of this year I can see how that happens. The city is vibrant and dynamic. It hums with cars, busses, scooters, and trains. The mass of humanity overwhelms the brain with its unceasing activity. Everywhere we went it was a crush of people vying to see and visit all the same places. You get a sense that those who are there believe it to be the center of the universe.

And it certainly is not a kind place or a place inclined to introspection.

Two incidents summed up my visit to D.C. proper. The first involved the train system. Renting a car to get around D.C. makes zero sense, as the traffic is crazy and the parking expensive. Instead, the hubby and I decided to buy a five day Metro SmartPass. On that first day, we walked to the DuPont Circle station – about a half mile from our hotel – and descended the escalator into the depths of Hades. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that deep. Train tracks lined either side of the concrete platform and entry stiles and a security booth prevented access to the inner workings. The place smelled a bit like poop. We just wanted to get to the train but first riders must purchase their fare.

We stood at the automated purchase station – like an ATM – and worked through the process only to have our credit card rejected. Multiple times. Over to the booth we went to ask for assistance. Wrong. ‘Sorry, you can only buy the pass at the ATM. Can’t help you here.’ Can we pay cash? Nope. Have to use the machine.

Now frustrated, it was back up to street level we went, trying to figure out why our Credit Card didn’t work. The hubby, who experiences severe vertigo when confronted with edges and heights, was just about done in by the escalator.

Which meant that I won the lottery and my reward was to descend into the depths for round two and another attempt to purchase our passes. In the meantime, the hubby was fending off crazy street people and working the bank angle up at street level to figure out the problem.

So I’m down in the dim bowels of the DC train system at the Metro ATMish machine and, suddenly, on the fourth or fifth attempt to purchase the hubby’s pass, the machine works. And then it works for mine too. Elated, I return to street level to discover that he’d been successful in getting the block on the card lifted and we can now continue on our adventures.

We discover a tucked away elevator which makes descending easier for the hubby but harder on the olfactory as IT smells like urine. Much worse than in the train area.

We find the right train which takes us within a couple blocks of the White House and we spend the afternoon walking about. Finally, we decide to hop on a bus to try and get to the Capitol Mall. Being that we are unfamiliar with the city and the system, we get on a bus we think is headed the direction we want to go. At each stop, a few people leave the bus until we are literally the only people still there save the driver – an older woman – and we are happily traveling along. (Me especially as my feet hurt at that point) The bus stops and she says something with words I am not able to understand. We cannot tell if she’s talking to us or on her radio.

So she says it louder and still we don’t understand what she’s saying or even that she’s talking to us. The next thing we experience is the bus driver literally coming up out of her seat and screaming at us to get off. I swear she would have physically grabbed us and tossed us into the street if we hadn’t moved. I was so undone by her unhinged yelling I jump up and run off the bus. It was only later that I realized I had left my sun hat (which I’d had for years) on the seat, not noticing it in my upset.

The takeaway, for me, was that in D.C. there’s no patience for anyone who can’t immediately figure it out. Things I take for granted in my daily life were visibly absent: regular people who will hold the door for you, say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ Accomodation for those who need a bit of help. Smiles.

On the last morning there – now veterans in navigating the trains and busses – the hubby and I packed our suitcases and literally rolled them down the street for the half mile walk to DuPont Circle. Down the now familiar elevator we went, bought our fare (the passes had expired two days earlier), waited for the Red train and then rolled the cases on and rode to Metro Center, departed that train then descended the escalator and connected with the Blue train to Reagan National Airport. Easy Peasy.

I was glad we went and visited. But I think those who live and work in D.C. should come and visit the ‘other Washington’ before stealing our identity. Perhaps it might change their minds when they see our beautiful white capped peaks, blue waters and blue skies, rolling wheat fields, mighty rivers. Smaller towns where the people are friendly and smile at you. In my mind there’s no comparison as to which Washington is better.

To learn more about this whole mess be sure to check out these links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_(state)

https://www.dctransitguide.com/m/MetroMap/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_statehood_movement