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Why Is It Named…?

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What is the history behind the names of popular locations in Washington?

Why Is It Named Centreville?
Centreville, VA was established in 1792 by local landowners with the intent of creating a center point between the more established towns: Alexandria, Colchester, Dumfries, Middleburg, Georgetown, Warrenton, and Leesburg. Learn more about its fascinating origin story here.
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Why Is It Named Reston?
Robert E Simon purchased 6,750 acres of land in Fairfax in 1961 after his family sold Carnegie Hall in New York. He built a planned community with his initials RES and town as its name.
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Hains Point: How Did It Get Its Name?
Hains point is named for Peter Conover Hains, a prominent Major General in the U.S. Army and served in the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War I.
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Why Is It Named Meridian Hill?
Pierre L'Enfant had originally planned the City of Washington around a right triangle, with the eastern portion at the Capitol, the northern portion at the White House and the 90 degree angle close to where the Washington Monument sits today. Thomas Jefferson marked this spot in 1793 with a wooden post, which was replaced in 1804 with the Jefferson Pier.
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Why Is It Named Adams Morgan?
The name Adams Morgan is from the names of two formerly segregated area elementary schools—the older, all-black Thomas P. Morgan Elementary School and the all-white John Quincy Adams Elementary School, which merged in 1955 following desegregation.
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Why Is It Named Trinidad?
Do you know why we have a neighborhood named after a Caribbean island? Find out how it's related to today's George Washington University too.
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Origin of the Term "Beltway Bandit"
Career criminal Joseph Francis Fearon of Fairfax was the original ring leader of the “Beltway Bandits” of the late 1960s, robbing neighborhood homes neighboring the then-new Capital Beltway.
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Exploring the History of D.C. Public Elementary Schools: Janney, Gibbs, Eaton and Watkins
Learn about the history of D.C. public elementary schools Janney, Gibbs, Eaton and Watkins. We explore the background behind their names and the people they were named for.
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Washington DC Street Names Unveiled: From States to Letters and Numbers
Wonder what Washington DC diagonal roads are named after? Here's the history of DC's street names including states, letters, and numbers.
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Why Is It Named Langley, VA?
Langley, VA is the headquarters for the CIA. What's the history behind the area's name?
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