Washington, D.C.

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	Fallout 3 settlement Washington, D.C.
	Washington D.C., as seen in a Fallout 3 promo image with a member of the Brotherhood of Steel.
	Site part of United States of America (formerly) Columbia Commonwealth (formerly) Capital Wasteland People factions Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel Brotherhood Outcasts Enclave Chinese Remnants Raiders The Railroad Reilly's Rangers Talon Company Super mutants Slavers

 

Washington, D.C. (formally called the District of Columbia) is the former capital city of the United States of America, established on July 16, 1790, when the Residence Act approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country's east coast. After the devastation brought on by the Great War reduced the city to a sea of irradiated ruins, it and the surrounding area were christened the Capital Wasteland. Even two centuries after the war, it remains a lawless, violent expanse.

History

An Algonquian-speaking people known as the Nacotchtank inhabited the area around the Anacostia River when the first Europeans arrived in the 17th century. However, the Nacotchtank people had largely relocated from the area by the early 18th century.

On July 9, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital on the Potomac River. The exact location was to be selected by President George Washington, who signed the bill into law on July 16. Formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, the initial shape of the federal district was a square measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side, totaling 100 square miles (260 square kilometers). Two preexisting settlements were included in the territory: the port of Georgetown, Maryland founded in 1751, and the city of Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1749. A new "federal city" was then constructed on the north bank of the Potomac, to the east of Georgetown. On September 9, 1791, the three commissioners overseeing the capital's construction named the city in honor of President Washington.

The Organic Act of 1801 officially organized the District of Columbia and placed the federal territory under the exclusive control of Congress. The District was organized into two counties, Washington on the east side of the Potomac River, and Alexandria on the west side. Following this Act, citizens located in the District were no longer considered residents of Maryland or Virginia, thus ending their representation in Congress

Almost immediately after the Organic Act of 1801, Congress took up proposals for the return of the territory to the states, all of which failed. Members of Congress proposed retrocession because they found disenfranchisement of the District's residents to be unacceptable. Other Congressmen were of the opinion that the District could not be immediately returned without the consent of the residents and the legislatures of Maryland and Virginia. Some representatives rejected the idea of retrocession entirely and concluded that the Congress lacked the constitutional authority to return the territory. On July 9th, 1846 the 29th Congress returned Arlington County to Virginia. Congress created a single municipal government for the whole District of Columbia after the American Civil War.

In the early 21st century, when the United States of America was divided into thirteen commonwealths, Washington, D.C. became part of the Columbia Commonwealth, along with Virginia and Maryland. In the years leading to the Great War, the city was fortified against nuclear attacks. But the real threat lurked beneath the radar, as a sizable Chinese infiltrator force was operating within and without the city, as the Sino-American War raged on.

When the Great War came, it reduced most of the city to irradiated ruins, although many of the landmarks survived the devastation.

Landmarks

Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial stands in ruins at the heart of D.C.; the seated statue of Lincoln is missing its head (it has been relocated to the Temple of the Union). Sand bags are scattered around the memorial, which are used as cover by slavers and possibly runaway slaves if a quest is completed. The head may be restored after following a quest given by Hannibal Hamlin who leads a small unit of escaped slaves that are trying to create a haven for other runaway slaves.

Washington Monument

The obelisk that is the Washington Monument now has a wall made of concrete surrounding it, and is occupied by the Brotherhood of Steel. The monument's sandstone and marble has fallen off at many places and reveal its internal metal structure. The bronze statue of George Washington has disappeared from the lobby, nowhere to be found. It also houses the Galaxy News Radio dish at the building's top.

Museum of History

The Museum of History seems to have largely escaped most pillaging other than the structural damage of general decay and trash can fires. Old posters for the space exhibit at the Museum of Technology still hang. A woolly mammoth statue sits in the center untouched by time or the Great War. Due to the decaying ruins, three of the four exhibits' entryways are blocked, including the WWII, the Anchorage Reclamation and the Resource Wars, leaving only the Abraham Lincoln exhibit fully intact. Further inside the museum, the player can find the Underworld museum exhibit, which has been converted into a city of non-feral ghouls. However, if you explore any other parts of the museum, you will find Lincoln's artifacts, such as the Lincoln Memorial poster and Lincoln's repeater, along with dozens of feral ghouls.

Museum of Technology

A dilapidated shell of its former glory, the Museum of Technology lies in ruin. A monument to man's pride and achievement, set amid the result that is currently occupied by super mutants. The Wright brothers' Flier has fallen, its wings broken, and a faded old Vault-Tec banner hangs nearby.

The Virgo II Lander remains, containing the needed communications relay dish, several Stealth Boys, and plaques about several missing artifacts. There is also an exhibit, recreation, of a Vault-Tec vault, labeled vault 100.

The Capitol Building

An original sketch of the Capitol building.

The Capitol Building still stands, barely, with its walls showing heavy damage and the majestic dome partially destroyed. It is still a battleground between Talon Company, Enclave, and the super mutants who all struggle for control. Burning rubble and bodies lie everywhere.

Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial sketch.

The Jefferson Memorial was converted to a water filtering facility with very large water pipes obstructing the main entrance. A smaller side entrance to the gift shop is open toward the west. This is used as a base for Project Purity, which seeks to provide clean water to the entire Capital Wasteland. It is the focal point of many of the main quests, particularly Take it Back!.

White House

The White House is also a location on the map, though it is nothing more than a massive irradiated crater at this point. It appears to have been hit directly by a nuclear bomb. A Fat Man and three mini nukes are located in it, and there are several level-dependent ghouls that inhabit the crater.

The Mall

The Mall is the location encompassing the Museum of Technology, Museum of History, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Capitol Building. The Capitol Building and Lincoln Memorial are on the far ends, the Washington Monument near the center, and the Museums are on the sides. If you go straight down the middle of the Mall, expect to be attacked by dozens of super mutants, and by the Capitol Building, super mutants, Talon Company mercs, and an Enclave camp if you are far enough into the game.

Neighborhoods

Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase is a small suburb that rests in the north of Washington, D.C. A school, Early Dawn Elementary and the offices of Galaxy News Radio are located here.

Dupont Circle

Dupont Circle is also in the northern Washington, D.C. and is a sector of commute street with many entrances to the metro tunnels. Raiders frequent the roundabout.

Vernon Square

Vernon Square is in central D.C. and contains the Vault-Tec Headquarters, Statesman Hotel and Our Lady of Hope Hospital. The area is lousy with super mutants.

Takoma Park

Takoma Park is a small residential community adjacent to the industrial sector of Washington, D.C. at Takoma Industrial. The neighborhood has many houses, small shops and factories in the northern part of the neighborhood.

Georgetown

One of the original cities that became the District of Columbia, Georgetown is the neighborhood that facilitates transport throughout the city due to its many metro tunnels. This neighborhood boasts a notable presence of super mutants.

Pennsylvania Avenue

Penn. Avenue is the iconic street leading up the White House. While this remains true, the White House has been blow up by nuclear bombardment. Furthermore, there is nothing else of interest on the street.

Seward Square

Seward Square is adjacent to Pennsylvania Avenue and the Capitol Building. The Ranger compound that holds Reilly's Rangers is situated here. Additionally, a crazy preacher shouts from the rooftops in the middle of the neighborhood.

L'Enfant

L'Enfant is largely populated with super mutants and raiders. The Capitol Post newspaper offices are located in L'Enfant South.

Metro

Section needed This section is needed but has not been written yet. You can help The Vault by writing it.

Appearances

Washington, D.C. is one of the major locations in Fallout 3. Washington, D.C. is also mentioned in Fallout: New Vegas by the companion Raul Tejada, and by the title of the D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine.

Gallery

The following is concept art by Adam Adamowicz:

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