Washington, D.C.'s Official Song and Why You've Never Heard It | Boundary Stones

Washington, D.C.

Published December 11, 2022

In 1951, a contest to compose an official song for Washington, D.C. attracted thousands of entries and the winning tune was widely celebrated. So why haven't most Washingtonians ever heard it?

Tags:

Featured Topics

Sketch of the mythical fuan by Pearson Scott Foresman. [Source: Wikipedia]

Halloween

12 Posts

A group from Ecuador marches to Kalorama Park during 1971 Latino Festival. (Source: Reprinted with permission of the DC Public Library, Star Collection © Washington Post)

Hispanic Americans

4 Posts

Painting of George Washington on white horse with British soldiers walking alongside. Groups of soldiers stand on either side of the frame.

Revolutionary War

2 Posts

Abraham Lincoln, bearded man wearing suit and bowtie.

Abraham Lincoln

22 Posts

Woody Guthrie, 1943 (Library of Congress)

Music History

34 Posts

The Washington Mall from behind the Washington Monument, with the museums and other buildings visible in the distance

National Mall

15 Posts

German actress Hedwig Reicher wearing costume of "Columbia" with other suffrage pageant participants standing in background in front of the Treasury Building, March 3, 1913, Washington, D.C. (Source: Library of Congress)

Women's History

51 Posts

Mary Church Terrell stands with three African American men in 1953. (Reprinted with permission of the DC Public Library, Star Collection, © Washington Post.)

Black History

82 Posts

Popular Content

Little Known Victims of the Lincoln Assassination

The events of April 14, 1865 at Ford's Theatre in Washington are well known. Actor John Wilkes Booth went into President Lincoln's box and shot him. The President was mortally wounded and died the...

February 22, 2013

By Claudia Swain
How Smokey Bear Became an Icon... And a Real Life Neighbor in D.C.

“Only YOU can prevent forest fires.” Smokey the Bear has been around for as long as most of us can remember, reminding us to follow safe fire practices in the backcountry. However, Smokey’s message –...

March 2, 2018

By Mark Jones
Meet the Woman Who Lived Atop the Big Chair in Anacostia

In one of the more creative publicity stunts D.C. has ever seen, the Curtis Bros. Furniture Company commissioned Bassett Furniture to construct a giant chair in Anacostia. Then, the company then...

November 26, 2012

By Mark Jones
1989: Bringing Down D.C.'s Drug King

A joint force of DEA, FBI and D.C. Police officials had spent nearly two years building their case against the District's largest drug network. At 5:30pm on April 15, 1989 officers arrested Tony Lewis...

November 14, 2014

By Mark Jones

Not sure what to read? Let's pick a story for you!

Did you know? We made the D.C. Metro into a time machine!

Explore our Metro map inspired by historical events and sites rooted in the neighborhoods that surround each station. Hop aboard! Take a ride and learn on your commute.

Check out the Historic D.C. Metro Map

Historic Metro map of Washington DC