Urban Legends & Historic Lore of Washington, D.C.

A carving of General Lee on the back of the Lincoln monument, the birth of lobbying at the Willard Hotel, a romantic gesture that built the distinctive homes of Capitol Hill—these are legends of Washington, D.C. The capital is home to all manner of colorful rumors and tall tales. According to local lore, the missing J Street was L'Enfant's snub to Supreme Court justice John Jay, and the course of history could have been changed if only a young baseball player named Fidel Castro had accepted...