2.5 Hours

Looking out over the National Mall, the words that come to mind are usually “pristine,” “beautiful,” and “majestic.” A word that does not come to mind is “swamp.” But that is exactly what the Mall and Foggy Bottom used to be!

By the turn of the 19th century, Dupont Circle had transformed from a no-man’s land into Washington’s most exclusive address. The wealthiest (and most attention-seeking) elites of the 19th century called Dupont Circle home.

When the word “naughty” is used in a sentence with “Washington, DC,” most people tend to think of scandals, from sexual deviance to dirty money. But Washington’s dirty laundry doesn’t just come by the pile, it comes by the truckload.