Washington , D . C . Washington , D . C . was the pre - War capital city of the United States and part of the Columbia Commonwealth , along with the states of Virginia and Maryland . After the Great War , the city ' s radioactive ruins and surrounding areas were named the Capital Wasteland . History . When English people first came to the area , there was a Native American village on the spot called Nakochtank . This name survives in the name of the Anacostia River . This river was known for the healing properties of its pure water , and it is recorded that the Emperor Powhatan , who lived in what is now Richmond , Virginia , made the trip all the way to Nakochtank once for this reason . Today this river is one of the most polluted in the world . The 1789 United States Constitution said that a capital city would be created in a district , but did not say where it should be . James Madison and others thought it should be far away from other states and cities . This way , it would be independent and not controlled by any state . In 1790 , a compromise was reached and capital was placed between Virginia and Maryland . The exact location was selected by President George Washington . The land was a square , ten miles long on each side , and split by the Potomac River , which separated the two states . Half of the district was in Maryland and the other half was in Virginia , and the two states gave this land to the government . In 1791 , it was named Washington , the District of Columbia to honor the first president . Columbia was another name for North America . City Design . Washington , D . C . was planned before it was built . Pierre L ' Enfant drew a plan for the city that said where all the streets , parks , and important buildings would be . Unlike most U . S . cities , D . C . has many roundabouts or traffic circles . The city was supposed to have long and wide avenues , and many open spaces for monuments and parks . The National Mall , a large park that connected the Capitol building to the Washington Monument , was one of the most important parts of L ' Enfant ' s plan . Landmarks . The Mall . The Mall is the location between 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 expect more super mutants , Talon Company mercs , and an Enclave camp if you are far enough into the game . 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 . The Capitol Building . Before the Great War , the United States Capitol Building housed the legislative branch of the government of the United States . It is located in Washington , D . C . , on top of Capitol Hill at the east end of the the Mall . The other side of the Capitol opens onto Seward Square . When discovered by the Lone Wanderer , it is a battle site between super mutants , Talon Company and later , the Enclave . Lincoln Memorial . The Lincoln Memorial stands in ruins at the heart of D . C . ; the seated statue of Lincoln is missing its head ( it is located in 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 . National Archives . The National Archives is a pre - War building that housed an agency that was charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records . The building is relatively undamaged , but the documents and records have mostly been destroyed or ruined . It has also become home to super mutants , centaurs , and robots ; one of which has a personality . The super mutants have placed many traps around to keep out unwanted visitors . 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 ghoul s . However , if you explore any other parts of the Museum , you will find Lincoln ' s artifacts , such as the Lincoln Memorial poster , Lincoln ' s repeater and dozens of feral ghouls . Museum of Technology . A dilapidated shell of it ' s former glory , the Museum of Technology lies in ruin . The Wright brothers ' Flier has fallen , it ' s wings broken , and a faded old Vault - Tec banner hangs nearby . A monument to man ' s pride and achievement , set amid the result that is currently occupied by super mutant s . 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 106 . Citadel . The Pentagon , as feared , was largely destroyed . However , its sub - levels remained intact and contained enough pre - War technology and weaponry to keep Brotherhood of Steel forces going indefinitely . But there was something else as well , Liberty Prime - a technological marvel that , if restored , could help the Brotherhood rebuild a strength and reputation that had been declining steadily for years . Jefferson Memorial . 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 . Arlington Cemetery . Arlington Cemetery is most of what remains of the Arlington district , including Arlington National Cemetery . To the south is Mama Dolce ' s food industry and in the center there is the Arlington House . Before the bombs fell , many of the country ' s war heroes were buried beneath this soil . Now , it is an empty spot on the map , mostly devoid of life . The Arlington / Wasteland Metro , located south of Wilhelm ' s Wharf , opens to Arlington Cemetery . Anchorage War Memorial . The Anchorage War Memorial is a war memorial commemorating the battle of Anchorage , Alaska . Suburban locations . Andale . Andale is a location in the southern area of the Capital Wasteland . It is located north - west of the Nuka - Cola plant , south of Fairfax ruins and south - east of Fort Independence . Andale is touted by its residents as " the greatest town in Virginia . " However , the town holds a very dark secret . Four families survived the nuclear war and remained in Andale , but eventually took to cannibalism after their food supplies ran out . Since then , the murder and consumption of outsiders , along with inbreeding between the Andale families , have become a tradition passed down from generation to generation . It is most likely because of this tradition , that Willy Wilson says that the Home Owners Association does not let random people move into the town , due to the dark nature of its current citizens . Bethesda Ruins . The Bethesda Ruins are located northwest of Washington , D . C . It is inhabited by raiders and ghouls , and is divided into three sections : Bethesda offices west , Bethesda offices east and Bethesda underworks . Prior to the Great War of 2077 , Bethesda was a major town in the DC area . There was Metro and City Liner service to this city . North of Bethesda is an old monorail train . As the west - east highway ends in the city , another highway traveling north , passes through the area . The city has a local park , named after the largest employer in this city , where baseball was played . Canterbury Commons . Canterbury Commons is a trading post and a small town located on the eastern edge of the Capital Wasteland , which in the year 2277 , is currently suffering from a full blown battle between two " super humans " . It is inhabited by five wastelanders and can be found north of Washington , D . C . , north of Vault 108 , and southeast of the Temple of the Union . Canterbury Commons was initially founded by Uncle Roe and his sister Daisy as a trading center for caravan merchants in the Capital Wasteland . Fairfax ruins . Fairfax ruins is a small town in the Capital Wasteland , located south of Vault 101 , east of Fort Independence , and north of Andale . The ruins consist of the main street , several alleys and destroyed houses . There are upwards of twelve well armed raiders in the vicinity , on the street and in the tunnels beneath . North of the main road running through the center of the town east to west , is the entrance to the Fairfax Metro station . Friendship Heights . Friendship Heights is a large apartment complex / metro station located on the northern outskirts of Washington , D . C . . It grants access to Tenleytown / Friendship station ( and via the metro , to Galaxy News Radio ) . Springvale . The ruins of Springvale town are located west of Washington , D . C . in the Capital Wasteland . Springvale school , Megaton and Vault 101 are nearby to the ruins , and are the closest notable locations . In the 2060s , Vault - Tec began construction on a Vault , later named Vault 101 , in the hills west of this town . In the days leading up to the Great War of 2077 , families in Springvale petition for spots in the Vault . At least one family , the Gomez family , was accepted , and one family was not . In 2241 , Vault 101 sends an expedition into the Capital Wasteland . The scout leader notes that Springvale is deserted except for giant ants . In the same report , she notes that the roads are badly damaged . This expedition successfully established contact with the citizens of Megaton . Eventually raiders established themselves in the nearby Springvale School where they prey on caravans and wastelanders , and attempt to dig an underground entrance into the Vault in order to raid it . After the battle between forces of the Enclave and the Brotherhood of Steel at the Jefferson Memorial , the Apostles of the Holy Light establish the Holy Light Monastery in Springvale . This monastery is located in the cellar of one of the houses . This house is southwest of the Red Rocket gas station . Metro system . The DC Metro system is an expansive subway system that engulfs both the city itself and the surrounding areas . Most of the Metro has been reduced to rubble on account of the nuclear bombardment . However , those stations that were notably deeper in the ground , or farther away from the the city itself , seem to have remained more or less intact compared to most stations . This allows some resilient groups of people , such as The Family , to carve a meek life in the underground . Stations found in Washington , D . C . are as follows :