Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as "Washington", "the District", or simply "D.C.", is the capital of the United States. The signing of the Residence Act on July 16, 1790, approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country's East Coast. The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Congress and the District is therefore not a part of any state.

The Arms

The arms of  the District of Columbia are:

Arms: The allegory of Liberty, sitting, dressed in a white gown and with a red scarf around her hips, in he right hand a pole crested with a cap of liberty and in her left hand a tablet inscribed CONSTITUTION. On her dexter side the American Eagle, sitting, and on her sinister side a medallion with the portrait of George Washington; sitting in a landscape with a train of cars on a bridge over a stream  and the Capitol, with the Potomac River in the background. On the foreground is the date 1871.

Motto: JUSTITIA OMNIBUS (Justice to All)

Æ See illustration in the head of this essay [1]

Device of the District of Columbia

As on $ 5 bills, 1882

This device derives from the coat of arms of the District, the achievement of the United States omitted, the train of cars replaced by Washington Monument and the Constitution in a sealed roll.

The Seal

The design of seal for the District of Columbia was approved August 3, 1871, and is thus described:

“The device to the left of the figure, lookimg at its face, appears to be a sunrise, and a train of cars on a bridge over a stream leading from a larger body of water in the forground. Back of the eagle’s wing is a barrel on its side, a sheaf of wheat, another barrel on end, and two bags of grain. To the right, from the same point of view, is the Capitol, with the Potomac River in the background, and the heights on the right bank of the river on the horizon. The legend on the scroll is “JUSTITIA OMNIBUS.” The date within the wreath is 1871, and the letters on the side of the book in the arms of the female figure are those of the word “Constitution,” arranged in three lines of four letters each. The left hand of the male figure rests on a fasces representing the union of the States, and his right hand on a sword.” [2]

Device of the District of Columbia 1876 [3]

On this device there is a female allegory holding a tablet inscribed ‘Constitution’ and crowning an allegory of The Union. At her feet is the achievement of the United States and on the background is the River Potomac spanned by a bridge with a train, and the U.S. Capitol at its bank. Below is the motto JUSTITIA OMNIBUS and the date 1871. The device reproduces the arrangement of the figures on the seal of 1871.

­ When it was first adopted in 1871, the original seal featured Justice placing a wreath not on a statue of George Washington, but on the Statue of Freedom, which currently sits atop the Capitol Building. By 1888, the seal had been modified to feature a statue of George Washington. [4]

Statue of Liberty or The Union

By Thomas Crawford (1814–’57)

Statue of George Washington

By Jean Antoine Houdon, 1792

Seal of the District of Columbia, 1888

The Allegories

The figures featuring in the devices of the District of Columbia are called ‘Justice’ and ‘Liberty’ but there may be some doubt about their nature. In fact the statue of ‘Justice’ carries a phrygian cap and the Constitution with are the symbols of freedom and the civil rights guaranteeing that freedom. This figure for that reason should be called Liberty instead of Justice who, usually blindfolded, carries a sword and a balance. Also, the statue of ‘Liberty’ has a sword, helmet and shield, commonly the attributes of Athena, also supreme commander, and consequently denoting a Nation. In this case, because she supports the arms of the United States, she symbolizes the United States or The Union.

The statue of ‘Liberty’ is said to have been replaced in about 1888 by the statue of George Washington represented as a Roman magistrate symbolized by the fasces as worn within the pomerium, the territory of the Roman Civil Right. Thus the situation occured where the allegory of the Union was replaced by the statue of the Consul (ruler) supporting the Res Publica and the Constitution (the case) and being the Supreme Commander (the sword), leaving the role of Justice, crowning him, to the former allegory of Liberty.

The Flag

In 1938 a flag was adopted. [5] It is representing the blazon of the Washington family being Argent, two fesses Gules and three mullets in chief Gules. Crest: A raven proper. Motto: exitus acta probat (The Outcome Justifies the Deed). The arms were granted in 1592 to Lawrence Washington of Sulgrave Manor (Northamptonshire, England).

Washington Family Arms

Ex Libris of George Washington with his arms, crest and motto

From: Burke’s Peerage:

Washington (cos. Lancaster, Leicester, Northampton, Buckingham and Kent) Ar. two bars gu. in chief three mullets of the second. Crest - out of a ducal coronet or, a raven wings endorsed ppr.  Another crest - out of a ducal coronet or, an eagle wings endorsed sa.; and continuing: Washington United States of America; descended from John Washington and his brother Lawrence Washington natives of the North of England who emigrated to North America during the usurpation of Oliver Cromwell about 1657, and settled at Bridge Creek, on the Potomac River. The elder, John Washinton, was employed against the Indians in Maryland, and as a reward for his services was made a colonel, and the parish where he lived was called “Washington” after him [his grandson was] George Washington, the leader of the North American Rebellion, temp. George III, and first President of the United States, (b. in Virginia, 11 Feb. 1732. d.s.p. 14 Dec. 1793) same arms and crest.

It is uncertain when the motto was added. 

Large Washington coat 8237

This document, headed as being for “Lawrence Washington,” is a set of instructions for the construction of the Washington family coat of arms. The coat at top is quartered with another that says, rather enigmatically, “St. Mervery or Ivather” which is either another family or a patron saint. The supremacy of the Washington arms in the first and fourth quarter means that the coat was in the male line, and the raven above further indicated the standing of the Washington family. The lower coat related solely to the Washingtons. Though undated, this document is written on paper whose watermark dates from the middle of the 17th century, being a shield and fleur de lis - the mark of the English papermaker Thomas Gunther. The instructions were “gallicé, latiné & anglicé,” or written in French, Latin, and English, and show the positions, colors and arrangements of the various elements of the quartered coat to whoever would create it. It also gives a “Carmine Heroico,” or heroic verse, below the third illustration. [6]

Police

Formed by an act of the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Lincoln on 6 August  1861 the Metropolitan Police replaced the previous two forces: the Washington City police, which was formed by the city council, and the Auxiliary Guard, which was formed by the U.S. Congress, as well as the constables assigned by the U.S. state of Maryland to patrol Washington County.

On the arms of the service are U.S.Capitol  and its title and name of its place of operation.

District of Columbia Army National Command

Crest

Description

That for regiments and separate battalions of the District of Columbia Army National Guard: From a wreath of colors, the dome of the United States Capitol Proper in front of a rising sun Or.

Symbolism

The dome of the United States Capitol typifies the District of Columbia and the rising sun is from the District of Columbia seal.

Background

The crest was approved for the National Guard of the District of Columbia on 14 June 1928.

Distinctive Unit Insignia

Description

A gold color metal and enamel device 3.33 cm in width overall consisting of the dome of the United States Capitol in white in front of a gold rising sun and supported by a torse of six twists alternately of white and red; on a blue scroll arched above the dome, the words "CAPITAL GUARDIANS" in gold.

Symbolism

The dome of the United States Capitol typifies the District of Columbia.  The rising sun is adapted from the District of Columbia Seal and signifies the ascendency of the National Capitol and the country it represents.  Since the District of Columbia lies within the territory of the original thirteen English colonies, the twist of the wreath are accordingly in white and red.

Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment and noncolor bearing units of the District of Columbia Army National Guard on 10 October 1972.  It was amended to change the description to reflect the base metal of the badge as gold color in lieu of silver on 1 February 1973.  The insignia was redesignated effective 30 December 1983, for Headquarters, District Area Command, District of Columbia Army National Guard.  It was redesignated effective 1 October 2003, for the District of Columbia Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters and amended to update the description.

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia

Description

On a red three-sided background 5.72 cm in height and 5.40 cm in width with the base straight and the sides arched, the crest of the National Guard of the District of Columbia Proper.

Symbolism

The dome of the United States Capitol typifies the District of Columbia and the rising sun is from the District of Columbia seal.  The District lies within the territory of the original thirteen states whose predominant population was of English origin; accordingly, the twists of the wreath are white and red.

Background

The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the District of Columbia National Guard on 7 June 1948. It was redesignated for Headquarters, District Area Command, District of Columbia Army National Guard on 30 December 1983. The insignia was redesignated effective 1 October 2003, for the District of Columbia Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters and amended to update the description and add a symbolism. (TIOH Dwg. No. A-1-477)