Here is another great five-minute history of a D.C. landmark.
Union Station was, for the first half of the 20th century, the
gateway to Washington. It was how most people arrived in the
city and it was a magnificent sight for visitors. [gigya
src="http://embed.5min.com/517229521/"
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allowfullscreen="true" wmode="opaque" width="560" height="345"]
The majestic building displaced the Irish community in
Swampoodle, knocking down the shanty town residences of 1,700
poor Irish immigrants. It was designed in the beaux arts style
by noted architect Daniel Burnham, who also designed the
Flatiron Building in New York. Three interesting facts from the
video: - When opened, it was the largest train station in the
world. - Up to 200,000 people a day passed through Union Station
during World War II. - With 32 million people passing through
annually, it is the most visited site in the city. - Amazing Old
Color Photos of D.C. Circa 1941 (ghostsofdc.org)