1. On June 13, 1798, the United States Department of State was established in Washington, D.C. by an act of Congress, implementing the structure of the federal government under the new Constitution.

2. President Abraham Lincoln made a surprise visit to Washington, D.C. on June 13, 1861 , arriving at the city with his bodyguard who were dressed in disguise to avoid detection by Confederate supporters.

3. In 1925, the Dupont Circle Fountain was unveiled on June 13th, after a long effort to beautify the park and its namesake neighborhood. The fountain is a popular attraction in D.C. to this day.

4. June 13, 1969, marked the beginning of the second day of a three-day whirlwind visit to Washington D.C. by Pope Paul VI. The visit was the first ever by a reigning pope of the Roman Catholic Church to the United States.

5. On June 13, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to go to space on board the Space Shuttle Challenger, which launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ride was part of the crew for the seventh flight of the Challenger spacecraft.