1. In 1796, President George Washington gave his farewell address to the nation in Philadelphia. The address was printed in newspapers across the United States, including in the young capital city of Washington, D.C.

2. In 1893, the Washington State Agricultural College (now Washington State University) opened its doors to students for the first time. The college was established as Washington's land-grant institution, with a mission to promote agricultural and mechanical education.

3. In 1937, the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River began producing hydroelectric power. The dam, which spans the border between Washington and Oregon, was built by the federal government during the Great Depression as part of the New Deal.

4. In 1974, President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act into law. The legislation, which is now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), mandates that children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education.

5. In 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The museum, which was established by an act of Congress in 2003, tells the story of African American history and culture through a collection of more than 37,000 objects.