United States National Arboretum

"The US National Arboretum is home to more than just lush gardens... it's also where the original East Portico columns from the US Capitol Building reside. They're in pristine condition, because even though they were only around from the early 1800s until 1958, they were replaced with marble columns only because the larger-than-expected iron dome made the building look lopsided, and an addition to the east side of the building had to be constructed to make it look more even. The government was at a loss for what to do with them, until donors swooped in and had them installed at the US National Arboretum nearby. Think about how many Presidents those columns saw serve under them: Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and tons more!" -Roadtrippers The US National Arboretum was established in 1927 by an Act of Congress. The Arboretum is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. With 446 acres and 9.5 miles of winding roadways, the Arboretum is committed to serve the public's need for scientific research, education, and gardens that conserve and showcase plants to enhance the environment. It provides Public education programs, including symposia, lectures, workshops, and demonstrations; plant, flower, and art exhibitions; interpretive brochures and signs; group tours; public relations. It also has a wide-ranging basic and developmental research on trees, shrubs, turf, and floral plants.