There's a whole lot more to D.C. than The White House.

Are you ready to dive into the peculiar depths of Washington, D.C.,'s history and culture? These 12 astonishing tidbits might just have you seeing our nation's capital in a whole new, exciting, and sometimes downright bizarre, light.

• You might know the presidential residence as the "White House," but did you know it hasn't always been called that? Over the years, it has been known as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the "Executive Mansion." It wasn't until 1901 that President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave it its current name.
• Speaking of the White House, the first U.S. President to live there was John Adams. In 1800, Adams and his wife moved into the unfinished presidential residence. However, they only lived there for a few months before moving out when Thomas Jefferson was elected as the new president.

• Washington, D.C., is home to the largest library in the world, The Library of Congress. It holds millions and millions of items, including books, manuscripts, maps, and more.
• The National Cathedral features over 100 gargoyles and grotesques on the seventh and eighth stories to funnel rainwater away from the building. One of these sculptures is the head of Darth Vader, which was installed in 1986.
• Washington, D.C., has lettered streets in alphabetical order, however, there is no "J" street. This could be due to its similarity to the letter "I." there are also no X, Y, or Z streets.
• Washington, D.C., was named after both George Washington and Christopher Columbus. The original name of the district was "Territory of Columbia," but was eventually changed to just "District of Columbia."
• Some pretty strange things have been found on the D.C. Metro, including an alligator head and prosthetic body parts.

• The Lincoln Memorial has a three-story basement below Lincoln's statue known as the undercroft.
• Woodrow Wilson is the only president buried in D.C. He's buried in the Washington National Cathedral.
• George Washington was originally going to be buried in a crypt beneath the Capitol Building, but his wishes were changed to be buried at Mount Vernon.
• The famous cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in D.C. were actually a gift from Japan in 1912, symbolizing friendship.
• The Lincoln Memorial has a typo. The engraver carved "Euture" instead of "Future." While the bottom line of the E has been filled in to correct this, you can see the mistake if you look closely.

So there you have it! From the surprising origins of the White House's name to the quirky gargoyles on the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., is brimming with little-known facts and hidden gems. Whether you're a history buff, an architecture enthusiast, or just a curious traveler, D.C. has a ton of peculiar and fascinating stories tucked away in its monuments, streets, and landmarks.

Next time you're wandering around the city, don't forget to look for the Darth Vader sculpture or the typo at the Lincoln Memorial. Remember, even in a city steeped in history and formality, there's always room for a little bit of weirdness and whimsy!