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drafterman t1_j2dhgag wrote

Because simply "Northwest" was already in use, historically, to refer to the Northwest Territory of the USA or, even today, the Northwest Territories of Canada.

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mytrickytrick t1_j2di9bb wrote

What about all the cities named Columbus or Springfield, Washington state vs Washington DC, or all of the roads named MLK?

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Kay_Kay_Bee t1_j2ditcx wrote

Town over already has a "Main Street", guess we can't use the name for our first road! ...What do you mean King, Queen, and First street are all taken too?!

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BillWoods6 t1_j2ekdxq wrote

Keep it simple -- just use numbers. I mean, there's an infinite number of integers available, so no need for duplication, right?

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DupeyTA t1_j2f5x34 wrote

"I grew up on 2847000th Street and Xyxzghva Avenue."

"I didn't know you grew up in the desert."

"No. I said Xyxzghva Avenue, not Xyxzkhva Avenue. I was on the beach."

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drafterman t1_j2djjd8 wrote

Because town names are usually a local consideration, whereas a large geographical chunk of an entire nation is a national consideration.

I mean, you would agree that we wouldn't ever give two states the same name, right?

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geek_fire t1_j2e6pm2 wrote

>I mean, you would agree that we wouldn't ever give two states the same name, right?

Washington State / Washington DC is annoyingly close.

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drafterman t1_j2e95kp wrote

Washington is a city inside the District of Columbia.

That's why it's "Washington, DC", not "Washington DC"

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corveroth t1_j2ezu73 wrote

The city of Washington had its charter repealed all the way back in 1871, by the District of Columbia Organic Act.

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drafterman t1_j2f5qyk wrote

Said act says:

"that portion of said District included within the present limits of the city of Washington shall continue to be known as the city of Washington"

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corveroth t1_j2fmsds wrote

And then in 1985, Georgetown was abolished.

> ...all general laws, ordinances, and regulations of the City of Washington are extended and made applicable to that part of the District of Columbia formerly known as the City of Georgetown. The title and existence of said Georgetown as a separate and independent city by law is abolished. Nothing in this section shall operate to affect or repeal existing law making Georgetown a port of entry, except as to its name.

https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-107

And current law:

> The District of Columbia is the successor of the corporations of Washington and Georgetown, and all the property of said corporations, and of the County of Washington, is vested in the District of Columbia.

https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-104.html

And per the Secretary of the District of Columbia, in 2014:

> “We refer to it as Washington, D.C., but the legal name is the District of Columbia,” Brock-Smith says.

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/205772/what-is-washington/

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jacobin17 t1_j2fpbuv wrote

The funny part is that Washington was originally going to be admitted as Columbia but they thought it would be too confusing because of the District of Columbia.

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geek_fire t1_j2e9sr7 wrote

Technically true, but irrelevant. There aren't exactly other cities in DC, and if I say I live in Washington (and the context is clear we're talking states), it's a >50% chance the listener would assume DC if I don't preemptively disambiguate it

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ohyonghao t1_j2ehx8u wrote

I was from Vancouver, WA and traveling. People would ask me where I’m from and I’d say, “Vancouver”, and they’d say, “Oh, BC.” I’d respond, “No, Washington.” To which they would say, “ Oh, DC.”

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geek_fire t1_j2endpk wrote

Oh, yeah, I definitely assume BC when someone says Vancouver!

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ABCDwp t1_j2exhvy wrote

There aren't other cities now, but that hasn't always been the case. In the past, there were also the cities of Georgetown, DC (since absorbed into Washington, DC) and Alexandria, DC (now Alexandria, VA).

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