In 1867, the more than 580,000-acre Alaska territory became part of the United States. But it would be 92 years before The Last Frontier became the 49th State.
George Washington picked out the location and laid out a perfect diamond shape for the city, spanning parts of Maryland and Virginia. But a looming fight over slavery caused the Virginia side to leave the District and return to its home state, giving D.C. its strange shape.