WASHINGTON METRIC GRID
Despite the fact that the United States has resisted the metric system since it's inception, a grid aligned to the cardinal directions, with lengths in even units of 900, 1200 and 1800 meters, provides a simple and accurate key to the location of the main buildings and monuments in the city and the slopes, angles and distances of the diagonal avenues.
The north-south distance of zones 1-6 are each 900 meters. The east-west distance of zone A is 1800 meters. The east-west distance of zones B, C and D are each 1200 meters.
The National Cathedral is at the north-west corner of zone 1A. The Kennedy Memorial in Arlington Cemetery is at the south-west corner of zone 6A.
The Lincoln Memorial is at the south-east corner of zone 5A. Washington Circle is on the eastern border of zone A.
Dupont Circle is in the center of zone 3B. Logan Circle is in the center of zone 3C.
The Jefferson Memorial is at the south-east corner of 6B. The White House is at the south east corner of 4B. The Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is at the south-east corner of 2B. The western border of Meridian Park is on the eastern border of zone B.
The Old Patent Office is at the south-east corner of zone 4C. L'enfant Plaza, the National Archive, The Naval Memorial and the City Museum are all on the eastern border of zone C.
The Capitol building is at the south-east corner of zone 5D.
The Lincoln Memorial is 3600 meters west of the Capitol Building. The Jefferson Memorial is 1800 meters south of the White House (one-half of the distance from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building).. The White House is 900 meters north of the east-west axis of the Capitol Building. The Jefferson Memorial is 900 meters south of the east west axis of the Capitol Building. The Capitol Building is 2400 meters east of the north-south axis of the White House. The Lincoln Memorial is 1200 meters west of the north-south axis of the White House. The original plan for the city called for the Washington Monument to be located at the intersection of the north-south axis of the White House and the east-west axis of the Capitol building. It was later determined that the ground at this location was not stable enough to support the weight of the monument and it was ultimately constructed to the east and slightly to the south of it's originally intended location.
The Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is 1800 meters north of the White House. The Masonic Headquarters is 3600 meters north of the Jefferson Memorial, the same as the distance from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building.
The Kennedy Memorial is 5400 meters south of the National Cathedral. The Kennedy Memorial is also 5400 meters west of the Capitol building.
From the White House to the Capitol building, Pennsylvania Avenue travels 2400 meters east and 900 meters south. This slope of 24/9 reduces to 8/3, producing an angle of 20.556 degrees south of due east.
Massachusetts Avenue travels from Dupont Circle in the center of zone 3B to the south-east corner of zone 4D, or 3000 meters east and 1350 meters south. This reduces to a slope of 20/9, producing an angle of 24.228 degrees south of due east. Rhode Island Avenue has the same slope and the same angle south of due west and north of due east from Logan Circle in the center of zone 3C.
The City Museum is at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and the eastern border of zone C. From the center of zone 3B to the eastern border of zone C, Massachusetts Avenue travels1800 meters east. Given it's slope of 20/9, Massachusetts Avenue travels 810 meters south from the center of zone 3B to the eastern border of zone C. Since the center of zone 3B is 450 meters north of the southern border of zone 3, the City Museum is 360 meters south of the northern border of zone 4 (450 + 360 = 810). New York Avenue travels from the White House to the City Museum, or 1200 meters east and 540 meters north (900 - 360 = 540). This slope of 1200/540 also reduces to 20/9, producing the same angle of 24.228 north of due east. Due west of the City Museum, Washington Circle is 1200 meters west and 540 meters north of the White House, producing the same slope of 20/9 and the same angle of 24.228 degrees north of due west for Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to Washington Circle.
Dupont Circle is 600 meters west and 1350 meters north of the White House. Logan Circle is 600 meters east and 1350 meters north of the White House. In both cases the slope is 1350/600 or 9/4, producing an angle of 66.04 degrees north of due west for Connecticut Avenue from the White House to Dupont Circle and 66.04 degrees north of due east for Vermont Avenue from the White House to Logan Circle.
Washington Circle is 810 meters south and 600 meters west of Dupont Circle. This reduces to a slope of 9/6.66 repeating, producing an angle of 53.47 degrees north of due east for New Hampshire Avenue, from Washington Circle to Dupont Circle..
The axis of Memorial Bridge and Memorial Drive extends from the Lincoln Memorial at the north-east corner of zone 6A to the Kennedy Memorial at the south-west corner of zone 6A, or 1800 meters west and 900 meters south, for a slope of 2/1, producing an angle of 26.565 degrees south of due west. At the south-western end of Memorial drive is the Monument for Women in Military Service. Extended to the south-west from Washington Circle, New Hampshire Avenue intersects the center of the Monument for Women in Military Service at the south-western end of Memorial Drive.