1. On December 21, 1816, the Friendship Fire Company, the oldest volunteer fire department in the District of Columbia, was established. The company continues to serve the community to this day.

2. December 21, 1851 saw the completion of the U.S. Capitol Dome, which took 11 years to construct. At the time, it was the tallest structure in Washington, D.C.

3. In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the National Archives Building, located on Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The building houses countless historical documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

4. On December 21, 1970, the New York Jets defeated the Oakland Raiders at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The game is memorable for an infamous play known as the "Heidi Game," in which NBC switched away from the game to show the airing of the movie Heidi, missing the Jets' late-game comeback.

5. December 21, 2007, marked the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. The museum provides a comprehensive look at African American history and culture and has quickly become one of Washington D.C.'s most popular tourist attractions.