The Visionary Who Designed Washington, D.C. and Was Fired Before He Finished
Our American Stories
iHeartPodcasts
4.6 • 817 Ratings
🗓️ 31 July 2025
⏱️ 16 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of Our American Stories, he helped fight for America’s freedom, then shaped the city that would represent it. Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed Washington, D.C. with intention: circles, lines, and avenues that all meant something. But what began as a grand commission ended in conflict. L’Enfant’s refusal to give up control led to his removal. The plan moved on without him, and for years, so did history. Constituting America's award-winning student historian, Wyatt Hensley, shares the story of a designer with a vision too strong for his time, and how it still lives on in the streets of the capital.
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:04.5 | I knew I wanted to obey and submit, but I didn't fully grasp for the rest of my life what that |
| 0:12.2 | meant. |
| 0:13.2 | For my heart podcasts and Rococo Punch, this is the Turning, River Road. |
| 0:17.7 | In the woods of Minnesota, a cult leader married himself to 10 girls and forced them into a secret life of abuse. |
| 0:24.6 | But in 2014, the youngest escaped. |
| 0:28.3 | Listen to the Turning River Road on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 0:34.9 | Just like great shoes, great books take you places. |
| 0:38.3 | Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget. |
| 0:43.4 | I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies. |
| 0:47.9 | I'm Danielle Robeye, and this is bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. |
| 0:51.3 | The new podcast from Hello Sunshine and IHeart Podcasts, where we dive |
| 0:55.2 | into the stories that shape us on the page and off. |
| 0:58.8 | Each week, I'm joined by authors, celebs, book talk stars, and more for conversations that |
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| 1:18.7 | Ebeney, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free. I'm Ebeney, and every |
| 1:25.1 | Tuesday I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you. |
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| 1:45.1 | Your entire identity has been fabricated. |
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