During the 40-year period between 1663 and 1703, 18 landowners acquired by grant or sale all the land, which eventually became the District of Columbia. One of the earliest purchases includes the present Kalorama Heights neighborhood. With its idyllic landscape, the area underwent rapid development in the early 20th century as the city's growing population escaped the urban core. Seven U.S. Presidents - Hoover, Roosevelt, Harding, Taft, Wilson, Truman and Eisenhower - have called Kalorama home. Lanier Heights once included all of Adams Morgan before the Brown vs. Brown desegregation ruling changed forever the neighborhood's history. In 1955, Washington was the first major city to peacefully integrate schools. As a symbol of hope, the northern most section of Lanier Heights was renamed Adams Morgan.

While Adams Morgan is known for its vibrant, cosmopolitan housing, restaurants, nightclubs and shops, the Victorian row houses and Beaux-Art mansions of Kalorama Heights have been restored to house embassies, art galleries and museums. A few notable buildings in Kalorama are the Woodrow Wilson House, the Spanish Steps and lion head fountain, the Textile Museum, St. Margaret's Church, the Phillips Collection and the National Geographic Society's Explorers Hall.

The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation oversees many of the parks in the District. There are also federal and state parks in the area. Bicyclists find excellent riding areas along the C&O Canal towpath, the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, and at Rock Creek Park. Guided bike tours of important places in the District are also available. The Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River are the best places to fish. Golfers find three courses in the District and a wide variety of course choices in nearby Maryland and Virginia. Rock Creek Park has lovely trails for horseback riding, walking and jogging. Water sports enthusiasts can launch their boats, be they wind powered, have an engine, or are human propelled, on the Potomac River. There are 34 outdoor swimming pools and six indoor pools in the District, and two ice skating rinks.