Columbia Commonwealth

The Columbia Commonwealth was one of the thirteen commonwealths of the pre-War United States. Created in 1969, it was comprised of the former states of Maryland and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

Capital Wasteland
The Capital Wasteland spans much of the District of Columbia, as well as portions of both Maryland to the north and Virginia to the south.

Lawless and anarchic for most of its post-war history, the Brotherhood of Steel arrived in the region in 2255, and brought some semblance of order for the few human settlers in the region. Upon establishing themselves in the ruins of the Pentagon, now known as the Citadel, the leader of the Chapter, Elder Lyons, chose to wage war against the super mutants plaguing the region, and funded scientific pursuits such as Project Purity. However this resulted in a quagmire for the Brotherhood, as the war with the super mutants was a stalemate by 2277, and Project Purity had lain abandoned. In addition, half of the original forces had chose to split and form their own faction, the Brotherhood Outcasts, who hoped to regain contact with the elders in California so as to put Lyons on trial for his betrayal of Brotherhood doctrine.

The situation would grow more severe when the Enclave, having fled to Raven Rock and other locations upon the destruction of their oil rig out west, revealed themselves in full, so as to claim Project Purity for themselves, declaring de-facto war on the Lyons Brotherhood. However, despite the grim outlook, the Brotherhood's use of a pre-War superweapon, Liberty Prime, helped to turn the tide of the war for the Brotherhood's favor, destroying the Enclave headquarters at Raven Rock. Though Liberty Prime would be disabled during the Battle of Rockland, the Brotherhood would still go on to ultimately win the war at the Battle of Adams Air Force Base.

Though successful in their war, and flush with spoils, the Brotherhood would suffer a leadership crisis for the next several years following 2278. Lyons and his daughter and heir Sarah died shortly after another, with a series of 'incompetent' elders taking the helm until Arthur Maxson managed to take control of the Brotherhood following his battle with Shephard, who had been leading the last of the Super-Mutant forces. Arthur then regained contact with the Brotherhood in California, and healed the schism with the Outcasts by rededicating the chapter to the original Brotherhood's manifesto, merging the two.

By 2287, the Brotherhood controlled most of the Capital Wasteland, distributing free water to the settlements, and escorting caravans with Vertibird air support.

Several locations here include Washington, D.C., Little Lamplight, Minefield, Rivet City, Canterbury Commons, Arefu, and the Republic of Dave.

Maryland Wasteland
In the former state of Maryland, several locations can be explored or are mentioned, such as Adams Air Force Base, Baltimore, Camp David , Hagerstown , Damascus , Germantown, Olney, Paradise Falls, Rockville, Takoma Park, Wheaton, and the Western Maryland Correctional Facility.

A small amount of the Maryland Wasteland is shown in the add-on Point Lookout. Swamplands and insane swampfolk abominations are excessive, and only a small group of tribals and wildlife reside there. Not much is known about the state, except that much of it wasn't hit by the bombs, and the damage done was the result of the downfall of society, loss of contact with the outside world, and post-War radiation seeping into the state.

A small part of Maryland can be explored in Fallout 76. The entire area of The Mire that goes east of the Potomac River is a part of Maryland and the locations in it that can be explored are Braxson's Quality Medical Supplies, Crevasse Dam, Delano grange, Haven Church, Ransacked bunker, Sam Blackwell's bunker, Southern Belle Motel, Scoot's shack, Sunken church, Tanagra Town, and Thunder Mountain power plant.

Former Virginia
Parts of northern Virginia are explored in Fallout 3 as part of the Capital Wasteland, such as Andale and the ruins of Alexandria. Other known locations include W&M Law School, Megaton, Norfolk , Petersburg , Springfield , and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Lacey Drummond and Isela Mejia hail from Virginia and describe the state as "having more hotspots" compared to Appalachia, and as being "mostly picked clean." However, as of 2103 trade and business are flourishing within the state, with the Blue Ridge Caravan Company delivering to and from settlements along the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, having supposedly turned it into one of the safest routes in the wastes.

Appearances

 * The Columbia Commonwealth appears in Fallout 3 and its add-ons Broken Steel, Operation: Anchorage, and Point Lookout, and is mentioned in the add-ons The Pitt and Mothership Zeta.
 * Parts of the Columbia Commonwealth are mentioned in Fallout: New Vegas and its add-ons Dead Money and Lonesome Road.
 * Parts of the Columbia Commonwealth are mentioned in Fallout 4 and its add-on Automatron. The National Mall of Washington, D.C. also appears in the Atomic Command Pip-Boy game.
 * Parts of the Columbia Commonwealth appear in Fallout 76 and are mentioned in its update Wastelanders.