Why is The Pentagon a pentagon?

Summary

Who Smarted? – “Why is The Pentagon a Pentagon?”

Podcast: Who Smarted? (Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media)
Episode Date: July 1, 2026
Host & Cast: Adam Tex Davis (Trusty Narrator), “Colonel Harris” (character guide)
Main Theme:
A playful, curiosity-driven exploration into the Pentagon: why it’s shaped like a pentagon, what happens inside, who works there, and other quirky and historic facts—all accessible and engaging for kids and families.

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Trusty the Host finds himself needing to use the restroom during a walking tour of Washington D.C. landmarks and — with a little comedic mischief — ends up inside the Pentagon. Guided by the stern but friendly “Colonel Harris,” listeners are given a bathroom-fueled, fun-packed tour of the Pentagon’s origins, architecture, size, historical moments, and more, all while poking fun at Trusty’s desperate need for a bathroom break. The episode combines humor, history, and science for an educational adventure suitable for kids, parents, and classrooms.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Happens Inside the Pentagon?

[04:29] – [05:03]

• The Pentagon is the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, overseeing all branches of the American armed forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force.

Quote:

“Who works here? I'll tell you who. 26,000 proud men and women. Some military, some civilian. ... we're in charge of national security, and we oversee all branches of the armed forces.”
— Colonel Harris [04:37]

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2. The Building’s Size & Layout

[05:03] – [06:00]; [07:07]–[07:21]

• The Pentagon is the second largest office building in the world, surpassed only by a diamond trading company in India.
• It covers 6.5 million square feet, with five above-ground floors, two basement levels, a huge central courtyard, and five sides.
• Its shape is low and wide (not tall and skinny) because steel was scarce during WWII and needed for the war effort, so the building was constructed mainly with reinforced concrete.
• Concrete required: 680,000 tons; the sand for the concrete came from the Potomac River beneath the site.

Memorable interaction:

“Hey, smarty pants, how big do you think the Pentagon is? ... If you guessed, B, the second biggest. You're right.”
— Adam Tex Davis [05:15]

Quote:

“Having been built smack dab in the middle of World War II, steel was needed for far more important things like battleships. And so reinforced concrete was used to build the Pentagon instead.”
— Colonel Harris [07:47]

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3. Why a Pentagon? (The Origin Story)

[06:00] – [07:04]

• The original planned site was Arlington Farms, which was pentagon-shaped, so the building was designed to match.
• President Franklin Roosevelt changed the location to avoid obstructing Arlington Cemetery’s view of D.C., but liked the pentagonal shape, so it was kept for the new site.

Quote:

“...the Arlington Farm site happened to be roughly the shape of a Pentagon, so the building was designed to match.”
— Colonel Harris [06:14]

“However, President Roosevelt liked the Pentagon shape, so they tweaked it slightly and built it right here where we're standing...”
— Colonel Harris [06:53]

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4. Why Is It Low and Wide?

[07:07] – [08:09]; [07:23]–[07:47]

• Quiz for listeners:
  • Is the Pentagon low and wide or tall and skinny? (Answer: Low and wide.)
  • Why? (Steel was needed for the war; used concrete instead, which limited building height.)

Quote:

"With concrete, you can only go so tall. So we went wide instead, which personally, I think makes it a much more unique and interesting building to look at.”
— Colonel Harris [08:09]

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5. Bathrooms: Why So Many?

[02:01], [06:45]; [15:05]–[15:58]

• There are 284 bathrooms in the Pentagon.
• The large number is due to past segregation laws in Virginia, which required separate bathrooms by race when it was built in 1941.
• President Roosevelt’s anti-discrimination executive order meant the Pentagon was the only building in Virginia where segregation didn’t apply: “So right from the start, anyone could use any bathroom they wanted.”

Quote:

“You see, when the Pentagon was constructed in 1941, segregation was still the law in Virginia ... So technically, the Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as it actually needs. But ... anyone could use any bathroom they wanted. In fact, it was the only building in Virginia where segregation did not apply.”
— Colonel Harris [15:17]

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6. Elevators and Ramps

[09:25]–[11:08]

• Quiz for listeners: True or False? Until 2011, the Pentagon only had one elevator. (Answer: True.)
• The elevator situation was another result of WWII steel shortages; steel was needed for elevators, so the Pentagon only had ramps for decades.
• The big elevator renovation—involving 70 new passenger elevators—took 17 years!

Quote:

“Instead of elevators, the building had lots and lots of concrete ramps. In fact, it still does.”
— Colonel Harris [10:20]

“It took quite some time. Quite some time indeed. 70 new passenger elevators were installed in total, and the renovation took 17 years to complete.”
— Colonel Harris [10:56]

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7. Historic Moments

[15:58]–[17:33]

• The Pentagon has witnessed pivotal American events, including:

  • The first national protest against the Vietnam War (October 1967, with 35,000 demonstrators)
  • The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, when a plane struck the building, killing 148 people.

• An unexpected positive during 9/11: offices in the struck area had just been renovated (for new elevators), and many were unoccupied, which helped save lives.

Quote:

“Because of the renovations, many of the offices that would normally be occupied by staff were empty. And the section that was hit had just been renovated, which meant the new modern materials helped lessen the blow of the attack.”
— Colonel Harris [16:54]

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8. The Hall of Heroes

[17:12]–[17:33]

• The Pentagon features the Hall of Heroes, honoring all Medal of Honor recipients (over 3,500 names).

Quote:

“The Pentagon also has a very special room called the Hall of Heroes, which commemorates every single person to have ever received the Medal of Honor... Over 3,500 people have received the award, and every single one of their names is in the Hall of Heroes.”
— Colonel Harris [17:12]

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9. Fun, Interactive Elements

• Listeners are consistently quizzed (“Smarty pants...is it A, B, or C?”), invited to guess, and encouraged to engage with facts and trivia.
• The tone is light, humorous, a bit mischievous, and always playful—perfect for a family audience.

Memorable moments:

“I'm about to put the P in Pentagon.”
— Adam Tex Davis [11:18]

“No, of course not. This is a serious place where serious work affecting millions of people around the world happens.”
— Colonel Harris [10:42]

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [05:44]
  “Yes, Colonel, your building is very big and very beautiful. And very good at defense. Except for the part where I snuck in.”
  — Adam Tex Davis

• [10:20]
  “Ramps, baby. Instead of elevators, the building had lots and lots of concrete ramps. In fact, it still does.”
  — Colonel Harris

• [15:05]
  “Why does the Pentagon have 284 bathrooms? ... there’s a precise answer ... segregation was still the law in Virginia ... So technically, the Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as it actually needs.”
  — Colonel Harris

• [16:42]
  “It sure was. But an interesting point. Those tediously long elevator installations I mentioned before actually helped save many lives.”
  — Colonel Harris

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Important Timestamps

• [04:29]: Structure, personnel, and organizational purpose
• [05:03]: Building size quiz; rank as office building
• [06:14]: Reason for Pentagon shape
• [07:23]: Why low and wide (concrete, steel shortage)
• [09:25]: Elevator/ramp quiz and history
• [15:05]: Segregation and bathrooms
• [16:06]: Key historical events at the Pentagon
• [17:12]: Hall of Heroes

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Tone and Style

The episode is lighthearted, filled with puns, comedic urgency (especially around the host’s bathroom emergency), and interactive quizzes. The interplay of character voices keeps it dynamic and emphasizes learning through storytelling, humor, and trivia. The factual content is woven seamlessly with jokes and gentle zaniness (“I promise I won’t do anything to threaten our national security” [11:18]).

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Takeaways for Listeners

• The Pentagon’s unique shape and design stem from practical, historical, and political reasons.
• Key facts about its size, function, and quirks (like ramps, a surplus of bathrooms, and secret rooms) create memorable learning.
• Historic moments there go beyond military operations, including civil rights milestones and major world events.
• The show’s playfulness helps cement information, spark curiosity, and encourage further questions and conversations.

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This episode brings the mystery and might of the Pentagon down to a kid’s eye view, making the world’s most famous office building approachable, funny, and memorable—bathroom urgency and all!

Transcript

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hey smarty pants, quick question. Would it be cool to slice flying fruit out of the air like a ninja? I'm hearing a lot of yeses. Well, last weekend I was actually doing it in my living room. Just me chopping watermelons and pineapples out of mid air while my dinner was bubbling on the stove. How NEX Playground. NEX Playground is a kid focused game system where your body is the controller. No joystick, no buttons. The playground sees your moves and you're in the game. I've been CR Fruit ninja and there's also bluey and Ninja turtles games and an Avatar Earth rumble tournament where I got to bend rocks. Dance games, sports games, over 50 games. Once you add play. Pass smarty parents, here's the part for you. Playground is built kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases, no mature content, no online chat with strangers. Just your smarty pants moving their body, having a blast, playing games that you can actually feel good about. It's the screen time solution that's also extra exercise, which means everyone wins. Check out next [e-mail] that's nexplayground.com Trust me, your living room is about to get a lot more interesting. And now it's time for who Smarted?

[Tour Guide]

And that concludes our tour of the Arlington Cemetery, one of Washington DC's most important landmarks.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hey, smarty pants. I'm on a walking tour of famous Washington D.C. landmarks. And it's great and all, but I drink a lot of water and now I really have to. You know, it rhymes with B and C and D and E and G. I think you know what I mean.

[Tour Guide]

And if you look across the street, you'll see the Pentagon, home of the United States Department of Defense, which is home to.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Excuse me, do they have a bathroom?

[Tour Guide]

Uh, does the Pentagon have a bathroom?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yes, quickly please.

[Tour Guide]

Why yes, The Pentagon has 284 bathrooms.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Great. I only need one. Thanks. Byee. All right, smarty pants. Hopefully they'll let me in to use one of those 284 bathrooms. But also while I'm inside, maybe I can learn more about the Pentagon. Like what actually goes on inside of there. Who works at the Pentagon? And why is the Pentagon a Pentagon? Well, you're about to find out. Get ready for another whiff of science and history on how smarted.

[Colonel Harris]

Who's smarted? Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up everyone. We make smarting lots of fun. But who's smart? And

[Adam Tex Davis]

hey smarty pants. I was able to sneak inside the Pentagon as part of another tour group. Now I just need to find a bathroom. Excuse me. Colonel Harris. Nice name tag, by the way. Any hoop. Could you point me towards the nearest restroom?

[Colonel Harris]

Any civilian? There should be one right over. Hey, wait a minute. Where's your visitor's badge?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, I never got one. I just kinda walked in. I really need to use the bathroom.

[Colonel Harris]

Walked in? What do you mean? You just walked in?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yes, but I.

[Colonel Harris]

To the Pentagon?

[Adam Tex Davis]

I know it's wrong.

[Colonel Harris]

To the United States Department of Defense.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I see why that would be an issue.

[Colonel Harris]

The irony is almost too much to bear. Never in my years as a colonel have I witnessed such an egregious breach of security. Come. We need to find someone to blame.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Um, okay, cool. On the way, maybe I could stop and use the facilities.

[Colonel Harris]

You most certainly cannot. You haven't received your security clearance, so I'll be keeping a very close eye on you.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Okay, well, maybe you can at least answer some questions about the Pentagon while we go on this seemingly endless walk.

[Colonel Harris]

Well, first of all, who am I even talking to?

[Adam Tex Davis]

I'm the trusty narrator from the whosmarted podcast.

[Colonel Harris]

Who's smarted. I see. And can I trust you?

[Adam Tex Davis]

It's part of my name.

[Colonel Harris]

Great. Then in that case, I'd be delighted to answer your questions. I love the Pentagon. Been working here for decades, and I'm happy to tell you about it. Nothing classified, of course.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, of course. Okay, let's start off with a basic question. What actually happens inside the Pentagon? Like who works here?

[Colonel Harris]

Who works here? I'll tell you who. 26,000 proud men and women. Some military, some civilian. You see, the Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. That means we're in charge of national security, and we oversee all branches of the armed forces. That's the army, the Navy, the Air force, the Marine corps, the Coast Guard, and even the Space force.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Whoa. That's a lot of departments. No wonder this place is so huge. Hey, smarty pants, how big do you think the Pentagon is? Is it, A, the biggest office building in the world, B, the second biggest office building in the world, or C, the third biggest office building in the world? If you guessed, B, the second biggest. You're right.

[Colonel Harris]

Whoa. Yep, we're number two, all right. Beaten only by a diamond trading company in India. But that's okay. We're still really big. And we're number one in defense.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yes, Colonel, your building is very big and very beautiful. And very good at defense. Except for the part where I snuck in There, there.

[Colonel Harris]

Yeah, some heads are definitely gonna roll for that.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Can we get back to talking about the building?

[Colonel Harris]

Well, sure. The Pentagon is 6.5 million square feet. It has five floors, two basement floors, a courtyard, and of course, five sides due to its pentagonal shape.

[Tour Guide]

Right.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Which of course, is why it's called the Pentagon, because a Pentagon has five sides. But, Colonel, the smarty pants and I need to know, why is the Pentagon a Pentagon? Smartypants, do you know? Me neither.

[Colonel Harris]

Aha. My favorite question. See, back when it was built in 1941, the Pentagon was actually supposed to be on a different plot of land than it is today. A place called Arlington Farms, just down the road from here. And the Arlington Farm site happened to be roughly the shape of a Pentagon, so the building was designed to match.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, so what happened? Why didn't they build it on Arlington Farms in the end?

[Colonel Harris]

Because President Franklin Roosevelt was worried that building the Pentagon there would block the view of Washington D.C. from Arlington Cemetery.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, yeah, we wouldn't want that.

[Colonel Harris]

So they chose the site just down the road from the original spot. However, President Roosevelt liked the Pentagon shape, so they tweaked it slightly and built it right here where we're standing and

[Adam Tex Davis]

not using the bathroom.

[Colonel Harris]

Right this way.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Wow, this place really is gigantic. But it's different than most office buildings. Smartypants, is the Pentagon tall and skinny or low and wide? The answer is low and wide, and

[Colonel Harris]

there's a very practical reason for that. Trusty.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I would hope so. Smartypants, why do you think the Pentagon was built to be low and wide instead of tall and skinny? Is it A, because a very tall building could sink into the Potomac River, B, because steel was in short supply as it was needed for the war effort, or C, because President Roosevelt hated tall buildings? The answer is B. Great job if you got that right.

[Colonel Harris]

Having been built smack dab in the middle of World War II, steel was needed for far more important things like battleships. And so reinforced concrete was used to build the Pentagon instead.

[Adam Tex Davis]

And as you may remember from our episode on skyscrapers, it takes steel to construct buildings. Very tall, but with concrete, you can only go so tall.

[Colonel Harris]

So we went wide instead, which personally, I think makes it a much more unique and interesting building to look at.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yes, yes, the building is very nice, but also, it probably took a lot of concrete.

[Colonel Harris]

Oh, yeah, 680,000 tons of it to be precise. And the sand used to make the concrete came from the Potomac river, which is running right beneath us.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Amazing. I'm also very curious about the bathrooms here. And seeing as there's 284 of them, maybe you could direct me to one of them.

[Tour Guide]

Please?

[Colonel Harris]

You got it. Right after I find someone to blame for letting you in here. You seem like a nice, trustworthy guy, but hey, rules are rules.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But I'm about to burst.

[Colonel Harris]

Hey, there is no bursting in the Pentagon. Also, I notice you keep mentioning the smarty pants. Who or what are they?

[Adam Tex Davis]

They're our audience listening to this show.

[Colonel Harris]

Wait, you're telling me you're recording and broadcasting this too? We don't know who these smarty pants are. They need to be clear for security too.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I assure you, the smarty pants are all trustworthy too. You know what? Let's keep walking and talking. That'll distract me from the accident I'm about to have. How about a nice true or false question?

[Colonel Harris]

Sure. True or false. From 1941 until 2011, the Pentagon only had one elevator.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Smartypants, what do you think? Could the second largest office building in the whole world with five floors, and all these people working here only have one elevator? The answer has to be false, and that is false. See? Told ya.

[Colonel Harris]

No, I meant your answer of false was false. The actual answer is true.

[Adam Tex Davis]

What? How?

[Colonel Harris]

Why? Remember how I said the building was built low and wide and made of concrete to save on steel?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yeah.

[Colonel Harris]

Well, that's the same reason they only built one elevator. You need steel to build elevators.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But. But the place is so huge. What if someone was in a wheelchair and needed to get from the first floor to the fourth floor?

[Colonel Harris]

Ramps, baby. Instead of elevators, the building had lots and lots of concrete ramps. In fact, it still does.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hmm, I bet that sounds more fun than it actually is. Unless, of course, you use the ramps to have office chair races. Ooh, can we do that?

[Colonel Harris]

Sure thing.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Really?

[Colonel Harris]

No, of course not. This is a serious place where serious work affecting millions of people around the world happens.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Right, of course. Sorry. Anywho, when did the Pentagon eventually get its elevators? I just saw a whole bank of them.

[Colonel Harris]

It took quite some time. Quite some time indeed. 70 new passenger elevators were installed in total, and the renovation took 17 years to complete.

[Adam Tex Davis]

17 years?

[Colonel Harris]

Oof.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Good thing there were ramps in the meantime.

[Colonel Harris]

And if you look to the left, you'll see a bathroom.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Please, please, please, Colonel Harris, I'm about to put the P in Pentagon. You can wait right outside the door. I promise I won't do anything to threaten our national security.

[Colonel Harris]

Fine. You have exactly one ad break.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Perfect. We'll be right back with more ponderables about the Pentagon right after this quick break and a word from our sponsors.

[Colonel Harris]

Decaf.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Colonel Harris]

All right.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Colonel Harris]

Sweet.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Adam Tex Davis]

Hey smarty pants. Quick question. Would it be cool to slice flying fruit out of the air like a ninja? I'm hearing a lot of yeses. Well, last weekend I was actually doing it in my living room. Just me chopping watermelons and pineapples out of mid air while my dinner was bubbling on the stove. How Nex Playground Nex Playground is a kid focused game system where your body is the controller. No joystick, no buttons, no. The playground sees your moves and you're in the game. I've been crushing fruit ninja. And there's also Bluey and Ninja Turtles games and an Avatar Earth Rumble tournament where I got to bend rocks. Dance games, sports games, over 50 games. Once you add play, pass smarty parents. Here's the part for you. Playground is built kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases, no mature content, no online chat with strangers. Just your smarty pants moving their body, having a blast. Playing games that you can actually feel good about. It's the screen time solution that's also exercise, which means everyone wins. Check out next [e-mail] that's nexplayground.com Trust me, your living room is about to get a lot more interesting. Hey, who Smarted families trusty here. You know me, always here with the facts, the stories, the wild science. And today I have an extra special book series to introduce you to. Meet the investigators. Mango and Brash are two alligator secret agents who travel through the city sewers to fight crime and solve the most wonderfully weird mysteries. If you love the puns and silly humor we throw at you on every episode of who Smarted, you're gonna feel right at home. It's basically who Smarted Energy in graphic novel form. Over 4 million copies have been sold worldwide. 4 million. Now there's nine books in the series, a special edition and a spinoff. So if you plow through books, this is basically a gift. And the newest case just dropped. Investigators, Whether or not by John Patrick Greene. Where the city's Water supply has been replaced with milk, the rain is turning green, and monkey scientists are causing chaos. So grab your copy of Investigators, whether or not at your local bookstore, library, or online today. Now back to who smarted?

[Colonel Harris]

Phew.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I feel like a new man.

[Colonel Harris]

Colonel, congratulations. And spare me the details.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Absolutely. But I do have a bathroom related question. Why does the Pentagon have 284 bathrooms? That's. That seems like an oddly specific number. Why not 300 or 250?

[Colonel Harris]

Excellent question, civilian. And like everything else in this wonderfully quirky place, there's a precise answer. You see, when the Pentagon was constructed in 1941, segregation was still the law in Virginia, which meant that African Americans had to use separate bathrooms from white people. So technically, the Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as it actually needs. But right around that time, President Roosevelt signed an executive order prohibiting discrimination against government employees. So right from the start, anyone could use any bathroom they wanted. In fact, it was the only building in Virginia where segregation did not apply.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Gotcha. There must have been so many historic events that have happened here over the years. I mean, it's such an important place for the country.

[Colonel Harris]

Indeed. For example, In October of 1967, there was a huge anti war riot protesting the Vietnam War. In fact, it was the first national protest against the war. It started on October 21 and lasted until the next day with 35,000 people demonstrating in front of the Pentagon. And of course, on September 11, 2001, a terrorist attack damaged part of the Pentagon. A plane was flown into the side of the building, killing 148 people.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I remember that was a dark, dark day.

[Colonel Harris]

It sure was. But an interesting point. Those tediously long elevator installations I mentioned before actually helped save many lives.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Really? How?

[Colonel Harris]

Well, because of the renovations, many of the offices that would normally be occupied by staff were empty. And the section that was hit had just been renovated, which meant the new modern materials helped lessen the blow of the attack. Wow.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Who would have thought that a long overdue elevator installation would help save lives?

[Colonel Harris]

The Pentagon also has a very special room called the hall of Heroes, which commemorates every single person to have ever received the Medal of Honor, an award given specifically for bravery to exceptional members of the armed forces. Over 3,500 people have received the award, and every single one of their names is in the hall of Heroes.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Incredible. Well, Colonel, I thank you for the impromptu tour and for the use of one of the 284 bathrooms, but I think it's time that I should be going and rejoin my actual tour group.

[Colonel Harris]

Hang on. We still haven't found who let you in. I need someone to blame.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Gotcha. Well, I just hope you don't get in trouble yourself. After all, you did take a complete stranger on an unauthorized tour of the building and let him broadcast a hugely popular podcast out to over a hundred thousand smarty pants.

[Colonel Harris]

Permission granted to leave. On your way, civilian.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Byee. A special shout out to smarty fans Bianca and her dad Jason in Silver Spring, Maryland. We're so happy to hear that you love listening and smarting with us on the way to school. We appreciate you thanking us for keeping you entertained and educated every morning. And we thank you both for being part of our smarty family this episode. The Pentagon was written by Phil Polygon Jarmy and voiced by Adam Hexagon Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Heptagon Hahn. Our associate producer is Max Circular Kamowski. The theme song is by Brian the Square Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Audio production.