Category Archives: Attractions

Police and fire boxes gain new life

I’ll admit not knowing the following story until becoming a tour guide. Like a lot of statues, I’d walk by these call boxes never knowing they were once the lifeline of police and firemen. It’s not often I find superb … Continue reading

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Photographing the National Cathedral

You can’t take a bad photo in the National Cathedral. Oh, you can always take an average one, but the Cathedral is one of my favorite places in town and begs to be photographed. Forget the outside unless you have … Continue reading

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A pyramid in Washington

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Octagon House – when six equals eight

I have driven past the Octagon House hundreds of times because my wife worked on the same block for 30 years. I never knew its full story; just that it was an oddly-shape corner building near the White House at … Continue reading

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The history of flags by the FBI

Sometimes the government website says it better than we can. Here is the FBI’s website explanation of the history of flags along its building on Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington. The Grand Union, or Continental Colors, serving from 1775-1777, was first … Continue reading

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Best Christmas hotel lobby

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Willard Hotel

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Visit the National Archives

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National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is must see

It has probably been 40 years since I last saw the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and it wasn’t even completed then. A recent visit showed I’ve been away too long. The Shrine on the outer … Continue reading

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Roman statues at Union Station

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Visit Charlottesville, Va.

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Visit two regional aviation museums

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Society of the Cincinnati and Larz Anderson House

When first hearing the Society of the Cincinnati was not about the town but a Roman soldier, I thought how strange. Weren’t all Roman warriors named Spartacus or something like that? Well, it was something like that. The Society is … Continue reading

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Visit Leonardtown, Md.

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The Embassy Row Lady and the Curse

The Indonesian Embassy was once the home of Evalyn Walsh McLean, whose Irish immigrant father hit it rich as a gold miner. This 3 1/2-story brick mansion trimmed with three bands of limestone and a red tile roof was the … Continue reading

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A silver tree grows in Washington?

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Remembering JFK at Holy Trinity church

Holy Trinity Church (3513 N. St. NW) was the city’s first Catholic church in 1792. In the early years, parishioners either rented space on the pews or brought their own chair. But don’t worry, today’s 10,000 parishioners have ample room … Continue reading

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Hidden Gem – Hillwood Estate

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The Awakening now entertains tourists

For 36 years, a 70-foot statue has been trying to get up in the morning. Guess I’m not so slow after all. The Awakening is a 70-foot statue of a man trying to get up from the earth. There are … Continue reading

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Stephen DeCatur House remains special

Stephen DeCatur must have been one cool cat, if not an unlucky one. After fighting in the War of 1812 and later facing pirates off the Barbary Coast, DeCatur used the “prize money” from Congress to build this three-story brick … Continue reading

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