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Tag Archives: best DC walking tours
Sphere No. 6 is . . .
Sphere No. 6 is: a) What was left of the Death Star after Luke Skywalker blew it up. b) The remnants of Earth after a nuclear explosion. c) A bronze sculpture by Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro. d) I have no … Continue reading
Lafayette – the Frenchman that Americans loved
The General Marquis Gilbert de Lafayette was a key figure in American winning its independence. Lafayette blocked the escape route of the British ships at Yorktown, thus forcing Gen. Cornwallis to surrender to George Washington. Lafayette stands atop a marble … Continue reading
James Garfield Memorial – my 6th cousin
The only thing I knew about James Garfield was he was once U.S. president. I would have struggled to write a fifth-grade report on him But coming across Garfield’s memorial on the U.S. Capitol grounds intrigued me into learning more. … Continue reading
The Chess Players: It’s not over until it’s over
I’m telling you, the player on the left could still win this match. Come on, take the castle already. This game has been going on for an eternity. Well, at least since 1983. The Chess Players is one of those … Continue reading
The Concert makes you stop
I’ll admit to not knowing much about art, but I know what I like and “The Concert” by Dutch artist Gerrit Van Honthorst made me stop, sit and ponder. The 1623 oil painting hangs in the National Gallery of Art, … Continue reading
Save George Washington, get a statue – Casimir Pulaski
Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski was a Polish count who came to America to fight for freedom. He once saved George Washington’s life, but is best known for teaching American troops the discipline needed to fight the mighty British troops. Pulaski … Continue reading
A 3D map of town at your feet – Freedom Plaza
Freedom Plaza may be filled with skateboarding teenagers, lost tourists or protestors, but the Pennsylvania Ave. near 14th St. N.W. median is also a map of town’s original plan. The L’Enfant Map detailing the 1791 plan by Washington’s first city … Continue reading
National Fire Dog Monument honors arson teams
After looking for the new National Fire Dog Monument every time I drove by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, I walked the area one day. And there it was in plain sight — by the Engine Co. 2 fire … Continue reading
We cannot tell a lie – GW’s birthplace is cool
Monumental Thoughts has a guest contributor – Megan Johnson. (Hey, we’re all for free labor.) A sprawling stretch of land along Popes Creek, Va., isn’t all that different today from when George Washington entered the world 284 years ago – … Continue reading
The Hall family and the angel
Mary Ann Hall was a popular madam in Washington, running a bordello where the American Indian Museum now stands. It was said to be the classiest one in Washington during the Civil War. Mary Ann and a sister are buried … Continue reading
Washington Circle remembers that Washington
It is perhaps the most overlooked statue in plain sight of the man for whom the city is named. Washington Circle by Foggy Bottom that intersects 23rd, K St., New Hampshire Ave. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW has a bronze equestrian … Continue reading
Lincoln Cottage still a great respite
I have a secret – I’d never been to the Lincoln Cottage before taking a tour group. And it’s better than expected. Now I’ll leave the nuts and bolts to the website Lincolncottage.org. But a few things hit me during … Continue reading
Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Capital One Arena
What was the biggest thing to ever happen where Capital One Arena now lies? The Greene Turtle restaurant area was once home to The National Era, a weekly abolitionist newspaper that published a 43-week series by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It … Continue reading
Slow down to see Woodrow Wilson medallion
Not often is a memorial meant to be seen at 60 miles per hour. In fact, I went by it for 52 years before discovering it’s not a dime. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge connecting Maryland and Virginia is named after … Continue reading
Where Bex eagles soar
John “Black Jack” Pershing Park has it all. A statue of the famed World War I general. A waterfall not seen from the street that gives it a hidden oasis feel. And, an American eagle statue on the corner of … Continue reading
Who’s who at Korean War Memorial
There are 19 soldiers at the Korean War Memorial. They look much alike to the average civilian. For a long time I relied on military members on my tours to teach me who was who largely based on headgear. But … Continue reading
Down by the old, old, old spring house
It is a house of mystery. Well, at least a spring house of mystery. In nearly the middle of Ft. Lincoln Cemetery is a spring house believed to be one of the older structural relics of the American colonization … Continue reading
The memorial FDR really wanted
Name the five greatest U.S. presidents and Franklin Delano Roosevelt should make the list. Ironically, he received the least striking memorial until a second was built in 1997. But that’s the way Roosevelt wanted it. Shortly before his 1945 death … Continue reading
Posted in Monuments and Statues
Tagged best DC walking tours, FDR Memorial, Photo by Rick Snider, Washington
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‘Heros of the Independance’ at DAR
This bronze bas relief hangs at the Daughters of the Revolution in Washington. The ‘Heros of the Independance” is by David D’Angers in 1905. It was donated by his daughter Helene.
The ‘Price of Freedom’ is never cheap
It doesn’t take long to encounter the first example of Arlington National Cemetery’s reason for being. Steps from the visitors center’s west doors most people use to see the cemetery lies “The Price of Freedom” sculpture. The 12-foot, 1,800-pound bronze … Continue reading
