Tag Archives: U.S. Capitol

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

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The Bloody Steps

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The lady in white

It’s not often a statue gets center stage – twice. The Statue of Freedom lies atop the U.S. Capitol dome, but also inside the Capitol Visitors Center underneath. The statue shows the “Lady Freedom” with her right hand on a … Continue reading

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Summerhouse been a quenching respite since 1880

Where can you go for a drink around the U.S. Capitol? Well, since 1880 or so The Summerhouse has always offered refreshment. Water, that is. The hexagonal red brick building on the west lawn of the Senate side has a … Continue reading

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Grant statue by Capitol

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Handscaping U.S. Capitol grounds was visionary

Give Frederick Law Olmsted credit — he didn’t miss a thing. When landscaping the U.S. Capitol grounds in 1874, Olmstead wanted to create things that were both aesthetic and functional. The walls were low so the public could see over … Continue reading

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Capitol pediment: The Progress of Civilization

The Senate portico’s eastern front (facing the sunrise) is about America and its conquests. Frankly, the Capitol pediment pretty easy symbolism to decipher. According to James M. Goode’s fine book “Washington Sculpture,” the woman in the middle is America standing … Continue reading

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Po’pay shows New Mexico’s history

No image or written description exists, but there’s a statue of Po’pay in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center. Interesting. Po’pay (ripe squash) was a spiritual leader in New Mexico who organized the Pueblo Revolt against … Continue reading

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Wordless Wednesday: U.S. Capitol

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Wordless Wednesday: Capitol reflections

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Come to our Capitol photo tour on Saturday

Most people recognize the iconic symbol of democracy — the U.S. Capitol dome. But did you know it’s Capitol, not Capital, Hill because it’s named after one of the seven hills of Rome? That this is the the third version … Continue reading

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Happy Thanksgiving

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Wordless Wednesday: U.S. Capitol

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5+ Questions with photographer Brandon Kopp

Every day, tourists and locals try to photograph Washington’s grand monuments and memorials and are befuddled by shadows. How can these grand structures be shown well? Monumental Thoughts.com talked with local photographer Brandon Kopp on not only photographing monuments, but … Continue reading

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