Hard to get a good photo in the dark on a bus!!!! Harold and Joyce are ready for our "Great Adventure"!
Our Intrepid Leaders - Kate and Jim
Our first glimpse of the White House!!!!!
The US Marine Corps Memorial.
The inscription reads "In Honor and Memory of the United States Marine Corps Who Have Given Their Lives to Their Country Since 10 November 1775". Around the top of the base of the monument are listed all the different wars in which the Marines were engaged. A very moving memorial to many brave men.
The 78-foot tall U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, which commemorates all the marines who have died in battle since 1775, is one of the largest bronze statues ever cast. The monument, created by Felix W. deWeldon, is based on the famous Joseph Rosenthal photograph capturing the flag being raised on Mount Suribachi during the World War II battle for Iwo Jima.
For the full story behind the monument, there is an excellent page on the National Parks Website at: http://www.nps.gov/archive/gwmp/usmc.htm
The Korean War Vets Memorial
“Freedom is not free.” Here, one finds the expression of American gratitude to those who restored freedom to South Korea. Nineteen stainless steel sculptures stand silently under the watchful eye of a sea of faces upon a granite wall—reminders of the human cost of defending freedom. These elements all bear witness to the patriotism, devotion to duty, and courage of Korean War veterans.
June 25, 1950 the 38th Parallel marked the beginning of a war that was to be like no other. Many years have passed since the end of the Chosin Reservoir Campaign in North Korea.
When communist soldiers from North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, the United Nations Security Council voted to stop the aggression. The United States and fourteen other nations sent troops to help the South Koreans. Nearly a million Chinese communists fought on the side of North Korea, and the Soviet Union helped with money and supplies.
Although President Truman was unable to achieve a permanent peace, a truce was finally negotiated under President Eisenhower on July 27, 1953. A boundary was created to separate the two Koreas. In 1995, the Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. to all those "who were killed in action, are still listed as missing in action, or were held as prisoners of war."
This is not only a truly moving memorial..... but a SERIOUSLY spooky one at night!!! The sculptures SO catch the fear that the soldiers must have felt as they trudged through the rain and mud in a country so terribly foreign to them! Photographic images on a 164-foot granite wall pay tribute to the thousands of others who contributed to the war—nurses, mechanics, crew chiefs and support personnel. Inscribed on the wall are the words: "Freedom Is Not Free."
While doing my research on the Memorial, I came across this interesting website. If it's true, then there seems to have been quite a story behind the actual development of the Memorial itself.
http://www.koreanwar.org/html/korean_war_veterans_memorial_s.html
The Washington Monument is the most prominent, as well as one of the older, attractions in Washington, D.C. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led the country to independence, and then became its first President. The Monument is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, 555’ 5/8” high, and averages 30 to 40 miles visibility in clear weather. It was finished on December 6, 1884. It stands at the heart of Washington, D.C., near the center of a cross formed by four of America's most famous buildings: the U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and the Jefferson Memorial.
But appearance and location are not the only reasons that the Washington Monument is one of the country's most recognizable structures. Its prominence comes also because it commemorates George Washington, who remains one of the country's most admired leaders more than two centuries after his death. The history of the monument reflects his contributions to the development of the United States and shows how Americans have debated the best way to honor important citizens.
For more information on the Monument, try visiting this website: http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/wash/dc72.htm It really has some good information. We're going to go up inside the monument in the daytime, but it's nice to see it at night.
The Reflecting Pool really shows up beautifully at night
The Lincoln Memorial stands at the west end of the National Mall as a neoclassical monument to the 16th President. The memorial, designed by Henry Bacon, after ancient Greek temples, stands 190 feet long, 119 feet wide, and almost 100 feet high. It is surrounded by a peristyle of 38 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the thirty six states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and two columns in-antis at the entrance behind the colonnade. The north and south side chambers contain carved inscriptions of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address. Lying between the north and south chambers is the central hall containing the solitary figure of Lincoln sitting in contemplation. The statue was carved in four years by the Piccirilli brothers under the supervision of the sculptor, Daniel Chester French. The statue of Lincoln is 19 feet high and weighs 175 tons. The original plan was for the statue to be only ten feet high, but this was changed so that the figure of Lincoln would not be dwarfed by the size of the chamber. A commission to plan a monument was first proposed in 1867, shortly after Lincoln's death. The design for that plan called for six equestrian and 31 pedestrian statues of colossal size, with a 12-foot statue of Lincoln in the center. That project was never started for lack of funds. Congress approved the bill to construct this memorial in 1910. Construction began in 1914, and the memorial was opened to the public in 1922. The Memorial is visited by millions of visitors each year and is the site of many large public gatherings and protests. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. Damaged over the years by heavy visitation and environmental factors, the Lincoln Memorial is currently undergoing a major restoration. 
“In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” Beneath these words, the 16th President of the United States—the Great Emancipator and preserver of the nation during the Civil War—sits immortalized in marble. As an enduring symbol of Freedom, the Lincoln Memorial attracts anyone who seeks inspiration and hope.
Unfortunately, not all people visiting the monument feel the need to be quietly respectful. However, one can't really be annoyed at the exhuberance of youth.....just wish that it wasn't quite so noisy!!!!! It is such an incredible feeling to actually stand inside the Memorial--something you see in pictures, movies, etc., all your life--and then there it is!!! And it is just as amazing in reality as it is in one's imagination.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
The words of Thomas Jefferson, some written more than 200 years ago, have shaped American ideals. Today, many of these impressive, stirring words adorn the interior walls of his memorial. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial stands as a symbol of liberty and endures as a site for reflection and inspiration for all citizens of the United States and the world.
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, modeled after the Pantheon of Rome, is America's foremost memorial to their third president. As an original adaptation of Neoclassical architecture, it is a key landmark in the monumental core of Washington, DC. The circular, colonnaded structure in the classic style was introduced to the US by Thomas Jefferson. Architect John Russell Pope used Jefferson's own architectural tastes in the design of the Memorial. His intention was to synthesize Jefferson's contribution as a statesman, architect, President, drafter of the Declaration of Independence, adviser of the Constitution and founder of the University of Virginia. Architects Daniel P. Higgins and Otto R. Eggers took over construction upon the untimely death of Pope in August 1937. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission was created to direct the erection of a memorial to Thomas Jefferson by an Act of Congress approved in June 1934. The present-day location at the Tidal Basin was selected in 1937. The site caused considerable public criticism because it resulted in the removal of Japanese flowering cherry trees from the Tidal Basin. Further controversy surrounded the selection of the design of the Memorial. The Commission of Fine Arts objected to the pantheon design because it would compete with the Lincoln Memorial. The Thomas Jefferson Commission took the design controversy to President Franklin D. Roosevelt who preferred the pantheon design and gave his permission to proceed. On November 15, 1939, a ceremony was held in which President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Memorial.
In 1941, Rudolph Evans was commissioned to sculpt the statue of Thomas Jefferson. The statue of Jefferson looks out from the interior of the Memorial toward the White House. It was intended to represent the Age of Enlightenment and Jefferson as a philosopher and statesman. The bronze statue is 19 feet tall and weighs five tons. Adolph A. Weinman's sculpture of the five members of the Declaration of Independence drafting committee submitting their report to Congress is featured on the triangular pediment. Also noteworthy, and adorning the interior of the Memorial, are five quotations taken from Jefferson's writings that illustrate the principles to which he dedicated his life.
Few major changes have been made to the Memorial since its dedication in 1943. The most important change to note is the replacement of the plaster model statue of Thomas Jefferson by the bronze statue after the World War II restrictions on the use of metals were lifted. Each year the Jefferson Memorial plays host to various ceremonies, including annual Memorial exercises, Easter Sunrise Services and the ever-popular Cherry Blossom Festival.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
--From The Declaration of Independence
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
This is actually the last "room", but it was really the most beautiful of them. It was really dark by the time we got to this Memorial, so it was difficult to grasp the concept of it. We'll be back in the daytime, and I'm sure it will make more sense then.
Located along the famous Cherry Tree Walk on the Western edge of the Tidal Basin near the National Mall, this is a memorial not only to FDR, but also to the era he represents. The memorial traces twelve years of American History through a sequence of four outdoor rooms-each one devoted to one of FDR's terms of office. Sculptures inspired by photographs depict the 32nd President: A 10-foot statue shows him in a wheeled chair; a bas-relief depicts him riding in a car during his first inaugural. At the very beginning of the memorial in a prologue room is this statue with FDR seated in a wheelchair much like the one he actually used. However, I'm sure that he never had kids sitting on him getting their pictures taken when he was a "real person"!!!!!
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the President who lifted the United States so valiantly out of the Great Depression, and through WWII. As the 32nd President, Roosevelt inspired the country to persevere with his passionate words and innovative policies. .
The monument is located along the famous Cherry Tree Walk on the Tidal Basin near the national mall. The memorial traces the 12-year period that Roosevelt served as President of the United States. Roosevelt remains the only president elected to serve four terms in office. The monument is both a tribute to the man and the times. It was a period when the will and the heart of the nation was put to a test.
Each outdoor room is devoted to one of FDR's four terms in office. Sculptures inspired by photographs depict FDR. In a controversial piece, one 10-foot statue shows Roosevelt in a wheeled chair (see below). While President, FDR went to great lengths to hide his partial paralysis caused by polio. Another statue depicts the president riding in a car during his first inaugural.
FDR served as the President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. During his presidency, he inspired the public to overcome the hardship of the depression through his words. He also implemented the New Deal to help reverse the tide of the Depression. During this time, he addressed the public on the radio weekly in what came to be known as fireside chats. Later he would declare war against Japan and later Germany after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Although he died shortly before WWII's end, it was his fervent belief in democracy and courage which inspired the country to overcome adversity both at home and on foreign soil.
More than 50 years after his death, FDR's words reach out to visitors from the walls of his memorial. The words recall the great struggle the country endured during his presidency and the great debt owed by the Amerian public today to that great generation.
Mirroring Roosevelt, the times, and his policies, the monument is one of the most expansive memorials in all of the nation. However, its shade trees, quiet alcove, and waterfalls create the feeling of a hidden garden, not an imposing structure. Each room is defined by walls which are red granite in color and decorated by ornamental plantings. FDR's famous quotations are etched into the granite walls. The park was dedication on May 2, 1997.
A sampling of the many quotations of FDR sketched into the memorial are: "This generation has a rendevous with destiny." "I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished. The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." "More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginnings of all wars."
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt played a very important role in the life of FDR, both as his wife and as a beloved First Lady. This statue is to honor her and her dedication to the United Nations.
One thing I have learned while researching information on each of the Memorials, is that there is almost always a "story behind the story" of the development of each monument. Considering Roosevelt's disability, the memorial's designers intended to create a memorial that would be accessible to those with various physical impairments. Among other features, the memorial includes an area with tactile reliefs with braille writing for people who are blind. However, the memorial faced serious criticism from disabled activists. Some of the braille and reliefs were placed well above the reach of even a very tall person, rendering the braille pointless because no blind person could reach high enough to read it. The statue of FDR also stirred controversy over the issue of his disability. Designers decided against plans to have FDR shown in a wheelchair. Instead, the statue depicts the president in a chair with a cloak obscuring the chair. In deference to the disability advocates, the sculptor added casters to the back of the chair, making it a symbolic "wheelchair." These casters can only be seen if one looks behind the statue.
Many disability advocates remained upset with the FDR statue. A group spearheaded by the National Organization on Disability raised $1.65 million over two years to fund the addition of another statue that clearly showed the president in a wheelchair. In January 2001, the additional statue was placed near the memorial entrance showing FDR seated in a wheelchair much like the one he actually used.
Kate examining one of the pillars of the Memorial.
We saw other lots of other things, but the bus was moving so fast, I couldn't get decent pictures. Unfortunately, we couldn't stop anywhere, or even get close to any of the monuments because of the policy in Washington DC since September 11, 2001. No vehicles other than official vehicles are allowed to drive anywhere near any of the monuments. It's almost a siege mentality, as there are police cars and police everywhere you look. You can't blame them, because all of these things are far too important to America, to let anything happen to them, but it is sad to see the loss of freedom of movement....not to mention how much it spoils the look of Washington, what with all the concrete barriers and official vehicles all over the place.
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