My sister Kathleen joined me for part of a day in DC before we proceeded into Virginia to visit our mother. Kathleen really hoped to see cherry blossoms – but Feb. 28 is very early even for a warm year. I had spied one small cluster of trees beginning to bloom near the Washington Monument when I went to the Museum of African American History – so there was hope!
We hopped on the Silver Line to the Smithsonian Metro stop (Federal Triangle and Foggy Bottom are also good stops for The Mall) and walked to the Washington Monument to see the one tree I spied the day before.
The 555-foot high Washington Monument was the first of the monuments built around The Mall. Construction started in 1848 by the Washington National Monument Society through private donations with the plan of a 600 foot obelisk. Under the structure you see is a deep footing which took several years to complete, and in 1854 the structure was 154 feet high. Due to political wrangling, the leadership of the society changed and funding dried up. The sad, embarrassing partly finished structure stood for 20 years. Post Civil War, there became the debate to complete it or tear it down. Congress decided to take over the funding on July 5, 1876 and work resumed with a modified design and plan to make the height ten times the width. One issue was in the intervening two decades, the quarry providing the marble was no longer available. The next portion was built with marble from Massachusetts. It was slightly darker, and made a distinctive line (visible to this day), and eventually a third quarry was found. The capstone was placed on December 6, 1884. There have been a few renovations, including repairs from an earthquake in August 2011. You can ride to the top with a timed ticket (free on-site or $1 reservation fee up to 30 days in advance at www.recreation.gov ) and walk back down.
Close by is the WWII Memorial – completed in April 2004, the grand circle honors the 16 million men and women who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, and the 405,399 who made the ultimate sacrifice. Most of the year there is a flowing fountain, but it is turned off during the winter due to risk of damage from freezes.
Continuing on took us to the Vietnam Memorial. The design by Maya Lin incorporated highly reflective black marble engraved with the names of every one of the 58,318 men and women who died or were missing in action. On paper, the initial design was not popular as being too dark rather than uplifting. When the completed monument was revealed on November 11, 1982, its power was unmistakable. Few can walk through it and not be moved.
The Lincoln Memorial (completed in 1922) provided the backdrop for the Freedom movements of the last century: Marian Anderson’s concert in 1939 and Martin Luther King Jr: I Have a Dream speech in 1963 are the two most famous instances. The memorial and the words inscribed inspire people of all walks of life every day, and is a reminder that with strength of purpose and “With malice towards none with charity for all…to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations”.
Kathleen and I continued around the tidal basin, where some tulip trees began to open their lovely buds, but unfortunately, no cherry blossoms. The few trees near the Washington Monument were the only one beginning to bloom. We walked by the Jefferson Memorial (completed in 1943) –
it is receiving some renovations (visitors can walk up the steps), before grabbing lunch at one of the vendors behind the Museum of African American History, then back to the Metro.
We walked between 4 and 5 miles, mostly flat except for going up the monument steps, so moderate fitness is required to walk the entirety, or choose one or two during your stay.
After visiting Mom, we headed to Philadelphia for the Flower Show!