Marshay
I'm Goofy for Mickey.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2007
- Messages
- 13,479
As we make our way toward Northern Virginia, the folks in the back of the bus (You Know Who You Are) start murmuring: 'we're coming this close to Washington, DC and not going to see the Mall!'
Sounds of "Oh, I love malls!!" and "Let's Go Shopping" are heard throughout...however, those who've been to DC know that the Mall and a shopping mall are two different things...
I'll have the tour bus go LEFT when we hit Maryland and on to DC and the Mall for a VERY QUICK tour.
Here is The Mall - a group of monuments and museums all in a row. In rough order from left to right ...
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War (1861-1865). The architechture of the Lincoln Memorial is based after a Greek Temple. It has 36 Doric columns, one for each state at the time of Lincoln's death. A sculpture by Daniel Chester French of a seated Lincoln is in the center of the memorial chamber. The Gettysburg Address is inscribed on the south wall of the monument. Above it is a mural painted by Jules Guerin depicting the angel of truth freeing a slave. Guerin also painted the unity of North and South mural on the north wall. Etched into the north wall below the mural is Lincoln's second inaugural speech.
The Wall --The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
A wall of marble five hundred feet long and ten feet high, scribed with the names of more than fifty-eight thousand soldiers who died fighting the conflict. "The Wall" was built in Constitution Gardens in Washington, D.C., through private donations from the public. Dedicated in 1982, it is now one of the most visited sites in the city of Washington.
The Washington Monument
The Washington Monument was erected to honor the greatness of the city of Washington, originally. A monumental task beginning with the laying of the cornerstone on July 4, 1843, the Monument wasn't completed until December 6, 1884. It rises 555 feet above the National Mall, following the design of architect Robert Mills. The obelisk design was Mills' interpretation of city designer Pierre L'Enfant's centerpiece for the capital city. Fifty flags surround the base of the Monument, one to symbolize each state in the Union.
Natural History Museum
Some of the artifacts in this collection include a life size model of a blue whale, an enormous prehistoric white shark, an 80-foot dinosaur skeleton and no less a treasure than the Hope Diamond, a 45-and-a-half carat jewel known in some circles as the eighth wonder of the world.
Smithsonian Castle
Known as "The Castle", and built in 1855, the Smithsonian Institution Building is the orginal Smithsonian building. It houses the administrative offices, information for visitors, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and even James Smithson's crypt.
Hirshorn Museum
A beautifully designed circular building with a fountain of concentric circles, the Hirshorn is based upon the extensive 11,000-piece modern art collection of Joseph Hirshhorn. The collection includes art by Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, O'Keefe and Rodin. A sculpture garden outside compliments the museum.
National Gallery of Art, East Building
Scattered throughout the meandering hallways, wings and exhibit rooms of the National Gallery's West Wing is a display of art stretching from the third century to present times - a display over 90,000 pieces strong. Besides having the only da Vinci in the United States, "Ginevra de' Benci", the National Gallery has wonderful and diverse collections of impressionists, early Christian art, 15th century Italian paintings, sculptures, and Rembrandts. The East Wing displays 20th-century works by artists such as Miro, Magritte, Van Gogh, Pissarro and Matisse. With very modern architectural design, the East Wing by I.M. Pei is nearly a work of art in itself.
The US Capitol
Originally begun in 1793, the project to complete the construction of the U.S. Capitol spanned almost 43 years and one war. The building houses the chambers of the House of Representatives (second floor, south wing) and the Senate (second floor, north wing). Some Congressional offices (such as those for the majority and minority leaders) are housed in the Capitol; other Congressional offices are spread out among the other buildings situated near the Capitol (such as the Dirksen and Hart Senate Office Buildings). The final design selected for the Capitol was submitted (late) by William Thornton, a physician living in the British West Indies. Three different architects worked on the building since the cornerstone was laid by President George Washington on September 18, 1793. The third architect, James Hoban, worked on the project from the dismissal of his predecessors (Stephen Hallet and George Hadfield) until 1800. In 1803, Benjamin Henry Latrobe picked up where Hoban left off; he left the construction project in 1813 when funding became erratic. British troops fighting the War of 1812 set fire to the Capitol on August 24, 1814. Had it not begun to rain torrentially, the Capitol would have been reduced to rubble. Latrobe returned to the job in 1815 for the restoration and repair (and left yet again in 1817), then Charles Bulfinch took over the position. Bulfinch worked on building, restoring, and redesigning the Capitol from 1818 until his position was eliminated in 1829. The Capitol underwent more design revisions and renovations from 1830 up to present day. Upgrades include additions to the building, gas -- then electric -- lighting, fireproofing, the addition of a new dome, and the introduction of the Statue of Freedom.
There are numerous other great places to visit like the FBI Building, The White House, The National Zoo, The Newseum, Union Stations, etc. But alas, we need to move on.
So after that whirlwind tour of DC, we head West to Fairfax County, where our first stop is in McLean, VA ... home to ... well, if I tell you, I'd have to kill you...
HMMM, Any guesses??!
Sounds of "Oh, I love malls!!" and "Let's Go Shopping" are heard throughout...however, those who've been to DC know that the Mall and a shopping mall are two different things...
I'll have the tour bus go LEFT when we hit Maryland and on to DC and the Mall for a VERY QUICK tour.
Here is The Mall - a group of monuments and museums all in a row. In rough order from left to right ...
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War (1861-1865). The architechture of the Lincoln Memorial is based after a Greek Temple. It has 36 Doric columns, one for each state at the time of Lincoln's death. A sculpture by Daniel Chester French of a seated Lincoln is in the center of the memorial chamber. The Gettysburg Address is inscribed on the south wall of the monument. Above it is a mural painted by Jules Guerin depicting the angel of truth freeing a slave. Guerin also painted the unity of North and South mural on the north wall. Etched into the north wall below the mural is Lincoln's second inaugural speech.
The Wall --The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
A wall of marble five hundred feet long and ten feet high, scribed with the names of more than fifty-eight thousand soldiers who died fighting the conflict. "The Wall" was built in Constitution Gardens in Washington, D.C., through private donations from the public. Dedicated in 1982, it is now one of the most visited sites in the city of Washington.
The Washington Monument
The Washington Monument was erected to honor the greatness of the city of Washington, originally. A monumental task beginning with the laying of the cornerstone on July 4, 1843, the Monument wasn't completed until December 6, 1884. It rises 555 feet above the National Mall, following the design of architect Robert Mills. The obelisk design was Mills' interpretation of city designer Pierre L'Enfant's centerpiece for the capital city. Fifty flags surround the base of the Monument, one to symbolize each state in the Union.
Natural History Museum
Some of the artifacts in this collection include a life size model of a blue whale, an enormous prehistoric white shark, an 80-foot dinosaur skeleton and no less a treasure than the Hope Diamond, a 45-and-a-half carat jewel known in some circles as the eighth wonder of the world.
Smithsonian Castle
Known as "The Castle", and built in 1855, the Smithsonian Institution Building is the orginal Smithsonian building. It houses the administrative offices, information for visitors, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and even James Smithson's crypt.
Hirshorn Museum
A beautifully designed circular building with a fountain of concentric circles, the Hirshorn is based upon the extensive 11,000-piece modern art collection of Joseph Hirshhorn. The collection includes art by Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, O'Keefe and Rodin. A sculpture garden outside compliments the museum.
National Gallery of Art, East Building
Scattered throughout the meandering hallways, wings and exhibit rooms of the National Gallery's West Wing is a display of art stretching from the third century to present times - a display over 90,000 pieces strong. Besides having the only da Vinci in the United States, "Ginevra de' Benci", the National Gallery has wonderful and diverse collections of impressionists, early Christian art, 15th century Italian paintings, sculptures, and Rembrandts. The East Wing displays 20th-century works by artists such as Miro, Magritte, Van Gogh, Pissarro and Matisse. With very modern architectural design, the East Wing by I.M. Pei is nearly a work of art in itself.
The US Capitol
Originally begun in 1793, the project to complete the construction of the U.S. Capitol spanned almost 43 years and one war. The building houses the chambers of the House of Representatives (second floor, south wing) and the Senate (second floor, north wing). Some Congressional offices (such as those for the majority and minority leaders) are housed in the Capitol; other Congressional offices are spread out among the other buildings situated near the Capitol (such as the Dirksen and Hart Senate Office Buildings). The final design selected for the Capitol was submitted (late) by William Thornton, a physician living in the British West Indies. Three different architects worked on the building since the cornerstone was laid by President George Washington on September 18, 1793. The third architect, James Hoban, worked on the project from the dismissal of his predecessors (Stephen Hallet and George Hadfield) until 1800. In 1803, Benjamin Henry Latrobe picked up where Hoban left off; he left the construction project in 1813 when funding became erratic. British troops fighting the War of 1812 set fire to the Capitol on August 24, 1814. Had it not begun to rain torrentially, the Capitol would have been reduced to rubble. Latrobe returned to the job in 1815 for the restoration and repair (and left yet again in 1817), then Charles Bulfinch took over the position. Bulfinch worked on building, restoring, and redesigning the Capitol from 1818 until his position was eliminated in 1829. The Capitol underwent more design revisions and renovations from 1830 up to present day. Upgrades include additions to the building, gas -- then electric -- lighting, fireproofing, the addition of a new dome, and the introduction of the Statue of Freedom.
There are numerous other great places to visit like the FBI Building, The White House, The National Zoo, The Newseum, Union Stations, etc. But alas, we need to move on.
So after that whirlwind tour of DC, we head West to Fairfax County, where our first stop is in McLean, VA ... home to ... well, if I tell you, I'd have to kill you...
HMMM, Any guesses??!
(Is it the "home" of the fleagle's former employer, perhaps?)
Fairfax County is home to the 
we are now very rich folks, so we are able to afford a special after-hours viewing of Loudoun's #1 museum.
('Just checking back in to say a quick "Hi!" and "Good-bye!" (I'm going to be without Internet access most of this weekend, so I'll be looking forward to reading a "novel" on Sunday evening!)
