Washington DC Facts
Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Colloquially called the "Old Executive Office Building" is a U.S. government building situated just west of the White House in the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. Maintained by the General Services Administration, it is occupied by the Executive Office of the President, including the Office of the Vice President of the United States.
Washington Monument was taller than... (previous tallest building in the world)
Cologne Cathedral in Germany
Total blocks in the Washington Monument
a total of 36,491 blocks in the monument
United States Air Force Memorial
he Memorial is located in Arlington, Virginia, on the grounds of Fort Myer near The Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. The three memorial spires range from 201 feet (61 m) to 270 feet (82 m) high and appear to be soaring; its array of stainless steel arcs against the sky evoke the image of "contrails of the Air Force Thunderbirds as they peel back in a precision 'bomb burst' maneuver." (wiki)
FDR memorial symbolize
• A single large drop - The crash of the economy that led to the Great Depression • Multiple stairstep drops - The Tennessee Valley Authority dam-building project • Chaotic falls at varying angles - World War II • A still pool - Roosevelt's death • A wide array combining the earlier waterfalls - A retrospective of Roosevelt's presidency
Jefferson Memorial Trees
THe trees around the memorial are all from Jefferson's home state of Virginia.
Number of Representatives
435
Electroal college Number
435 House members+100 Senate+3 DC=538
Height of Washington Monument
555 feet 5 1⁄8 inches
Willard Hotel Myth
Across the street is the Willard Hotel, which is famous as the birthplace of the term "lobbyist." President U. S. Grant used to be a big fan of the restaurant in the lobby of the Willard Hotel, and would often walk over to the hotel for lunch. Therefore, those eager to get the president's attention would wait in the lobby of the Willard. These people became known as "lobbyists." However, this story is not true. THe first use of the term came from our friends across the pond and was used in teh HOuse of Commons. According to teh English Oxford DIctionary, the term lobbyist was first used in 1808 discussing local politics in PA. Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in his hotel room at the Willard in 1963 in the days before his March on Washington
Air and SPace Museum
Air and Space Museum is most popular of the Smithsonian with more than 7 million visitors a year. holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. Inside you can find teh Spirit of St. Louis, the plane that Charles Lindenberg flew across teh Atlantic Ocean in 1927 for his first solo flight.
Potomac River
All the land that DC is built is actually from Maryland. Originally, Virginia and MD both donated land to creat the Nation's capital, but VA ensured that all the building occured on the MD side of the donation. In 1846 VA asked for it's land back.
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery serves as a cemetery and a memorial to America's persons of national importance, including presidents, Supreme Court justices and countless military heroes. The Cemetery was established during the Civil War as a final resting place for Union soldiers on approximately 200 acres of Robert E Lee and Mary Custis Lee's 1,100 acre Arlington estate. (about Travel) During teh Civil war, the union began quartering soldiers in the Arlington House without the Lee family's permission. After the Civil War, George Washington Custis Lee sued the National government to gain compensation for the seizure of the land. The case went all the way up to the SUpreme court, who ultimatley ruled in his favor. Custis then turned around and sold the land back to the US Government for $150,00; the equivalent of roughly $4 million today.
National Archives Statues
Around the top are the government seals: Commerce, Interior, War, State, Treasury, Navy, Justice, Agriculture, Labor, House of Representatives and the Great Seal (incorrectly depicted). These seals demonstrate the importance of the Archives as the central holding point for government records. Prior to the establishment of the Archives in 1934 each department was responsible for maintaining its own historic records resulting in mishandling of important pubic documents. Notice the two Guardians of the Portal - near the entrance and the two statues representing the past and the future on either side.
Lock Keeper's House
At one point constitution avenue used to be a canal, and the keeper of one of that canal's locks would live in this house. President George Washington commissioned Pierre L'Enfant to design the Capital City in 1790. The L'Enfant Plan included a system of canals to transport heavy goods at a time when roads and streets were few and muddy. The Washington Branch of the C&O Canal, built by 1833, joined the two waterways of the city canal and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. However this branch carried so little commerce that it was abandoned 30 years after construction. Later these canals were filled when railroads, not canals, dominated transportation. This Canal house built at Lock [B by 1833] sheltered the lockkeeper who also collected tolls and kept records of commerce on the waterway. It remains today as the only remnant of the Washington Branch of the C&O Canal.
Blair House
Blair House is the official state guest house for the President of the United States. During much of the presidency of Harry Truman, it served as the residence of the president of the United States, while the interior of the White House, which had been found to have serious structural faults, was completely gutted and rebuilt. The combined square footage of the four adjacent townhouses exceeds 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2), making it larger than the White House (with approximately 55,000 square feet). With 119 rooms.
Freedom Plaza/Pershing's Park
Constructed in 1980, the plaza is mostly composed of stone, inlaid with a depiction of parts of Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's plan for the City of Washington. The square is dedicated to John Joseph "Blackjack" Pershing, commander of the US Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Pershing is unique as the only man to ever hold the rank of 6 Star General during his lifetime. Stars were not technically used as a rank title until after World War I. However, the insignia for chief generals of the US Army contained five stars. When Pershing was put in charge of the American Expeditionary Force, he received the rank of "General of the Armies" and was given a 6th star on his insignia. Not to be outranked, George Washington was also promoted by Congress to the rank of 6 Star General in 1976 but with higher seniority. Tradition commands that George Washington always hold the highest rank the US Army can bestow In addition to Pershing statue, the memorial contains a detailed account of the AEF's campaigns in Europe during World War I, as well as several maps, drawn to scale.
Jefferson Memorial Dates
Construction of the building began in 1939 and was completed in 1943. The bronze statue of Jefferson was added in 1947.
FDR Memorial details
Dedicated on May 2, 1997 by President Bill Clinton, the monument, spreads over 7.5 acres and traces 12 years of the history of the United States through four outdoor rooms, one for each of FDR's terms of office. In January 2001, an additional statue was placed near the memorial entrance showing FDR seated in a wheelchair much like the one he actually used. This chair is different in design as it conceals the wheelchair arms and indeed was designed by FDR from a kitchen chair and an actual wheelchair.
Leslie Coffelt
During much of the presidency of Harry Truman, it served as the residence of the president of the United States, while the interior of the White House, which had been found to have serious structural faults, was completely gutted and rebuilt.[1] The east and west wings of the White House, constructed in 1942 and 1902, respectively, remained in operation while the main structure was rebuilt; President Truman commuted between Blair House and the West Wing each day. On November 1, 1950, Puerto Rican nationalists Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempted to assassinate President Truman in Blair House. The assassination was foiled, in part by White House Policeman Leslie Coffelt, who killed Torresola, but was mortally wounded by him. A plaque at Blair House commemorates Coffelt's heroism and sacrifice.
The Capitol Building Senate Side
Flag flying means that teh Senate is in session. In 1860, the Supreme Court began using the newly vacated Old Senate Chamber.
Pierre L'enfant
Following the revoluitonary war, L'Enfant established a successful and highly profitable civil engineering firm in New York City. While L'Enfant was in New York City, he was initiated into Freemasonry. The new Constitution of the United States, which took effect in 1789, gave Congress authority to establish a federal district up to ten miles square in size. L'Enfant had already written to President Washington, asking to be commissioned to plan the city, but a decision on the capital was put on hold until July 1790 when the 1st Congress passed the Residence Act. Traffic circles/confusing streets to ensure people couldn't invade easily and figur out how to navigate/take over
Frances Perkins Building
Frances Perkins was the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, and the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. She was appointed by FDR.
Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key, War of 1812, Sept 1814, "Defence of Fort M'Henry" (poem)-->15 stipes/stars; Nat'l anthem 1916
In 1853, who was the only President to use the word "affirm" in his oath of office?
Franklin Pierce since he was going through a crisis of faith and also refused to use a Bible
Supreme Court History
From 1800 to 1935 the Supreme Court Chamber resided in various locations within the Capitol Building including the Old Senate Chamber. Since 1935, it has met in the marble clad Building across from the Capitol and comprising of 4 stories. The architect was Cass Gilbert. The building is open to the public from 9 am to 4:30 pm weekdays but closed on weekends and holidays. The Court is in session October through late April the public may attend oral arguments it is first-come first-served with about 250 seats available. From mid-May until the end of June, the court releases orders and opinions beginning at 10 am, and these 15 to 30-minute sessions are open to the public on a similar basis. Before a session begins, two lines form on the plaza in front of the building. One is for those who wish to attend an entire argument, and the other, a three-minute line, is for those who wish to observe the Court in session only briefly There are roughly 10,000 cases on the docket per term of these around 100 are given plenary review, 90 are given written review and another 60 are disposed of without formal review.
Number of commerative stones in Washington Monument
Fun facts: 193 commemorative stones
Washington Monumetn rejected stones
In the early 1850s, Pope Pius IX contributed a block of marble. In March 1854, members of the anti-Catholic, nativist American Party — better known as the "Know-Nothings"—stole the Pope's stone as a protest and supposedly threw it into the Potomac (it was replaced in 1982).[34]
George Mason Memorial
It commemorates the contributions of George Mason, an important American Founder who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights and served as a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Mason is often thought of as the "forgotten Founder." Mason, an Anti-Federalist, did not sign the United States Constitution because it did not abolish the slave trade and because he did not think it had necessary protection for the individual from the federal government. He was sometimes known as the "reluctant statesman," which was also the title of a biography written about him by Robert A. Rutland.
White House
John Adams was the first resident. In 1814, under President James Monroe, the mansion was set ablaze by the British Army destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Dolley Madison saved the portrait of Washington that remains today. It was one of the few items recovered from the building prior to the ransacking by the British. Reconstruction began almost immediately, most of the walls had to be demolished, except for parts of the South Wall, due to weakening by the fire. The President moved back into the partially reconstructed house in October 1817. Construction continued with the addition of the South Portico in 1824 and the North in 1829. Because of overcrowding President Theodore Roosevelt had all work offices relocated to the newly constructed West Wing in 1901. Eight years later, President William Howard Taft expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office which was eventually moved as the section was expanded. The third-floor attic was converted to living quarters in 1927. A newly constructed East Wing was used as a reception area for social events and was completed in 1946 In 1948, the house's load-bearing exterior walls and internal wood beams were found to be close to failure. Under President Truman, the interior rooms were completely dismantled and a new internal load-bearing steel frame constructed inside the walls. Once this work was completed, the interior rooms were rebuilt. Today, the White House Complex includes the Executive Residence, West Wing, Cabinet Room, Roosevelt Room, East Wing, and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which houses the executive offices of the President and Vice President. The White House is made up of six stories—including a two-story basement. The property is owned by the National Park Service and is part of the President's Park. Teddy Roosevelt is credited with officially naming the building the White House. The Vice President lives at No 1 Observatory Circle - the Naval Observatory on Mass Ave. Built in 1893 it was originally used by the grounds super and then the Naval Chief Officer. In 1974 Congress authorized its use as the Vice Presidents home. Prior to that Vice President lived in his own home, but the cost of providing security for these private residences had become prohibitive. It was not until 1977, Walter Mondale, that a VP actually lived in the residence full time.
Potomac River Skinny Dipper
John Quincy Adams, the 6th president, reportedly used to enjoy skinny-dipping in the Potomac as his morning exercise.
What would DC's name be if it received statehood?
New Columbia
The Newseum
Opened in 2008,this museums in is dedicated to print media, so it is aptly named the Newseum. Along the bottom of the building you'll notice an exhibit called "Today's Front Pages" , every morning they print out the front page of a paper from every state and post it outside so you can see what's going on around the country. The Newseum's Berlin Wall Gallery includes the largest display of sections of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany. Since the museum is privately owned, there is an admission fee but a visit to this museum is well worth your time.
Senate OFfice Building Names
Russel, Hart, Dirksen
Potomac River Training Pres
Similarly, Theodore Roosevelt was said to force members of his staff to swim across the Potomac, in order to test their fitness.
9 Justices
Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel A. Alito, and Elena Kagan. Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Washington Monumetn years
Started in 1848, stopped in 1854, resumed 1877, finished 1884
Musuem of the American Indian
The American Indian museum is neither a history museum nor an art museum but it is still an institution of the Smithsonian collection. It is dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of the native Americans of the Western Hemisphere and opened in 2004. There has been some discussion over the fact the museum is not dedicted to documented history but rather to the living culture of the Native Americans The building itself is made of limestone it is 5 storeys high and designed to resemble a rock formation affected by the natural elements of wind and wave. The Museum boasts a café which serves food from all the American tribe regions except the east coast tribes (Cherokee, Seminoles).
Beareau of Engraving and Printing
The BEP is in charge of pringint "paper money"; I put that in quotations since money is actually made of a combination of cotton and linen to prevent your hard earned money from disintegrating in water. In addition to "paper" currency, the B.E.P. produces Treasury securities; military commissions and award certificates; invitations and admission cards; and many different types of identification cards, forms, and other special security documents for a variety of Government agencies. Presses run 7 days per week 24 hours per day. The second prinitng facility is located in Ft Worth Texas.
Canadian Embassy
The Canadian Embassy is the only Embassy located downtown. It is located between the Capitol and the White House on Pennsylvania Ave to symbolize the close relationship between the United States and Canada. In 1978 the government of Canada purchased a vacant lot on Pennsylvania Ave for $5 million. The site had previously been a Ford dealership and a public library. The embassy officially opened at the current location in 1989 on a site that used to be a Ford dealership. Prior to 1989, the embassy was located at Dupont Circle on Embassy Row. The 'Rotunda of the Provinces' on the embassy courtyard's southeast corner has a domed roof that is supported by 12 columns, one for each of the ten provinces and two territories in existence in 1989. If a person is standing in the center of the area under the dome, they experience an echo chamber.
House Office Builidng Names
This is the House of Representatives side of the capitol and the offices of your Representatives are the three building on the south side of Independence Ave. They are the Cannon, The Longworth, and The Rayburn, all named after HOR members. Your Representatives and Senators will not be seen walking across the streets or these sidewalks because their offices are connected to the Capitol by an underground tunnel. And if they don't feel like walking, they have a private subway to take them back and forth.
The Capitol Building House side
This is where teh State of the Union takes place. DC does not enjoy the benefits of state hood, despite paying taxes.
PHD Presidetn
Wodrow Wilson--also 2nd president to be named Thomas
J Edgar Hoover Building
The J. Edgar Hoover Building is the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and is named for former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. Previously the bureau resided in the DOJ building. The building was constructed in a Brutalist architectural style, the entire exterior having been constructed from poured concrete. It has been criticized by many as a highly unattractive building and even J Edgar Hoover reportedly remarked that he did not ever want such an ugly building named after him. Contrary to his wishes the building received its official name, the J. Edgar Hoover F.B.I. Building, through Public Law 92-520, which President Richard Nixon signed May 4, 1972, two days after Director Hoover's death Notice on the outside of the building there are holes in the concrete, this was a planned attempt to mount marble on the outside of the building to improve its appearance. To date funding has not been forthcoming to realize this plan. The flags flown on the outside of the building are the variations of the nation's flag from inception through to the fifty states today.
Library of Congress
The LOC is the research library of Congress and comprises the Jefferson, the Madison Building to the south, and the Adams Building to the east. Combined, they make up the world's largest library - by shelf space and number of books - with over 130 million items and 29 million books. This collection is held within 745 miles of shelving, some of which is located in the tunnels that connect the three buildings underground. From its inception in 1800 until after the Civil War the library was held within the Capitol. When the capitol was burned in 1814 the original collection of 3,000 books was lost. Thomas Jefferson promptly offered to sell his private collection of over 6,487 (including cookbooks) for a sum of nearly $24,000. As the collection continued to increase the library was moved to its current location in 1897 and Jefferson was honored with the building's name for his role creating the library in 1980. When asked about the cookbooks, Jefferson replied that, "a Congressman needs a wealth of knowledge on all subjects." The Madison was built in 1976 and Adams in 1939. The fountain is called the Court of Neptune by Roland Hinton Perry 1895. Some controversy existed in the Victorian 1890's regarding the nudity of the scene and there was a public outcry to cover up some the full frontal male nudity with fig leaves.
Naval Memorial
The Memorial was dedicated on October 13, 1987. The United States Navy Memorial is home to the Memorial Plaza, which features Stanly Bleifield's famous statue, The Lone Sailor. The Lone Sailor represents a tribute to all personnel of the sea services and it overlooks the Granite Sea, an exact replication of the world's oceans. Surrounding the Granite Sea are two fountain pools, honoring the personnel of the American Navy and the other navies of the world. The southern hemisphere of the Granite Sea is surrounded by 26 bronze bas-reliefs commemorating events, personnel, and communities of the various sea services. For the last 20 years the memorial has been home to the Blessing of the Fleets ceremony. This ceremony is intended to safeguard crews and ships from the danger of the seas through a traditional blessing given by a clergyman at the water's edge. At the end of the ceremony water from the Seven Seas and the Great Lakes is poured into the surrounding fountains, "charging" them to life and ushering in the spring season
National Archives History
The National Archives has a museum portion that is open to the public, and also a research portion with an entrance on Pennsylvania Ave. The National Archives Building, known informally as Archives I, opened as its original headquarters in 1935. It holds the original copies of the three main formative documents of the United States and its government: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It also hosts a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta confirmed by Edward I. These are all displayed to the public in the main chamber of the National Archives, called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. The National Archives Building also exhibits other important American historical documents such as the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Emancipation Proclamation, and collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American artifacts. One such being a letter written in 1940 to FDR requesting him to give the writer a $10 bill because the author had not seen one before. The letter written in English was signed Fidel Castro age 14.
Smithsonian Castle
The Smithsonian Institution was started by a gift from an English scientist, James Smithson. The Institution was founded in 1846 under terms of the will of Smithson of London, who in 1829 bequeathed his fortune (105,000 gold sovereigns, or about 10 million in today's dollars) to the United States to create an establishment for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The institution began as a museum and today "the nation's attic" is the largest museum complex in the world. Only 5% of the collection is in the museums, the rest is kept off site in large pods where they are catalogued for future display in total there are over 136 million items in its collections. The Smithsonian consists of 19 museums, a zoo, and nine research centers and they even have their own police force. James Smithson had never stepped foot on American soil. He was buried in Italy, but in 1901 he was exhumed and brought to the US by Alexander Graham Bell he now lies in the crypt room at the Smithsonian Castle. The castle is teh Museum of Museums which houses the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center
Statue of President Grant
The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is a presidential memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring American Civil War general and U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. Its sculpture of Grant on horseback faces west, over the Capitol Reflecting Pool and toward the Lincoln Memorial, which honors Grant's wartime president, Abraham Lincoln. It has two hooves down which means that Grant was neither wounded nor killed in battle.
Arlington National Cemetery Memorials
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where the Changing of the Guard occurs every half hour during the summer and every hour other years.
Rochambeau and Lafayette
Two statues in Lafayette Square. French generals. Lafayette/American Revolution
National Gallery of Art West Wing
The West Building has an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures by European masters from the medieval period through the late 19th century, as well as pre-20th century works by American artists. Highlights of the collection include many paintings by Jan Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Leonardo da Vinci. The Baltimore-Potomac Railroad & the railroad station was located where the West building of the National Gallery of Art stands today. This is where President Garfield was shot in July of 1881, less than 4 months after taking office. President Garfield was waiting for a train to travel to his alma mater, Williams College, where he was scheduled to give a speech when he was shot by a disgruntled office seeker Charles Guiteau. Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln was also waiting at the station to see the President off. Garfield was shot twice with a British made .44, one bullet grazed his arm while the other lodged in his spine. Doctors could not find the bullet lodged in his spine and gave Garfield the infection that would kill him 80 days later by continued to probe Garfield's wound with dirty, unsterilized fingers and instruments. During this time, the first metal detector was used, created by Alexander Graham Bell, in an effort to find the bullet. Unfortunately, the metal detector was had little effect considering President Garfield was laying on a metal table.
White House Peace Vigil
The White House Peace Vigil is an anti-nuclear weapons peace vigil started by William Thomas in 1981.[1] It is thought to be the longest running peace vigil in US history.[1] Despite Thomas' death in 2009, it continues to be maintained around-the-clock by Concepcion Picciotto and other volunteers. Someone must be there at all hours of the day or the protest can be seized and dismantled by the Secret Service.
Tidal Basin
The concept of the Tidal Basin originated in the 1880s to serve both as a visual centerpiece and as a means for flushing the Washington Channel, a harbor separated from the Potomac River by fill lands where East Potomac Park is situated. Peter Conover Hains, an engineering officer in the U.S. Army, oversaw the design and construction. The basin is designed to release 250 million gallons of water captured at high tide twice a day. Today the tidal basin is a tourist attraction and visitors can rent paddle boats for around $8 per hour to enjoy the sites of the waterway. Prior to the building of the Jefferson memorial, local DC residents would swim in the tidal basin and relax along a sandy beach where the memorial now stands. The basin covers an area of about 107 acres (43 ha) and is 10 feet (3.0 m) deep.
The Capitol Building Dome
The first session of congress was held at this location on November 17th, 1800, although construction of the building continued through 1813. Prior to establishing the nation's capital in Washington, D.C., the United States Congress and its predecessors had met in Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, Annapolis, Trenton, Princeton, York and Lancaster When the British marched into town on August 24th, 1814 they burned down the Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court and the White House. The British were resourceful and democratic about starting the fires, though, using the books from the Library of Congress to start the fire at the White House and holding a mock session of Congress in the Capitol to unanimously vote to burn it down. Reconstruction began in 1815 and was completed by 1819. Construction continued through to 1826, with the addition of the center Rotunda area and the first dome of the Capitol. Expansion the capitol continued in 1850 using slave labor and a new dome was commissioned to provide proportion to the building. The new dome was constructed of 9 million pounds of cast iron and is more than triple the size of the original wooden dome. It is the third largest dome in the world behind St. Paul's Cathedral in London and St. Peters at the Vatican in Rome. On top of the dome are thirteen columns representing the 13 original colonies. and on top of the columns is Lady Freedom standing on a globe. Lady Freedom was added in 1863 and stands nineteen and a half feet tall and she will always be the tallest statue in Washington, DC because no statue can be made taller than nineteen feet to ensure that Freedom always stands above all. Lady Freedom faces eastward. In addition, prior to Reagan's presidency all inaugurations and visits to the Capitol took place on the East side so it was in effect the unofficial "front" of the building. Another interesting tale of Lady Freedom's position is that she faces east because the sun can not set on freedom as quoted by Nelson Mandela.
John Ericcson:
This statue we are passing is to Swedish Born John Eriksson. Eriksson moved to America and designed and built ships, most notably the Monitor, one of the Ironclads which were so important for the North during the Civil War. The statue was dedicated in 1926 for Ericcson's role in revolutionizing naval construction with his invention of the screw propeller. Sculpted by James Earle Fraser, it features a seated figure of Ericsson, and three standing figures representing "adventure", "labor", and "vision." (Near potomac)
Washington Monument damage and repair
The monument was damaged during the 2011 Virginia earthquake and Hurricane Irene in the same year and remained closed to the public while the structure was assessed and repaired.[9] After 32 months of repairs, the National Park Service and the Trust for the National Mall reopened the Washington Monument to visitors on May 12, 2014. (wikipedia)
Ford's Theater
The site was originally constructed in 1833 as the second meeting house of the First Baptist Church of Washington. In 1861, after the congregation moved to a newly built structure, John T. Ford bought the former church and renovated it into a theatre. It was used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It became the site of the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, just 5 days after Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. Lincoln was attending a presentation of Our American Cousin when he was shot twice by the actor and confederate John Wilkes Booth. After being shot, the fatally wounded president was carried across the street to the Petersen Boarding House, where he died the next morning. After the assassination Congress purchased the theatre, forbidding its use as a place of amusement. It was later used as a warehouse and office building however it languished abandoned from 1930 to 1964 when it was renovated and re-opened as a theater. During the 2000s it was renovated again, opening on February 12, 2009, in commemoration of Lincoln's bicentennial. It reopened with an expansive museum collection dedicated to Lincolns presidency. The Petersen House and the theatre are preserved together as Ford's Theatre National Historic Site. The Peterson House rooms have been furnished to appear as if it were the night of Abraham Lincoln's death.
National Gallery of Art East Wing
The triangles in turn became the building's organized motif, echoed and repeated in every dimension. In contrast, the design of the East Building by architect I. M. Pei is rigorously geometrical, dividing the trapezoidal shape of the site into two triangles: one isosceles and the other a smaller right triangle. The design of the pyramids in the courtyard can also be seen at the Louvre, but on a grander scale. This design served as the predecessor to the design of the Lovre, as I.M. Pei was hired to design the courtyard of the Louvre in 1984. The Gallery of Art is often erroneously said to be part of the Smithsonian. It is not—rather, it is its own institution. (The Smithsonian does have many galleries of its own, such as the Hirshorn or the Portrait Gallery.) However, the Curator of the Gallery of Art and the head of the Smithsonian have a very close working relationship.
John Paul Jones:
This is a monument to the famous Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones. JPJ was a privateer, a state legitimized pirate. He is most famous for saying "I have not yet begun to fight" in the battle between his ship Bonhomme Richard and a British Brigantine, Seraphis. Even though half his men were dead and his ship was sinking, JPJ refused to surrender, and it is believed that he shot one of his own men who tried to strike the colors. In the end he won the battle even though his own ship sunk, and he moved all his men onto the British ship which he took for his own.
Original FDR Memorial
This is not the original FDR memorial. FDR had mentioned to his friend Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter, "If they are to put up any memorial to me, I should like it to be placed in the center of that green plot in front of the Archives Building. I should like it to consist of a block about the size [of this desk]." In accordance with FDR's wishes, a small, simple memorial to him was placed on the lawn near the corner of 9th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. This small memorial was dedicated 20 years after FDR's death.
W Hotel
Where Chris Brown was arrested for Hitting Rhiana. IT has a great bar.
Supreme Court Facts
• Longest serving Justice- Justice Douglass - nearly 37 years • Total justice- 111 • 17 Chief Justices • Taft - President and Chief Justice There is a gym on the top floor. It has a basketball court. Interns refer to this as the "highest court in the land." Each lawyer is given a quill pen and an inkwell when they appear before the Court. This is now ceremonial (most lawyers have them framed) but it began as a practical measure. (Inkwells can break in carriages.)