Historic Monuments and Memorials Walking Tour

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1 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Historic Monuments and Memorials Walking Tour Washington D.C. is a city of historic memorials and monuments that commemorate key chapters in American history. They are dedicated to all the noteworthy generals, politicians, statesmen and artists who played a major role in shaping the American nation. This walking tour will offer you a glimpse into the history of the U.S. Guide Location: USA» Washington D.C. # of Attractions: 9 Tour Duration: 3 hour(s) Travel Distance: 5.6 km Please note: This walk is also featured in the ios app "Washington D.C. Map and Walks" on itunes App Store and the Android app "Washington D.C. Map and Walks" on Google Play. The apps provide GPS navigation to guide you from one tour stop to the next, so you will never be lost. The apps offer additional walking tours in Washington D.C.. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit gpsmycity.com for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) U.S. Navy Memorial B) Washington Monument C) World War II Memorial D) Vietnam Veterans Memorial E) Lincoln Memorial F) Korean War Veterans Memorial G) Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial H) Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial I) Thomas Jefferson Memorial Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 -

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3 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - A) U.S. Navy Memorial (must see) This memorial is dedicated to all those who have served and all those who are currently serving in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and the Merchant Marines. The memorial was years in the planning stages and was finally dedicated in 1987 which coincided with the 212th birthday of the U.S. Navy. Interestingly, the memorial was the dream of Pierre L Enfant who served with General George Washington. President John Kennedy revived the plan and the naval memorial finally started to become a reality. It still took many years of dedicated fund raising and a final push by Admiral Arleigh Burke to finally bring the project to fruition. One of the most touching tributes to sailors everywhere is The Lone Sailor, a piece of artwork done by Stanly Bleifeld. Artifacts from eight different U.S. Navy ships were included in the casting of the statue. The statue looks out over the Granite Sea which is a replica of Earth s oceans. 26 bas-reliefs depict important events particular to the world s navies. There are also famous sayings from naval personnel over the years which is a must see. Inside the Naval Heritage Center there are rotating exhibits and a film featuring the Blue Angels. The U.S. Navy Memorial is open 24 hours a day. The Naval Heritage Center is open Monday through Saturday in the summer from 9:30 A.M to 5 P.M. It is closed Sundays and Mondays in the winter and also during Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year s Day. Address: 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC , USA Image Courtesy of Flickr and cliff1066. Sight description based on wikipedia B) Washington Monument (must see) The Washington Monument was built to honor George Washington. It stands in the center of the US Capital to symbolize the importance of President Washington to the country. The idea to raise the monument was first discussed in It wasn t until 1847 that a design was agreed upon. However, that design was very different from the monument that stands today. The obelisk was to rise above a temple that would house artifacts of Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 -

4 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - American presidents and heroes. Over the years that plan was dropped, and today the obelisk is rather plain. The first cornerstone was laid in a Masonic ceremony on July 4, The same Masonic trowel that President Washington used to lay the cornerstone for the Capitol was used. Work on the Washington Monument was slow and eventually stopped altogether during the civil war. Modifications were made to the design and work began again in 1880, with the capstone placed December 6, The hollow shaft of the monument contains an elevator to the top plus a staircase with 897 steps. There are 188 interesting, carved blocks of stone to be viewed along the staircase. There are stones from all 50 states, quarried of native stones. These stones were originally supposed to arrive with a donation attached to raise funds. Usually the stones arrived but the donation did not. Ride the elevator to the top and walk down to view these works of art. Entrance is free, but a ticket is a must for everyone going into the monument. Get in line by 7A.M. for a ticket. One person from your party can obtain 6 tickets and pick a time to go up in the monument. Tickets can also be ordered ahead of time for a fee. Address: 15th St & Constitution Ave, Washington, DC 20007, USA Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and David Bjorgen. Sight description based on wikipedia C) World War II Memorial (must see) The World War II Memorial has a grand design that reflects the vastness of a war that spanned the globe. Two arches at either end of the memorial are symbolic of the Pacific and Atlantic areas of fighting. 56 pillars are arranged in two semicircles around both arches that represent the United States (48 at the time of the war) the District of Columbia, plus the territories of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Philippines. The walls between the arches and in front of the pillars depict scenes that were typical of the Pacific and European theaters of war. These are depicted in bas relief. An engraving of the ubiquitous Kilroy Was Here is also present. On the west side sits the Freedom Wall that contains 4,048 gold stars each one representing 100 American soldiers who died or remain missing during WWII. Behind the Freedom Wall is the Reflecting Pool on the Mall. In front of the wall is the World War II Memorial Rainbow Pool and the Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 -

5 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - stars reflect in the water. It makes for a very moving scene. The entire site sits on a little over seven acres, so wear comfortable walking shoes. Almost 2/3 of the site is water or landscaping so the components of the memorial really stand out. The site is available for visiting 24 hours a day except around Memorial Day activities. Rangers are on hand to answer questions from around 10 A.M. to 11 P.M. In addition, there is a real push to get as many WWII veterans groups to the memorial as possible. You may be lucky enough to visit at a time when one of these national treasures is visiting. Address: 17th Street between Constitution and Independence Avenues, Washington DC, USA Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Jeff Costlow D) Vietnam Veterans Memorial (must see) When most people think of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (VVM), they typically envision the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. There are two other components to the memorial: The Vietnam Women s Memorial and the Three Soldiers statue. All three components are located in Constitution Gardens of the National Mall. The U.S. involvement in Vietnam began in The last US service man died in Vietnam on May 15, Throughout this time the country had varying degrees of support for the war. One of the precepts of the VVM was to not let any of the controversy mar the honoring of the service men and women who served during that time. Even though the memorial itself has had some controversy, time is healing the wounds. The somber reflecting wall with all the names etched into stone lets visitors to the VVM focus on the sacrifice that has been made. There are currently 58,267 names listed on the wall of service personnel that were killed in action or missing in action. There are no civilian names listed on The Wall. The Vietnam Women s Memorial is situated just south of The Wall. It shows three uniformed women helping a wounded soldier. The women s names are Faith, Hope and Charity. A total of 59 women died during the Vietnam War, 8 were service women, and 59 were civilians there in a support role. The Three Soldiers portion of the VVM was created amid the controversy that surrounded The Wall. Some members of congress wanted a more Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 -

6 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - traditional memorial. The bronze statues of the service members depict the soldiers wearing the common gear of the Vietnam War. They are positioned so they are looking at the names on The Wall. The VVM is open 24 hours a day with rangers available to answer question from 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 P.M. There are directories at the entrance to The Wall to help you find a specific name. There are also several websites that list the names on The Wall. Address: 900 Ohio Drive S., Washington, DC 20242, USA Image Courtesy of Flickr and eschipul. Sight description based on wikipedia E) Lincoln Memorial (must see) The Lincoln Memorial is one of the most famous monuments and historical places in the United States. It is a nationally recognized location that was built in honor of Abraham Lincoln, who was the 16th President of the United States, during the bloody years of the Civil War. The monument is a fine example of a classic Greek Doric temple. Even the sculpture of the President which resides there is done in Olympic Godlike fashion. Two well known speeches of the former President are also engraved there: the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address. The Lincoln Monument Association was formed two years after the death of the President. Planning for the memorial, though, stretched out until The Lincoln Memorial Bill was signed by President Taft in Interestingly, the entire monument was built for $2 million dollars. Today, the site is still famous as the location for many historic speeches, like the I have a dream speech by the Rev. Martin Luther King. It has also been the site for many famous protests. The Monument is cared for by the National Park Service, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The monument is open 24 hours a day. Address: Lincoln Memorial Cir SW, Washington, D.C, 20037, USA Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Maxwahrhaftig. Sight description based on wikipedia Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 -

7 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 - F) Korean War Veterans Memorial (must see) The Korean War Veterans Memorial is located in West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The memorial is to honor all those who served in the Korean conflict. The United States came to the aid of South Korea after it was invaded by North Korea at the request of the United Nations. The U.S. was divided about the war, and in fact called it a conflict rather than a war. The Korean War was a hard fought battle in brutal conditions. During the Chosin Reservoir battle the temperature plummeted to -40F. The memorial is built in the shape of a triangle with juniper and strips of concrete simulating the rough terrain of the battle. The triangular shape represents the Field of Service. Interspersed among the juniper and concrete are 19 statues of soldiers. The soldiers are dressed in military clothing which is windblown, that recalls the harsh weather conditions. The statues are made of stainless steel. Along the south side of the memorial is a black granite wall, which reflects the statues so that it looks like there are 38 soldiers total; a nod to the 38th parallel that separates North Korea from South Korea. The Field of Service ends in a triangular reflecting pool. Along the north side is a low wall made of granite. The names of the 22 U.N. countries that participated in the Korean War are engraved here. The memorial may be visited 24 hours a day; park rangers are available from 8A.M. to 12A.M. everyday except major holidays. Address: Independence Ave SW & Daniel French Dr SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA Image Courtesy of Flickr and Rainer Ebert. Sight description based on wikipedia G) Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial (must see) The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is located in West Potomac Park in Washington DC, southwest of the National Mall. The monumental memorial is located at the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, on a sightline linking the Lincoln Memorial to the northwest and the Jefferson Memorial to the southeast. The official address of the monument, 1964 Independence Avenue, S.W., commemorates the year that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law, a milestone in the Civil Rights movement in which King played an important role. Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 -

8 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 - Covering four acres, the memorial opened to the public on August 22, 2011, after more than two decades of planning, fund-raising and construction. A ceremony dedicating the Memorial was scheduled for Sunday, August 28, 2011, the 48th anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 but was postponed until October 16 (the 16th anniversary of the 1995 Million Man March on the National Mall) due to Hurricane Irene. Although this is not the first memorial to an African-American in Washington DC, Dr. King is the first African-American honored with a memorial on or near the National Mall and only the fourth non-president to be memorialized in such a way. The King Memorial is administered by the National Park Service (NPS). A 30 feet (9.1 m)-high relief of King named the Stone of Hope stands past two other pieces of granite that symbolize the "mountain of despair." Visitors literally "pass through" the Mountain of Despair on the way to the Stone of Hope, symbolically "moving through the struggle as Dr. King did during his life."a 450 feet (140 m)-long inscription wall includes excerpts from many of King's sermons and speeches. On this crescent-shaped granite wall, fourteen of King's quotes will be inscribed, the earliest from the time of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama, and the latest from his final sermon, delivered in 1968 at Washington, D.C.'s National Cathedral, just four days before his assassination. The relief of King is intended to give the impression that he is looking over the Tidal Basin towards the horizon (not towards the Jefferson Memorial as many believe), and that the cherry trees that "adorn the site" will bloom every year during the anniversary of King's death. Address: 1964 Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C , U.S.A. Image Courtesy of Flickr and Ron Cogswell. Sight description based on wikipedia H) Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (must see) The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is a presidential memorial dedicated to the memory of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and to the era he represents. For the memorial's designer, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, the memorial site represents the capstone of a distinguished career, partly because the landscape architect had fond Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 -

9 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 9 - memories of Roosevelt, and partly because of the sheer difficulty of the task. Dedicated on May 2, 1997 by President Bill Clinton, the monument, spread over 7.5 acres, traces 12 years of the history of the United States through a sequence of four outdoor rooms, one for each of FDR's terms of office. Sculptures inspired by photographs depict the 32nd president alongside his dog Fala. Other sculptures depict scenes from the Great Depression. A bronze statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt standing before the United Nations emblem honors her dedication to the UN. It is the only presidential memorial to depict a First Lady. Address: 1850 West Basin Dr. SW, Washington, DC, USA Image Courtesy of Flickr and onecle. Sight description based on wikipedia I) Thomas Jefferson Memorial (must see) The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is located in Washington, D.C. and stands on the banks of the Potomac River. It is one of the least visited memorials, probably because it is not part of The Mall, so visiting is usually relaxing. It is located just south of the White House which makes for a very scenic setting. The idea for the memorial originated in After much debate and several design changes, the memorial was finally dedicated on April 13, That date is significant because it was the 200th celebration of Thomas Jefferson s birth. Part of the debate surrounding the memorial is its size. There were conflicted opinions about whether the memorial was too big as opposed to those who thought Thomas Jefferson, as one of the Founding Fathers, deserved a memorial on the scale of the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial. In the end, Jefferson s love of classical architecture won out and the large classic structure was built. This open building with its beautiful sweeping portico is very picturesque. Under the dome, there is a 19 foot tall bronze statue of President Jefferson. This is not the statue that was present at the dedication. Bronze was in short supply during the war effort and the original statue was made of plaster and painted to look bronze. The present statue was installed four years after the dedication. On the walls around the statue are inscriptions of Jefferson s writings. An interesting fact for history buffs is the inscription of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Jefferson wrote inalienable rights but in the final Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 9 -

10 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 10 - document it was unalienable rights. In the Jefferson Memorial the inscription is as he wrote it. While the area is pretty any time of year, during cherry blossom time the site is breathtaking. The cherry trees planted around the area are a gift from the people of Japan. The Jefferson Memorial is open 24 hours a day, and rangers are present from 9AM to 11:30PM except on major holidays. Address: 900 Ohio Dr SW, Washington, DC , USA Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Daniel J. McLain. Sight description based on wikipedia Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 10 -