Monuments of Washington, D.C.

Transcription

1 urmoments/123rf Stock Photo Monuments of Washington, D.C. Shutterstock.com/Gary Blakeley Touring the Cherry Trees There are about 3,000 cherry trees around the Tidal Basin and on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Each spring, thousands of residents and visitors from around the world come to view the beautiful pink and white blossoms. The National Cherry Blossom Festival holds an annual parade. Colorful floats, balloons, and bands march down Constitution Avenue. Don t miss it if you re in town! Rangers from the National Park Service offer programs to teach visitors about the cherry trees: Cherry Talks (30 minutes) Learn about the history of the cherry trees during these daily programs. Lantern Walks (2 hours) Enjoy the memorials and blossoms at night. Bring your own flashlight. Bike Tours (3 hours) Enjoy the cherry blossoms without all the traffic! Bring your own bike, helmet, and water. 1

2 1 Lincoln urmoments/123rf Stock Photo Abraham Lincoln was our 16th president. He served from 1861 until his assassination in Most visitors will recognize his memorial because it appears on the penny and the five-dollar bill. The 36 columns represent the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln s death. Inside, a larger-than-life statue of Lincoln looks out over the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument. In 1963, huge crowds stood along the edge of the Reflecting Pool to hear Martin Luther King, Jr., deliver his famous I Have a Dream... speech. The memorial is especially beautiful at night when Lincoln s statue is bathed in light. 2 Washington Monument This monument honors George Washington, our first president. He is often called the father of our country. Courtesy of The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service. 2 Washington never got to see his monument. Building started in 1848, nearly 50 years after his death, and work stopped during the Civil War. It was finally completed in This majestic marble landmark stands at the east end of the Reflecting Pool. The shape of the monument is called an obelisk. It is feet tall. The walls at the base are 15 feet thick and ringed by a circle of American flags.

3 3 Thomas Jefferson Shutterstock.com/Gary Blakeley Thomas Jefferson was our third president and an author of the Declaration of Independence. His monument overlooks the Tidal Basin. Its columns and dome are similar in style to Jefferson s own home, Monticello. Inside is a 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson. Some of his most famous writings appear on the walls. 4 Franklin Delano Roosevelt billperry/123rf Stock Photo Franklin Roosevelt was the 32nd president and the only one to serve four terms. From 1933 to 1945, he led the United States through the Great Depression and World War II. Roosevelt will always be remembered for his inspiring words: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. 5 The memorial has four garden rooms, one for each term in office. Each room s statues, murals, and quotes from Roosevelt tell the story of this difficult era. Martin Luther King, Jr. mesutdogan/123rf Stock Photo Martin Luther King, Jr., was a pastor and a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. His goal was to gain equality for all without the use of violence. King was a powerful speaker and writer. He used these gifts in the struggle for civil rights. He won the Nobel Peace Prize when he was only 35 years old. King was assassinated in 1968 while leading a protest in Memphis. King s image is carved out of a large piece of granite. It s as if he is part of the rock. The statue shows the strength of King, who inspired a nation and the world. 3

4 6 World War II hofmeester/123rf Stock Photo 7 Korean War Veterans This memorial is dedicated to the idea that freedom is not free. It honors the 5.8 million members of the United States armed forces who served in the Korean War from 1950 to mesutdogan/123rf Stock Photo 8 There are 19 statues made of stainless steel that represent soldiers on patrol. Next to the statues is a mural on a granite wall. It displays more than 2,400 photos from the war. A Pool of Remembrance pays tribute to those who were killed, wounded, or missing in action. Vietnam War Veterans meinzahn/123rf Stock Photo 4 This memorial is located at the east end of the Reflecting Pool, between the Lincoln and the Washington Monument. It is dedicated to the citizens of the United States who served in World War II from 1939 to A wall of gold stars pays tribute to the 405,000 Americans who lost their lives. The dedication reads: Here we mark the price of freedom. The 24 bronze panels at the entrance show scenes from the war. The Rainbow Pool is framed by 56 granite columns representing wartime unity. Two 43-foot-tall pavilions stand for American victories over Germany and Japan in the war. Approximately 58,000 men and women of the United States armed forces were killed or missing in action in Vietnam from 1959 to Each of their names is inscribed on the memorial s polished granite wall. It is often referred to simply as the Wall. The memorial is set in a hillside amid the greenery of Constitution Gardens, near the Lincoln.

5 urmoments/123rf Stock Photo Monuments of Washington, D.C. Shutterstock.com/Gary Blakeley Touring the Cherry Trees There are about 3,000 cherry trees around the Tidal Basin and on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Each spring, thousands of residents and visitors from around the world come to view the beautiful pink and white blossoms. The National Cherry Blossom Festival holds an annual parade. Colorful floats, balloons, and bands march down Constitution Avenue. Don t miss it if you re in town! Rangers from the National Park Service offer programs to teach visitors about the cherry trees: Cherry Talks (30 minutes) Learn about the history of the cherry trees during these daily programs. Lantern Walks (2 hours) Enjoy the memorials and blossoms at night. Bring your own flashlight. Bike Tours (3 hours) Enjoy the cherry blossoms without all the traffic! Bring your own bike, helmet, and water. 1

6 1 Lincoln urmoments/123rf Stock Photo 2 Washington Monument Abraham Lincoln was our 16th president. He served from 1861 until his assassination in Most visitors will recognize his memorial because it appears on the penny and the five-dollar bill. The 36 columns represent the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln s death. Inside, a larger-than-life statue of Lincoln looks out over the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument. In 1963, huge crowds stood along the edge of the Reflecting Pool to hear Martin Luther King, Jr., deliver his famous I Have a Dream... speech. The memorial is especially beautiful at night when Lincoln s statue is bathed in light. This monument honors George Washington, our first president. He is often called the father of our country. Courtesy of The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service. Washington never got to see his monument. Building started in 1848, nearly 50 years after his death, and work stopped during the Civil War. It was finally completed in This majestic marble landmark stands at the east end of the Reflecting Pool. The shape of the monument is called an obelisk. It is feet tall. The walls at the base are 15 feet thick and ringed by a circle of American flags. 2

7 3 Thomas Jefferson Shutterstock.com/Gary Blakeley Thomas Jefferson was our third president and an author of the Declaration of Independence. His monument overlooks the Tidal Basin. Its columns and dome are similar in style to Jefferson s own home, Monticello. Inside is a 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson. Some of his most famous writings appear on the walls. 4 Franklin Delano Roosevelt billperry/123rf Stock Photo Franklin Roosevelt was the 32nd president and the only one to serve four terms. From 1933 to 1945, he led the United States through the Great Depression and World War II. Roosevelt will always be remembered for his inspiring words: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. 5 The memorial has four garden rooms, one for each term in office. Each room s statues, murals, and quotes from Roosevelt tell the story of this difficult era. Martin Luther King, Jr. mesutdogan/123rf Stock Photo Martin Luther King, Jr., was a pastor and a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. His goal was to gain equality for all without the use of violence. King was a powerful speaker and writer. He used these gifts in the struggle for civil rights. He won the Nobel Peace Prize when he was only 35 years old. King was assassinated in 1968 while leading a protest in Memphis. King s image is carved out of a large piece of granite. It s as if he is part of the rock. The statue shows the strength of King, who inspired a nation and the world. 3

8 6 World War II hofmeester/123rf Stock Photo 7 Korean War Veterans This memorial is dedicated to the idea that freedom is not free. It honors the 5.8 million members of the United States armed forces who served in the Korean War from 1950 to mesutdogan/123rf Stock Photo 8 There are 19 statues made of stainless steel that represent soldiers on patrol. Next to the statues is a mural on a granite wall. It displays more than 2,400 photos from the war. A Pool of Remembrance pays tribute to those who were killed, wounded, or missing in action. Vietnam War Veterans meinzahn/123rf Stock Photo 4 This memorial is located at the east end of the Reflecting Pool, between the Lincoln and the Washington Monument. It is dedicated to the citizens of the United States who served in World War II from 1939 to A wall of gold stars pays tribute to the 405,000 Americans who lost their lives. The dedication reads: Here we mark the price of freedom. The 24 bronze panels at the entrance show scenes from the war. The Rainbow Pool is framed by 56 granite columns representing wartime unity. Two 43-foot-tall pavilions stand for American victories over Germany and Japan in the war. Approximately 58,000 men and women of the United States armed forces were killed or missing in action in Vietnam from 1959 to Each of their names is inscribed on the memorial s polished granite wall. It is often referred to simply as the Wall. The memorial is set in a hillside amid the greenery of Constitution Gardens, near the Lincoln.