Photos — Frances Rivetti
Washington, DC has been on my top to-visit list for years. I'm not so much drawn to the powerhouse or maybe I should rephrase that as the madhouse of its politicians and lobbyists, but more to its dynamic history, its walkability, its memorials, a free and accessible museum and gallery culture.
As a dual national British American I have a slightly different take on the adage that Washington DC is the capital of the free world, or London for that matter, much as I admire both cities and countries. And it seems that even the current president agrees there are other perspectives outside of our North American (and British) ideals of what constitutes the center of the universe:
“As you probably know, some American politicians and American journalists refer to Washington, DC as the “capital of the free world.” But it seems to me that Brussels, which boasts 1,000 years of history and which serves as the capital of Belgium, the home of the European Union, and the headquarters for NATO, this city has its own legitimate claim to that title.” - Joe Biden
Still, there is such a gravitas to the power that is yielded from the United States Capitol Building, the White House and the many government monoliths in its surrounds, it felt like a big deal to finally step foot in the U.S capital city in person after some thirty plus years of a life lived on American soil.
First on my list on my mid-afternoon arrival by rail was a walk along the National Mall. Having never set foot in DC before I wasn't sure how long it would take me to traverse the monument trail while taking in the fact I'd finally made it to the capital. I decided to save museum hopping until the following morning, my first full day and I subsequently surprised myself by trekking around the entire monuments' trail on my first evening after checking out the exterior of the Capitol Building first.
I couldn't help but stand there in silence and envisage the events of January 6th, 2021 when insurgents had stormed the building, having flooded down the Mall in an angry, soon-to-be bloodied surge of red, white and blue from the White House, some 2.5 miles away.
A cavalcade of black limos with tinted windows was escorted along Pennsylvania Avenue by police motorcycles. I wondered who was in the cars. The President quite possibly. It all appeared somewhat surreal and yet a lot less grandiose that afternoon than the images I've watched of the area from my tv screen back home, although it wasn't hard to imagine how shocking it must have been to have witnessed the January mob scene.
Politics aside, governments will come and governments will go, unless, god forbid, a dictatorship should ever succeed in branding itself onto our American soil. Washington DC has seen all manner of power grabs in its history. To visit its museums puts things into perspective. And I wasn't there to make a statement other than to absorb the place as a citizen and see what all the wealth of history on hand had to inform me as a generally freethinking individual.
This was the last stop of my 10-day, four-city, fall Amtrak trip in the North East. I had given myself two-and-a-half days to cram in the essence of the place and I would be in this final city by myself, which meant that I could do as I pleased when planning my itinerary.
I started off on my rail adventure in Boston, with a visit to my cousin, journeying on the route to New York City and Philadelphia. I figure I walked about 80 miles over 10 days, the last 20 or so in DC. Here are links to my earlier stops if you missed my previous posts:
Part 1 — Boston
Part 2 — Brooklyn
Part 3 — Philadelphia
In the words of the National Park Service: "George Washington's military and political leadership were indispensable to the founding of the United States. As commander of the Continental Army, he rallied Americans from thirteen divergent states and outlasted Britain's superior military force. As the first president, Washington's superb leadership set the standard for each president that has succeeded him. The Washington Monument towers above the city that bears his name, serving as an awe-inspiring reminder of George Washington's greatness. The monument, like the man, stands in no one's shadow.
The Washington Monument, designed by Robert Mills and eventually completed by Thomas Casey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, honors and memorializes George Washington at the center of the nation's capital. The structure was completed in two phases of construction, one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884). Built in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, evoking the timelessness of ancient civilizations, the Washington Monument embodies the awe, respect, and gratitude the nation felt for its most essential Founding Father. When completed, the Washington Monument was the tallest building in the world at 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches."
I'd barely even studied a map of all the numerous monuments along the Mall. I wandered on, awestruck by the size and scope of it all, self-guided by the various markers and signposts, enjoying the warm late afternoon and evening sunshine.
The World War II Memorial (its fountains featured above) is a substantial, contemplative environment which received fierce criticism initially in fear that it would block views and walkability of these hallowed, historical grounds. I stayed a-while and rested my feet by the water fountains. I found it profoundly beautiful in size and balance, a permanent reminder of the horrific loss of war. I learned that this memorial was was commissioned by President Clinton on May 25, 1993 and dedicated by President George W. Bush on May 29, 2004. It was designed by Friedrich St. Florian and is split into two sides, representing the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. There are pillars surrounding the entirety of the structure, each with the name of a US state or territory from which a person was involved in the war. The east-facing wall of the memorial, the Freedom Wall, is covered with 4,048 gold stars, one for every 100 Americans who lost their lives in some aspect of WWII.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States — the Great Emancipator and preserver of the nation during the Civil War— sits immortalized in marble. I climbed all the way to the top of the steep marble steps. According to Trust for the National Mall: "Since its dedication on Memorial Day, 1922, the Lincoln Memorial has become the site of some of the nation’s most important social demonstrations, perhaps most notably Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
In 1867, two years after Lincoln's assassination, Congress formed the Lincoln Monument Association. In 1901, they selected the monument’s site, due west of the Washington Monument. In 1911, President Taft signed the Lincoln Memorial Bill which provided the $2 million required. Henry Bacon was chosen as the architect and in 1914, construction began. Bacon’s design was based on a Greek temple, symbolizing Lincoln’s god-like status in the hearts and minds of Americans. The statue of Lincoln itself was designed by Daniel Chester French; originally intended to be slightly larger than life at 10 feet tall, the design was altered and the statue now stands at an imposing 19 feet tall.
Lincoln is surrounded by 36 Doric columns, one for each state at the time of his death. By the time construction was finished, 12 more states had joined the Union, so the names of all 48 states are carved around the top of the 99 foot tall structure. A plaque for Alaska and Hawaii was added later. The Southern and Northern interior walls of the memorial are inscribed with the full text of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and 2nd Inaugural Address, respectively. Construction was completed in May, 1922 and the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1922."
I wandered on past the Korean War Veterans Memorial which was under construction for renovations, unfortunately, although I was able to see the forms of soldiers, shrouded with protective plastic sheets, as I walked on to The Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial, where my phone ran out of juice.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is the newest addition to the collection of memorials on the National Mall. Dedicated on October 16th, 2011 (the 16th anniversary of the 1995 Million Man March in Washington), the stone structure exemplifies the fundamental values of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during his quest for civil rights; freedom, democracy, and opportunity for all.
His stunning national memorial stands 30-feet high and consists of three granite pieces. Inspired by Dr. Kings “I Have a Dream” speech where he says “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” A figure of Martin Luther King is carved into the “Stone of Hope” which stands past the “Mountain of Despair.”
Onwards, around the Tidal Basin, I read and contemplated: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” — the words of 32nd President, Franklin D Roosevelt. I was disappointed not to take pictures (a good reason to travel with a camera as well as a phone) as this was my favorite of the presidential monuments. Despite Roosevelt being stricken with polio and paralyzed from the waist down, he had emerged as a true leader, guiding the country through an extremely dark time, the Great Depression and World War II. The FDR Memorial honors him and his life story.
In honor of FDR’s four terms, the monument, designed by Lawrence Halprin, is divided into four outdoor “rooms.” I took my time as I roamed this 7.5 acre monument, perusing 21 FDR quotes, statues and murals that represented issues from the Great Depression to World War II. It is constructed entirely of red South Dakota granite and was the first monument in Washington, DC to be purposely designed as completely wheelchair accessible. A children's birthday party was wrapping up on the lawn nearby, which was a happy sight to step on from toward The Jefferson Memorial.
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission, established on April 13, 1934, his 200th birthday, decided to place the memorial due south of the White House, completing the 5-point monument center that Pierre L’Enfant had originally envisioned in 1791. The cornerstone was laid by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1934 and dedicated in 1943.
The memorial’s circular structure, designed by John Russell Pope, was based on the Pantheon and Monticello. It sits on 2.5 acres and weighs a total of 32,000 tons. The statue of Jefferson is placed in the center of the 129-foot dome, just like the Pantheon. Sculpted by Rudolph Evans, the statute stands 19 feet tall and weighs 10,000 pounds. I didn't linger long before Jefferson. The more I read with regards to his dark side in history, the more credence I give to Martha Washington's utter dislike of him. The Smithsonian writes eloquently on the more recent reflections on this founding father's less than benevolent attitude to slave holdings.
It was dusk by the time I'd followed a Tidal Basin path up toward the museums and made my way back on the Mall, dodging packs of tourists on electric scooters. My feet ached and my tummy rumbled. I contentedly ate a scrumptious late supper of fish tacos and a Mezcal margarita close to my downtown hotel, at the colorful bar in the hopping, hot-spot Oyamel Cocina Mexicana.
For some reason I wasn't in too much of a hurry to gawk at the White House. Here it is from the back, which I passed by on my way toward Dupont Circle on my second evening. I suppose people say the same about Buckingham Palace — it appeared a lot smaller than I expected it to be!
And then it was a new day and time to hit the museums. It was hard to decide which of the numerous Smithsonian institutions to squeeze into my condensed time frame of a first visit. Telling myself I'll be back some day to cover more ground, I headed first to the National Gallery of Art for a whistle stop tour of a selection of over 150,000 sculptures, decorative arts, prints, drawings, photographs and paintings in a permanent collection spanning the history of western art. I don't even know where to begin selecting favorite works and images so suffice to say it is a most pleasing and extraordinary museum and collection and I could have easily spent my entire two day visit entirely within its walls (and sculpture garden).
The National Museum of The American Indian, itself a component of the Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall (one of three US facilities) was next on my must-see list. The NMAI cares for one of the world's most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego. Its mission is dedicated to acting as a resource for the hemisphere's Native communities and to serving the greater public as an honest and thoughtful conduit to Native cultures—present and past—in all their richness, depth, and diversity. The museum provides extensive educational resources for how we think about and teach Native cultural history and contemporary perspectives.
This museum is open from 10AM to 5:30 PM, Wednesday through Sunday. According to the Smithsonian Institution Archives: "On September 21, 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian opened on the National Mall in Washington, DC, with the largest known gathering of Native American communities in history. Opening exhibitions included, Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World, Our Peoples: Giving Voice to Our Histories, and Our Lives: Contemporary Life and Identities.
Initially designed by Native American architect Douglas Cardinal, the building’s distinctive curvilinear form, evoking a wind-sculpted rock formation, grew out of his early work and formed the basis for the overall design. An extended collaboration resulted in a building and site rich with imagery, layers of meaning and connections to the earth. The building is aligned perfectly to the cardinal directions and the center point of the US Capitol Building dome, and is filled with details, colors, and textures that reflect the Native universe.
The American Museum of American History was another must-see for me, though I barely scratched the surface and left with a plan to come back some day and spend at least an entire day exploring more than 1.8 million objects and over three shelf-miles of archival collections. This mind-boggling national collection encompassing everything from the original Star-Spangled Banner to Abraham Lincoln’s top hat; from the first computer bug to the first artificial heart; from Dizzy Gillespie’s angled trumpet to Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz is preserved under one roof for the nation. It's a little overwhelming to try to cram it all in. Archival collections include an astounding array of American history in documents, photographs and other works, including major holdings on the histories of American business and music.
Artifacts form a fascinating mosaic of American life and comprise the greatest single collection of American history in the world. I was most enthralled by The House — 200 years of history and five American families.
Final leg of my extraordinary east coast train trip visiting loved ones in Boston, Brooklyn, Philly and DC culminated in a poignant walk through fields of of simple, white commemorative flags on the National Mall which reached the staggering number of 700,000 on its last weekend before organizers were due to take it down. Flags stretched as far as the eye could see. It was both breathtaking and beyond fathomable. Men and women of all ages wept softly as they stooped to add a flag in the midst of such profound and astounding loss. Each flag represented an American life lost to COVID during the pandemic. And still there were protestors at the other end of the National Mall decrying the impact of this virus on our people.
This two-week-long art installation, titled In America: Remember, was created by Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg, the Washington, D.C., social practice artist who first created an installation of white flags outside the District of Columbia's RFK Stadium in October 2020
As I was in DC solo on a Friday evening I figured it would be fun to join a walking tour. I opted for Embassy Row: True Crime & Scandals, one of the many Washington DC tours offered by Free Tours by Foot. This is a pay-what-you-like kind of deal normally, but due to COVID restrictions, pre-paying the tour was required, at $35, which was well worth the two hour experience in my opinion and not a bad gig for the young man who led the group of around ten visitors to the area from our meeting spot at Dupont Circle.
I felt a little bad for him having a curious journalist in tow, though I never let on it was my reporter's training that leads to my endless pesky questions that to me seem completely justified, whereas to everyone else, possibly a little deeper dig for the average interest!
Anyway, I departed our two mile trail all the more intrigued as to the goings-on of Embassy Row over the past couple hundred years. In short, one of the scandalous themes is that there's been a slew of rambunctious heiresses in the area in the course of history, lots of partying and an awful lot of booze! We were afore-warned of the prevalence of rats in these storied streets and avenues after dark and it didn't take long to spot them, right on cue, scurrying along pathways and walls, up and down stone staircases and in and out of planters.
According to several reports, Washington DC ranks fourth after Chicago, LA and New York for its rat infestation issues, followed by San Francisco. Rodents are experts at sniffing out food and shelter and the pandemic led to populations being forced to find new spots when so many restaurants and businesses were closed. Calls to the city's rodent control lines have reached an all-time high, though it looks to me like we're gradually becoming more accustomed to sharing our cities with these growing packs of wily whiskered ones.
I wanted to spend the last day of my trip visiting somewhere of interest that was a little more low-key in scope than the almost impossibly-scaled national museums on the mall. Georgetown fit the bill. And so I made myself an online reservation for a self guided tour of Tudor Place, an historic house and gardens completed in 1816 and home to six generations of First Lady Martha Washington's descendants as well as the enslaved people who lived and toiled on the premises.
The Federal-style mansion that was originally the home of Thomas Peter and his wife, Martha Parke Custis Peter, a granddaughter of Martha Washington was most likely built with the toil of enslaved Africans. Although there is no recorded record of its construction crew, today's tour information details all enslaved youngsters and elders in servitude alongside domestic staff on the property prior to the abolition of slavery. A clearer picture of how this beautiful estate was lived in, maintained and managed is formed when we look at all of the souls who spent time within its walls, at work and leisure. Click here to read more.
It was George Washington who left the second Martha the $8,000 in his will that was used to purchase the property in 1805. She was born at Mount Vernon, the granddaughter of Martha Washington and step-granddaughter of George Washington. Her husband, Thomas Peter was the son of a prominent tobacco merchant who was Georgetown’s first mayor.
And because it stayed in the same family for so long, most of the contents (some 18,000 decorative objects) remain in the house.
It's quite sobering to consider the six generations of Peters who lived in Tudor Place were witnesses to so many major events that shaped the nation, including the burning of Washington in 1814, slavery, its abolition, the Civil War, both World Wars and the Cold War.
Tudor Place's final private owner, Armistead Peter 3rd which for the house and garden to become a museum for the enjoyment and enrichment of the public. In 1960 he established the site’s designation as one of the nation’s first National Historic Landmarks and created the Carostead Foundation (today Tudor Place Foundation) in 1966. Tudor Place opened to the public in October 1988, fulfilling the dream he outlined in his will. Educational tours, programs, events and retreats make great use of this lovely space and there was to be a wedding in the grounds on the afternoon of my visit.
I especially enjoyed the garden with its boxwood circle planted over 200 years ago, center walk, orchard, fountain and summer house.
After taking my time to peruse the fall foliage and late season blooms, I wandered down the brick path and along leafy Georgetown neighborhoods to the scenic Waterfront Park via the bustling boutique shopping district that connects the neighborhood to Foggy Bottom and Downtown DC to the east and Virginia via Key Bridge to the west. The intersection of M and Wisconsin Avenue is the heart of Georgetown and it was there that I broke my carry-on only resolve and indulged in a spot of last-day shopping. And an ice cream break to people-watch in the sunshine.
My last-night dinner was enjoyed at another bar top, also around the corner from my hotel, at Chef José Andrés' Jaleo. A glass of Tempranillo paired to perfection with the Spanish flavor's of tasty tapas.
If You Go:
The Washington Monument is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (last tour time is 4:30). National Mall and Memorial Parks other sites are open 24 hours a day. The early evening and morning hours are beautiful and tranquil times to visit.
Please visit the Operating Hours and Seasons for more information on staffing, facility, and museum hours.
Click here to explore the National Mall.
Traveling by rail is great. I felt extremely safe. However, after I returned home I read of an attack on a woman on a subway in Philadelphia in which no other passengers came forward to intervene, or call emergency services. It is vital for all of us when traveling on any means of transport, or by foot for that matter, to look out for our own safety in our surrounds as well as that of our fellow passengers. If you see something that's not right and especially if you witness an attack, call 911 from your cell phone immediately and if on a train or bus, press the emergency button.
Georgetown is one of the few neighborhoods in Washington that can be reached by water. Take a Washington Monuments Cruise from the Georgetown Waterfront for a fun, relaxing way to take in sights like the Jefferson Memorial and The Washington Monument. Click here for more info on water
