I’ve been in Washington D.C., the political capital of the world, for a couple of months now participating in an internship through the University. With this in mind, I’ve seen every famous tourist site, and have gained valuable insight from each visit. This article contains none of that insight. Nevertheless, here is a brief detailing of some of the most popular D.C. destinations.
1. The White House
The White House has a total of 35 bathrooms. So when someone really has to go, it gives enough options to make sure the house stays white. But it is more famously known for housing the presidents and their families. Everyone dreams of living in the White House and tries to imagine what it’d be like to call it home. But, if it’s such a great place to live, why do most families move out after just four to eight years of living there?
2. That U.S. Capitol Building
This is where the big political decisions come to fruition. On the right side is the House of Representatives, and to the left is the Senate side. And in between… well, I’m not too sure anything goes on there in the middle.
3. Lincoln Memorial
Unbeknownst to most, the famous memorial of Abraham Lincoln almost didn’t include Lincoln. Henry Bacon, the architect who designed the memorial, had originally planned to simply have the memorial be a chair without Lincoln, symbolizing Lincoln’s wisdom. However, Bacon consulted Lincoln asking if he approved of this abstract design. Lincoln, not wanting to make a quick decision that he would regret, replied, “beats me, let me sit on it for a few days.”
4. The Air and Space Museum
The Air and Space Museum features some of the most pivotal advancements in aeronautics. But if you took away all of the airplanes and space shuttles, it’d still be a museum of air and space.
5. The Supreme Court
This is where all of the greatest battles in history took place; Marbury v. Madison, Plessy v. Ferguson, Bush v. Gore, LeBron vs. Kobe. . .
6. Ford’s Theatre
This theatre is most infamous for being the location where President Lincoln was shot. If you enter the theatre, you can view the stage, as well as the balcony where John Wilkes Booth snuck in to fire a bullet at Lincoln. However, you can’t enter the balcony because of the newly-installed protective glass — which is about 150 years too late.
7. The Jefferson Memorial
Thomas Jefferson is credited as being the author of the Declaration of Independence, one of America’s most beloved writings, but despite its massive popularity, it was unable to gain enough support for a sequel.
8. The Washington Monument
Of course, the Washington Monument. It should inspire us all—proving that if you are the first president and the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, you, too, could have a monument the size of mountain in the middle of the nation’s capital.
Some say that if you look at the monument in the right way, or catch it in the right light, it looks like a big pencil. Others criticize the monument for being phallic in appearance; and, if that was the design’s intention, it’s a constant reminder that Washington was the “father of our country.” And, a gun wasn’t the only thing the former general was packing.
Horgan is a member of the class of 2017.
