Wanderlust Traveler: 2012

We spent seven days visiting Washington DC during the first week of September 2012. In addition to all of the sights we saw within the city, we also completed the following day-trips in nearby Virginia:

Mount Vernon
Alexandria, Virginia
Arlington Cemetery

Mount Vernon:
As someone whom is obsessed with historical buildings, especially those of the colonial era, I had dreamt of visiting the beautiful estate of Mount Vernon for as long as I can remember and vowed that whenever I finally had the opportunity to visit Washington DC I would make the trip out.

Mount Vernon is located upon the Potomac River and is the former home of George Washington and his family as well as hundreds of slaves. The 500 acre estate is on the National Register of Historic Places and includes the three story mansion, multiple gardens and outdoor buildings, servants halls, George Washington's tomb, a wharf, and a pioneer farmer site. The home was originally built in 1741 and George Washington later acquired the estate in 1754 making many improvements and expansions to the house and property over the next 50 years until his death.

All visitors should began their visit with by watching the film We Fight to Be Free, at the Ford Orientation Theater. Next up should be a tour of the mansion. During the busy spring and summer months, visitors will be assigned a specific time to complete the guided tour of the mansion. If you've got some time to kill before your tour, don't worry, as there are plenty of things to occupy your time with, including the impressive visitor center with lots of interactive exhibits and artifacts to see. Luckily for us we were able to tour the house immediately after the film. The guided tour lasted about 20 minutes and took us through every room on the main floor and several rooms on the second floor. The entire house has been beautifully restored to how it would have appeared in 1799, the year George Washington died. My favorite room of the entire house was the Large Dining Room, which is the largest room in the house. In addition to touring the inside of the house, we were also brought to the back porch, where we were provided with an amazing view across the Potomac River. We later came back to the porch and sat on one of the many chairs to enjoy the beautiful views again because we just couldn't get enough.

After touring the house, we made our way around the large estate which took several hours. I most enjoyed seeing the Upper Gardens and the Slave Quarters, which have recently been meticulously restored to their original appearance. Most people would probably be happy spending a half-day at the estate. However, history buffs like myself will probably prefer to spend nearly the entire day in order to see everything on the estate and to also spend a fair amount of time at the visitor center. For those coming from Washington DC, the estate can be easily reached via public transportation in about an hour.

The mansion at Mount Vernon Estate.

Posing in front of the mansion at Mount Vernon Estate.

The mansion at Mount Vernon Estate.

The kitchen at Mount Vernon.

The covered walkway connecting the mansion to the kitchen at Mount Vernon Estate.

View from the back porch of the Potomac River at Mount Vernon Estate.

Shyawn enjoying the view of the Potomac River from the back porch of the mansion.

The back porch at the mansion at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Greenhouse at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Greenhouse and Upper Garden at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Upper Garden at Mount Vernon Estate.

Buildings at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Kitchen at Mount Vernon Estate.

Food storage area at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Smokehouse at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Wash House at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Stable at Mount Vernon Estate.

Washington's Tomb at Mount Vernon Estate.

The Wharf at Mount Vernon Estate.

Pioneer Farmer Site at Mount Vernon Estate.

The 16-Sided Barn at the Pioneer Farmer Site at Mount Vernon Estate.

Vegetable garden at Mount Vernon Estate.

Lower Garden at Mount Vernon Estate.

Interpretative Center at Mount Vernon Estate, where Lady Washington entertains visitors.

Mount Vernon Estate.

Slave Quarters at Mount Vernon Estate.

We spent seven days visiting Washington DC during the first week of September 2012. This blog entry will document all of the sights we saw within the city during our week-long stay. I also have an additional blog entry that highlights the different day-trips we took outside of the city here.

This entry will cover the following sights in detail below:

Washington Monument
World War II Memorial
Vietnam War Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Korean War Memorial
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
United States Capitol
White House
Georgetown
Ford's Theater
National Museum of American History
Library of Congress
Newseum
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
U.S. Botanical Garden
National Air and Space Museum
National Archives
DAR Museum
National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum
National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

Washington Monument:
This obelisk, located on the National Mall, was built to honor President George Washington. It is the tallest obelisk in the world standing at over 555 feet. Construction of the monument began in 1848 but due to delays of multiple factors, including the Civil War, was not completed until 1884. Unfortunately we were unable to climb or access the monument as it has been closed for repairs since Virginia earthquake in 2011. However, thankfully for us, we were able to view the monument from dozens of different vantage points along or near the National Mall, providing me plenty of photographic opportunities.

Washington Monument

National WWII Memorial:
Located between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, this memorial was built in dedication to the 16 million Americans who served in the armed forces during World War II. The memorial features 56 pillars (for each state and territory) and a pair of 43-foot arches that surround a large plaza and beautiful fountain. There has been much controversy over this memorial, with some critics stating that the placement of the memorial was a poor choice, as it broke up what was once an unbroken view between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. Although I can understand and appreciate this criticism, I found that the fountain and plaza of this memorial adds to the overall appeal of the mall from a distance, especially as viewed from the Lincoln Memorial. There has also been significant criticism made against the design of the memorial, comparing it to style that was favored by Hilter and Mussolini. However, supporters have reminded these critics that the architecture style used in the memorial was very popular in the United States during the New Deal period, just a decade before the country's involvement with the war. Personally, I found the memorial to be quite beautiful, and a moving tribute to all those that served in the war.