I was very excited to get a chance to visit our nation’s capital while presenting and learning at WP Campus 2024. The conference was held at Georgetown University and my accommodations for the trip gave me an opportunity to spend time both at the university and in the Capitol Mall area visiting the monuments.
Having never been there before, I can tell you that I completely underestimated the total time it takes to fully explore the area. On foot for the majority of my walking tour, I covered close to 14 miles in the morning hours of a really humid day. But, the overview of the surrounding area gave me plenty of moments of wonder at the scale and tribute to our nation’s history.
Lincoln Memorial
Washington Monument and Reflection Pool
The size and scale of the obelisk in the middle of the mall area can’t be overstated. The structure is huge and forms a beacon and landmark for orienting yourself to the whole city.
Vietnam Memorial
It was interesting that best way to take a photo of the list of names on this wall was actually not to focus on the names, but to focus on the reflections of the polished stone instead. The memorial was moving in the fact that it literally cut away at the structure of the surrounding lawn which emphasized the outsized negative space that the missing, wounded and deceased soldiers left as a result of the conflict.
World War II Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
The journey around the riverbend to the location of the Jefferson Memorial was worth the effort spent navigating to its steps. The general shape, scale and structure of the monument to one of the most remembered authors in American history lent itself to some pretty epic black and white photos of the architecture.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Georgetown University – Healy Hall
