A must for anyone visiting D.C. is going to the National Mall and seeing the memorials and monuments. Just beyond the Washington Monument is the World War II Memorial, pictured at the top of the page. Located within the memorial is the Freedom Wall, which is covered in gold stars and represents the Americans who died in the war. The words in front of the wall—Here we mark the price of freedom—are a poignant reminder of the sacrifice made by the brave people who fought to ensure our freedom.
Between the World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial is the Reflecting Pool. Depending on which end you’re standing, you can see the reflection of the Lincoln Memorial or the Washington Monument. I think it’s a beautiful design element that enhances the nearby monuments. The sky was hazy that day when I took a photo of the Washington Monument, and though the conditions were not spectacular for a photo, the reflection helped. Imagine if there were no reflecting pool. The image would look very different.
Here is a photo of the Lincoln Memorial, a site where Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous “I have a Dream” speech. For a long time, the image of the memorial was on the back of the penny. It’s on the reverse of the five dollar bill, but will be replaced in the next few years with a new design.
The imposing statue of Abe Lincoln sits in the center of the memorial and inscriptions of his second inaugural address and Gettysburg address cover the walls on either side of him. A legend exists that the sculptor carved the hands to represent Abraham Lincoln’s initials in sign language. There is no proof that was his intention, but he was known to be familiar with sign language because his son was deaf. I don’t know whether the sculptor intended to have Abe sign his initials with his hands. But, I do believe he gave a lot of thought to the way Abe should sit and how his hands should be placed. The closed fist adds to Abe’s stoic expression and shows his thoughtful demeanor. Don’t you agree?
