Washington D.C. Newsletter
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is composed of land that once belonged to George Washington Parke Custis, the grandson of
Martha Washington and the adopted son of George Washington. Monuments and memorials commemorating individuals in
our nation’s history are represented throughout the cemetery.
These are situated among the headstones of service members
and other dignitaries for whom Arlington is the final resting
place. Arlington National Cemetery is a national shrine to
those who have honorably served our nation in times of war.
The cemetery is the resting place for more than 400,000 active
duty service members, veterans, and their families.
National Basilica
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is visited by thousands of people a year. The Eucharist is
the center of the shrine's sacramental ministry as the
nation's sanctuary of prayer and pilgrimage. It is
complete with a crypt church beneath the Basilica.
The crypt church is open for adoration 24/7.
Lincoln Memorial
The memorial was carved by the Piccalilli Brothers of New York.
They started building the memorial in 1901.
It stands 19' tall and 19' wide. On one side of Lincoln is
the Gettysburg Address and on the other side is his
second Inaugural Address. The 36 columns repre-sent
the states in the union at the time of Lincoln's death.
Holocaust Memorial Museum
The world needs the lessons of the holocaust , now more than
ever. The United States
Holocaust Memorial museum seeks to inspire millions each
year with the relevance of
Holocaust history to the challenges we face today. "The question is always: “What is your
responsibility now that you've seen , now that you know?”
Each individual must answer that question himself or herself. "
- Elie Wiesel Holocaust Survivor and Author
Monticello-Home of Thomas Jefferson, 3rd
President
Jefferson displayed Indian objects given as gifts to
him in his home, as well as European art, maps of Virginia, and bones of animals. A clock in his home
shows the time as well as the day of the week. Two
eighteen pound weights move the clock hands and
they descend through the floor to the cellar. He and
his wife Martha had 6 kids but only 2 lived to adulthood. Jefferson died on July 4, 1782 at the age of 82.
The Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is a memorial to George
Washington, 1st president of the United States. Construction of the monument started in 1848. The monument was
dedicated on February 21, 1885. It is 555' tall. The monument was opened to the public in October 1888 .. It was
recently repaired due to damage from an earthquake in
2011. It was reopened in May 2014.
Iwo Jima Memorial
The battle of Iwo Jima was a major battle in which the United
States Armed Forces fought
for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese
empire during World War II .
The memorial is 78’ tall. If you pass slowly, you can see an
optical illusion of the
flag being raised. It is also known as the Marine Corps War
Memorial.
Mount Vernon
George Washington acquired Mount Vernon in 1754.
He lived there with his wife Martha, her two children
and then later their two grandchildren. The
mansion was expanded several times. His plantation had
more than eleven structures. Washington died
there in 1799 and is buried on the grounds.
Vietnam Memorial
In 1979, Congress authorized a site for the
Vietnam Memorial. It was designed by Mya Ying
Lin of Athens, Ohio. The walls are over 246'
long. The building of the walls cost $7 million.
There are over 58,000 names on the wall. The
memorial was dedicated November 18, 1982.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Thomas Jefferson's statue stands tall at 19’. The
memorial was designed by John Russell Pope
and the statue inside was completed in 1943 by
Rudulph Evans. It is composed of circular marble
steps, a circular colonnade of ionic order columns, and a shallow dome.
Credits
Hana A.-researcher and writer
Halle T. -researcher, writer , and
typed
Victoria M.-researcher
Lainie C.-researcher and writer
Seth D.-Organized letter
Zan H.-researcher and typed