The National Mall and Capitol Hill

The National Mall in Washington DC is the centerpiece for United States monuments.  It's a fun group travel venue to not only see the various and exotic sites that compose the mall, but also to experience and absorb the cultures of visiting foreigners who flock to the mall to view our memorials.  Even school children know that the mall is host to monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the Jefferson Memorial.  However, there are many other memorials that some have not heard of that are equally fascinating.   

First, what is the mall?  The National Mall is a long corridor of land and buildings stretching from the foot of the United States Capitol, also known as Capitol Hill, to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  It is quite a feat to manage to walk from one end to the other and would take a group quite a while to traverse.  Personally, it took a friend and I about thirty minutes to walk from one end to the other--and that was without stopping, which I admit was hard to do considering the wonders that you pass.  

I felt that one of the monuments that folks never talk about is the World War II memorial.  To me, this was the most moving memorial.  It is a beautiful testament to the American lives given to end World War II.  The monument is in between the Washington and Lincoln Memorials.  There is a massive water fountain in the center with two smaller reflecting pools rushing around it forming a ring.  There are 50 columns that border this magnificent fountain, each representing a State.  This is definitely a monument students will want to photograph on Washington D.C. educational tours.   

I also felt that the Korean War monument has been overshadowed by the larger, older monuments.  This monument is near the center-part of the National Mall.  It is a bit hidden behind trees and bushes, but signs at the mall will gladly aid you in finding it.  The memorial has a small reflecting pool, which mirrors metal casts of American soldiers stomping through the foliage of Korea.  The soldiers look so lifelike you want to touch them to see if they will move.  This is another memorial any group will want to visit.    

By Christopher Graham