Today we are NOT driving into DC, we are going to experience their handy Metro system. Shelley and I took a bike ride to the Metro station from our campground on Easter to see how far it was and if the kids can ride their bike. It is a beautiful bike path, off the main roads, and flat. It’s about a 20 minute ride, but a half an hour for this group, but easy. We lock up the bikes right outside the Metro Station and were off for our first (the kids & Shelley) subway ride ever.
The Metro has stops at everywhere you would want to go in DC, but you have to know what you are doing because the stop you want to get off at might require that you change trains. Well, we all had to do that today and it was very confusing. We just ended up asking several people to help us that they were very happy to do so. The Metro went fast even though we started at the second to last stop in Maryland.
We got off at the White House visitor center – sadly our Congressman did not get us tickets to the White House this week because it is spring break and there are hundreds of school tours groups here. Oh well . . . . the visitors center is very well done and the movie shows all the different rooms in the house and more, and the displays are very detailed. The history of the nation's capital began when President George Washington signed an Act of Congress in December of 1790 declaring that the federal government would reside in a district "not exceeding ten miles square…on the river Potomac." President Washington, together with city planner Pierre L’Enfant, chose the site for the new residence, which is now 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As preparations began for the new federal city, a competition was held to find a builder of the "President’s House." Nine proposals were submitted, and Irish-born architect James Hoban won a gold medal for his practical and handsome design.
Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. Although President Washington oversaw the construction of the house, he never lived in it. It was not until 1800, when the White House was nearly completed, that its first residents, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved in with four months left in his second term. Since that time, each President has made his own changes and additions.
The White House has a fascinating history. It survived a fire at the hands of the British in 1814 (during the war of 1812) and another fire in the West Wing in 1929, while Herbert Hoover was President. Throughout much of Harry S. Truman’s presidency, the interior of the house, with the exception of the third floor, was completely gutted and renovated while the Truman’s lived at Blair House, right across Pennsylvania Avenue. Although there have been changes, the exterior stone walls are those first put in place when the White House was constructed 200 ago.
Presidents can express their individual style in how they decorate some parts of the house and in how they receive the public during their stay. Thomas Jefferson held the first Inaugural open house in 1805. Many of those who attended the swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol simply followed him home, where he greeted them in the Blue Room. President Jefferson also opened the house for public tours, and it has remained open, except during wartime, ever since.
After Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, Inaugural crowds became far too large for the White House to accommodate them comfortably. However, not until Grover Cleveland’s first presidency, did this unsafe practice change. He held a presidential review of the troops from a flag-draped grandstand built in front of the White House. This procession evolved into the official Inaugural parade we know today. Receptions on New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July continued to be held until the early 1930s.
Here is a list of facts:
1. There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.
2. At various times in history, the White House has been known as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the "Executive Mansion." President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
3. Presidential Firsts while in office... President James Polk (1845-49) was the first President to have his photograph taken... President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) was not only the first President to ride in an automobile, but also the first President to travel outside the country when he visited Panama... President Franklin Roosevelt (1933-45) was the first President to ride in an airplane.
4. With five full-time chefs, the White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d'oeuvres to more than 1,000.
5. The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.
6. For recreation, the White House has a variety of facilities available to its residents, including a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, and bowling lane.
Then we walked to the front of the White House to take pictures like all the rest of the tourists!!
Next we went to the Smithonian Portrait Gallery. It’s full of all kinds of portraits from all types of art styles. We wanted to just see all the Presidents portraits which were incredible. Every president had a portrait and it seemed that they were in order of Presidency. We took some pictures with our favorites!
After leaving the Smithonian we walked towards the Police memorial but on the way we found this gorgeous old church . . . St. Patrick’s Parish built in 1792. It was the first church built in the federal city, also designed by James Hoban. Beautiful!!
The Police and Navy Memorial’s were within a block from each other so we had to stop and honor them. The Police Memorial had a water fall and 2 walls with all the names of officers who died in the line of duty. The Navy Memorial was an actual museum with a movie and historical artifacts about the Navy. Outside were also 2 walls with sculpted pictures of all the different fields of work that the Navy does. It was also beautiful and fascinating. Brittany found a sailor friend.
The last stop of the day was the American History Smithonian Museum. Starting on the bottom floor it had the whole detailed history of electricity and light with Thomas Edison as well as the history of travel. Upstairs had a special displays of Thomas Jefferson’s Bible. What Bible you might say, just like I did?? Well, Jefferson read the Bible, but didn’t agree with several areas, especially the gospels. He wrote his own journals about the Bible, leaving out the Gospel stories, and called his “book” The Thomas Jefferson Bible. He never intended to sell them or have others read them – he wrote them exclusively for himself. Once he died, these journals were discovered, and now are on display. My conclusion of the whole situation is that Jefferson had a brilliant mind and was constantly thinking . . . He over intellectualized everything so he was unable to see God’s work in everything. It’s not really clear if he believed in Jesus as his Savior, but he definitely lived a very Godly life.
Also at the Museum was the original Star Spangled Banner flag. Can’t take pictures inside the display area, but it was amazing to see the old beautiful flag!!
We also found the first Dumbo ride chair from Disneyland!! My girls used to LOVE Dumbo!!
Our last rooms were all about the First Ladies gowns and White House china. The dresses were fun to see the different eras of style as well as the individual personalities in each one. These dresses were just a few of many: the red one is Mamie Eisenhower’s from the 1950’s, and the other two are Grace Coolidge from the 1920’s, flapper style. They were incredibly fun to see.
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The next room was all about the president and his jobs. Of course one of them is to give speeches, so Brittany and Brooke tried being the president for a moment at gave a speech!! I’m not sure who to vote for!! J Another fabulous day!!
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