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Baltimore & Washington, D.C.

giradman

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Baltimore & Ft. McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Susan and I attended a nephew's wedding in Catonsville, MD near Baltimore a few days ago - we took a non-stop flight to D.C.'s National Airport, rented a car and drove to the Baltimore area for several nights - I've been to Baltimore many times and have seen all of the historic sites EXCEPT Ft. McHenry - so before checking into our hotel, we visited the fort.

Ft. McHenry is most famous for defending Baltimore in the War of 1812 - the British planned a combined land and sea attack to take the city (see battle map below); the land attempt was repulsed and the naval bombardment a failure - the British did not want to move their ships close to Ft. McHenry in fear of the guns and 'hot shot', so they simply left and Baltimore was saved. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer, was aboard a ship and on the morning of September 14, 1814, saw the newly raised garrison flag (15 stars & 15 stripes) still standing, and inspiring the words that became 'The Star Spangled Banner', the USA's national anthem - see quotes below and link for more information.

Pics below (first few from the web the rest are mine) show the fort, the new visitor's center (opened in 2011), and the fort - some of the cannons are post-1812 - after the wedding, we returned the car and then came into D.C. for 4 nights staying at the historic Willard Hotel - yesterday, we saw the restored 'Star Spangled Banner' flag - more on the flag and on what we did in D.C. in following posts. Dave :)

Fort McHenry is a historical American coastal pentagonal bastion fort located in the Locust Point neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy from the Chesapeake Bay on September 13–14, 1814. It was first built in 1798 and was used continuously by the U.S. armed forces through World War I and by the Coast Guard in World War II. It was designated a national park in 1925, and in 1939 was redesignated a "National Monument and Historic Shrine". (Source)

During the War of 1812 a storm flag (17 by 25 feet) was flown over Fort McHenry during the bombardment. It was replaced early on the morning of September 14, 1814 with a larger garrison flag (30 by 42 feet). The larger flag signaled American victory over the British in the Battle of Baltimore. The sight of the ensign inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry" that was later set to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven" and became known as the "Star Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States. (Source)
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scifan57

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Baltimore & Ft. McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Susan and I attended a nephew's wedding in Catonsville, MD near Baltimore a few days ago - we took a non-stop flight to D.C.'s National Airport, rented a car and drove to the Baltimore area for several nights - I've been to Baltimore many times and have seen all of the historic sites EXCEPT Ft. McHenry - so before checking into our hotel, we visited the fort.

Ft. McHenry is most famous for defending Baltimore in the War of 1812 - the British planned a combined land and sea attack to take the city (see battle map below); the land attempt was repulsed and the naval bombardment a failure - the British did not want to move their ships close to Ft. McHenry in fear of the guns and 'hot shot', so they simply left and Baltimore was saved. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer, was aboard a ship and on the morning of September 14, 1814, saw the newly raised garrison flag (15 stars & 15 stripes) still standing, and inspiring the words that became 'The Star Spangled Banner', the USA's national anthem - see quotes below and link for more information.

Pics below (first few from the web the rest are mine) show the fort, the new visitor's center (opened in 2011), and the fort - some of the cannons are post-1812 - after the wedding, we returned the car and then came into D.C. for 4 nights staying at the historic Willard Hotel - yesterday, we saw the restored 'Star Spangled Banner' flag - more on the flag and on what we did in D.C. in following posts. Dave :)




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Is the flag the same size as the one that inspired Francis Scott Key?
 
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giradman

giradman

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Is the flag the same size as the one that inspired Francis Scott Key?

Hi Scifan.. - well, yes & no! Just returned from our third day in D.C. - about to go to dinner but was planning to post on the flag next - will do after dinner; the story is interesting. Dave :)
 
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giradman

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Star Spangled Banner Flag - Restoration and Display

The early American flags have a complicated history, i.e. as states were admitted to the Union, both stars and stripes were added (the latter discontinued) - in 1792, Kentucky was admitted as the 15th state and the official USA flag had 15 stars & stripes - this flag lasted through the Presidency of James Monroe (ending in 1825) - SO, despite that 18 states were in the Union in 1814, the official flag is shown in the first pic below (see quotes & links for more information, if interested).

On September 14, 1814 after the British bombardment of Ft. McHenry, the official flag of the USA was raised which measured 30 x 42 ft - this is the flag seen by Francis Scott Key; after the battle, portions of the flag were 'given away' (mainly the stripes + one star, so the flag shrunk to 30 x 34 ft. Before this current visit, the last time I saw the flag in the National Museum of American History, the appearance was as shown in the second image below, i.e. in poor condition w/ the missing stripes added to simulate the original size.

In 1999, a multi-phase restoration was started on the flag which lasted nearly 10 years and at a cost of 21+ million dollars (2 pics below of the restorers working - description in the first link). In 2008, the flag was put back on display in a special exhibit area (last pic) which we visited yesterday - more on this fantastic museum in an upcoming post. Also, the video provides more details on the restoration and the current display. Dave :)

P.S. the flag flying the day we visited in my previous pics was a replica of the 30 x 42 ft 15 star & 15 stripes one.


Mary Pickersgill stitched the flag from a combination of cotton and dyed English wool bunting, assisted by her daughter and others. The flag has fifteen horizontal red and white stripes, as well as fifteen white stars in the blue field. The two additional stars and stripes, approved by the United States Congress's Flag Act of 1794, represent Vermont and Kentucky's entrance into the Union. The stars are arranged in vertical rows, with five horizontal rows of stars, offset, each containing three stars. At the time, the practice of adding stripes (in addition to stars) with the induction of a new state had not yet been discontinued. The flag originally measured 30 by 42 feet. After the battle, the Armistead family occasionally gave away pieces of the flag as souvenirs and gifts; this cutting, along with deterioration from continued use, removed several feet of fabric from the flag's fly end, and it now measures 30 by 34 feet. (Source)

The Star Spangled Banner became the Official United States Flag in 1795. Two stars were added for the admission of Vermont (the 14th State in 1791) and Kentucky (the 15th State in 1792), and was to last for 23 years. Five Presidents served under this flag from George Washington to James Monroe (1817-1825). The 15-star, 15-stripe flag was authorized by the Flag Act in1794, adding 2 stripes and 2 Stars. This flag was the only U.S. Flag to have more than 13 stripes. It was immortalized by Francis Scott Key during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, Sept 13, 1814. (Source)
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giradman

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Willard Hotel

My favorite hotel in D.C. is the Willard Intercontinental because of its great location (see map) and historic significance - see quotes below; the 'hotel' started modestly as a half dozen houses in 1816 and had multiple 're-incarnations', including potential demolition, until being restored multiple times after a disastrous 1922 fine. The hotel has hosted many famous people from all professions over nearly two centuries; some of the guests/visitors included: P.T. Barnum, Calvin Coolidge, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Duke of Windsor, Bob Fosse, Harry Houdini, Ulysses S. Grant, Julia Ward Howe, Jenny Lind, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Samuel Morse, John Pershing, Gloria Swanson, Mark Twain, and Walt Whitman (see link for more).

The map shows the location of the hotel (the blue dot is my Wi-Fi spot in my room) - we are up on the 8th floor - pics of the entrance, lobby, Peacock Alley (leads to F Street and a few blocks from Metro Central), and the famed Round Robin Bar w/ pics of many famous visitors (see last quote below) - presumably Henry Clay (18th century Kentucky senator mixed the first Mint Julep there, which is now the signature drink - we had drinks there after dinner each night of our stay but did not try the Clay specialty); also, a pic from the early 20th century, but not sure of the year. Subsequent posts will describe some of the places we visited on this trip and possibly on previous ones - I lived in the area for 3 months in the mid-1970s (attended the AFIP as part of my residency training) and have return many times. Dave :)

The Willard Hotel is a historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel located at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue. Among its facilities are numerous luxurious guest rooms, several restaurants, the famed Round Robin Bar, the Peacock Alley of luxury shops, and event rooms. Owned by InterContinental Hotels, it is two blocks east of the White House, and two blocks west of the Metro Center station of the Washington Metro. The first structures to be built at this location were six small houses constructed 1816. The structures served as a hotel for the next three decades, the owner and name changing several times: Williamson's Mansion Hotel, Fullers American House, and the City Hotel. By 1847, the structures were in disrepair. The Willard Hotel was formally founded by Henry Willard when he leased the six buildings in 1847, combined them into a single structure, and enlarged it into a four-story hotel he renamed the Willard Hotel.(Source)

The present 12-story structure opened in 1901. It suffered a major fire in 1922 which caused $250,000 (equivalent to $3,655,070 as of 2017) in damages. Among the evacuatees from the hotel were Vice President Calvin Coolidge, several U.S. senators, composer John Philip Sousa, motion picture producer Adolph Zukor, newspaper publisher Harry Chandler, and numerous other media, corporate, and political leaders. For many years the Willard was the only hotel from which one could easily visit all of downtown Washington, and consequently it has housed many dignitaries during its history. The Willard family sold its share of the hotel in 1946, and due to mismanagement and the severe decline of the area, the hotel closed in 1968. The building sat vacant for years, and numerous plans were floated for its demolition, but the Willard was subsequently restored to its turn-of-the-century elegance. The hotel was thus re-opened amid great celebration on August 20, 1986. In the late 1990s, the hotel once again underwent significant restoration. (Source)

Round Robin Bar (or, to give it its full name, the Round Robin and Scotch Bar) is one of the most renowned hotel bars in America. Literary luminaries Mark Twain and Walt Whitman...
Round Robin (or, to give it its full name, the Round Robin and Scotch Bar) is one of the most renowned hotel bars in America. Literary luminaries Mark Twain and Walt Whitman have imbibed here, and it was in this plush-carpeted room that Kentucky Statesman Henry Clay mixed the first DC mint julep, which remains the bar’s signature drink. The elegant, history laden bar in the prestigious Willard Intercontinental boasts, as the name suggests, a round mahogany bar from which impeccable drinks are served to local politicos, West Wingers, businessmen and those just curious to sip a cocktail in a bar once visited by Abraham Lincoln. The bar is open noon till midnight most nights and the Scotch Bar serves 4pm-11pm the latter, as the name suggests, stocks a fantastic range of malts including the classics you’ve heard of and some makes that might be unfamiliar, with tasting flights available should you need a steer. Other cocktails to try would be the Willard’s classics, such as the Monumental Mojito and the Granny Smith Appletini, with beers including local and imported brands as well as some craft brews. Snacks come courtesy of the Willard kitchen, including a range of small bites and sharing plates such as sliders and pizzas. With some 150 years of history behind it, the Round Robin can afford to trade on its reputation (and some would argue that it does) but, even so, it remains a real experience: grand and sophisticated, a bar in a class of its own. All this will cost you, of course, but each drink comes with a little glimpse into America’s political past. (Source)
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giradman

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Smithsonian Institution

Washington, D.C. has many attractions, but the Smithsonian Institution is a MAJOR one along with the Monuments, Memorials, White House, Government buildings, and Arlington Cemetery; also, there are non-governmental commercial museums, such as the Newseum & Spy Museum - the Smithsonian buildings are free, while admission fees may be charged at the others mentioned. More history and descriptions are quoted below.

Over the decades that we've visited D.C. numerous times, I have been to virtually all of these museums, monuments and memorials, some many times, such as the National Gallery of Art (and its East Wing) - this trip, we had 3 days but relaxed in the hotel in the mornings and then lunched and visited selective attractions in the afternoon (days were hot and we've aged), which I'll describe in upcoming posts - there are 11 of the 19 museums and galleries on the National Mall - these are huge places that one could easily spend an entire day (or two) exploring, so for those reading this post and planning their first visit to the Smithsonian attractions, allot plenty of time, i.e. days.

The one and the newest museum that we really wanted to see is the National Museum of African American History and Culture (last 2 pics below), but only online 'time slots' were needed for admission (all were out on our time in D.C. - walk-ins were minimal) - SO, we did not get to visit this attraction - will need to return. One of the first buildings on the mall is known as the Castle, a beautiful ornate structure w/ gorgeous surrounding gardens (a few pics below). Dave :)

P.S. the maps below show the many museums, memorials, galleries and their locations.

The Smithsonian museums are part of the United States' Smithsonian Institution and consist of nineteen museums and galleries, plus the National Zoological Park. Seventeen of these collections are located in Washington D.C., with eleven of those located on the National Mall. The remaining ones are in New York City and Chantilly, Virginia. As of 2010, one museum, the Arts and Industries Building, is closed for renovation, and its newest museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, opened in 2016. The birth of the Smithsonian Institution can be traced to the acceptance of James Smithson's legacy, willed to the United States in 1826. Smithson died in 1829, and in 1836, President Andrew Jackson informed Congress of the gift, which it accepted. In 1838, Smithson's legacy, which totaled more than $500,000, was delivered to the United States Mint and entered the Treasury. After eight years, in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was established. (Source)

The Smithsonian Institution Building (also known as "The Castle") was completed in 1855 to house an art gallery, a library, a chemical laboratory, lecture halls, museum galleries, and offices. During this time the Smithsonian was a learning institution concerned mainly with enhancing science and less interested in being a museum. Under Spencer Fullerton Baird, the Smithsonian turned into a full-fledged museum, mostly through the acquisition of 60 boxcars worth of displays from the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The income from the exhibition of these artifacts allowed for the construction of the National Museum, which is now known as the Arts and Industries Building. This structure was opened in 1881 to provide the Smithsonian with its first proper facility for public display of the growing collections.The Institution grew slowly until 1964 when Sidney Dillon Ripley became secretary. Ripley managed to expand the institution by eight museums and increased admission from 10.8 million to 30 million people a year. This period included the greatest and most rapid growth for the Smithsonian, and it continued until Ripley's resignation in 1984. Since the completion of the Arts and Industries Building, the Smithsonian has expanded to twenty separate museums with roughly 137 million objects in their collections, including works of art, natural specimens, and cultural artifacts. The Smithsonian museums are visited by over 25 million people every year. (Source)
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giradman

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Newseum

The Newseum is located on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Capitol (see first pics below + mine from the observation deck) - an impressive 7-level structure w/ unique architecture of stairs and elevators. The concept of the museum is described in the quotes below - there are over a dozen galleries (ten listed below) and numerous theaters - this is our second visit and we've still not taken in the full extent of the exhibits and videos - several days could easily be consumed at this fascinating attraction.

Now, the Newseum is not part of the Smithsonian collection and a steep admission fee is charge (we paid a total of $38 w/ Senior & AAA discounts); despite the fees (which contribute little to running the complex), the museum has been in financial difficulty (see 2nd quote below) and could close and/or re-locate - however, for those visiting D.C. soon, the museum is highly recommended. Also, we lunched in their lower level cafeteria which was excellent. Pics below of the building and just a few of the listed galleries. Dave :)
  • 9/11 Gallery (Sponsored by Comcast)
  • Berlin Wall Gallery
  • Cox Enterprises First Amendment Gallery
  • FBI Exhibit
  • Journalists Memorial
  • News Corporation News History Gallery
  • NBC News Interactive Newsroom
  • Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery
  • Time Warner World News Gallery
  • Today’s Front Pages Gallery

The Newseum is an interactive museum that promotes free expression and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, while tracing the evolution of communication. The seven-level, 250,000-square-foot museum features fifteen theaters and fifteen galleries. Its Berlin Wall Gallery includes the largest display of sections of the wall outside Germany. The Today's Front Pages Gallery presents daily front pages from more than 80 international newspapers. Other galleries present topics including the First Amendment, world press freedom, news history, the September 11 attacks, and the history of the Internet, TV, and radio; opened first in Rosslyn, Virginia, on April 18, 1997, and on April 11, 2008, it opened in its current location. It is a popular destination, attracting more than 815,000 visitors a year. Despite admission fees, it has seen years of financial losses. In February 2018, these losses led to an exploration of selling its building or moving to another location. (Source)

Despite a significant revenue stream of rents, museum admissions, and event fees, the Newseum loses significant amounts of money. In 2011, ticket sales offset just 10 percent of expenses. In 2015, the museum lost more than $2.5 million on revenue of $59 million. The private foundation that finances it has stated that the museum has had losses for several years. The issues, in part, reach back to the Washington location's construction, which had significant cost overruns. In August 2017, the Newseum's president, Jeffrey Herbst, resigned in the face of its difficulties. In February 2018, The Washington Post reported that the Newseum was exploring the sale of its building or a move. The Freedom Forum stated to the Washington Post that it had been financing over $20 million a year in continued operating expenses. (Source)
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suenc

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Baltimore & Ft. McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Susan and I attended a nephew's wedding in Catonsville, MD near Baltimore a few days ago - we took a non-stop flight to D.C.'s National Airport, rented a car and drove to the Baltimore area for several nights - I've been to Baltimore many times and have seen all of the historic sites EXCEPT Ft. McHenry - so before checking into our hotel, we visited the fort.

Ft. McHenry is most famous for defending Baltimore in the War of 1812 - the British planned a combined land and sea attack to take the city (see battle map below); the land attempt was repulsed and the naval bombardment a failure - the British did not want to move their ships close to Ft. McHenry in fear of the guns and 'hot shot', so they simply left and Baltimore was saved. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer, was aboard a ship and on the morning of September 14, 1814, saw the newly raised garrison flag (15 stars & 15 stripes) still standing, and inspiring the words that became 'The Star Spangled Banner', the USA's national anthem - see quotes below and link for more information.

Pics below (first few from the web the rest are mine) show the fort, the new visitor's center (opened in 2011), and the fort - some of the cannons are post-1812 - after the wedding, we returned the car and then came into D.C. for 4 nights staying at the historic Willard Hotel - yesterday, we saw the restored 'Star Spangled Banner' flag - more on the flag and on what we did in D.C. in following posts. Dave :)




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Unfortunately it was daytime, so we didn’t get to see the “rockets’ red glare”
 

suenc

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Willard Hotel

My favorite hotel in D.C. is the Willard Intercontinental because of its great location (see map) and historic significance - see quotes below; the 'hotel' started modestly as a half dozen houses in 1816 and had multiple 're-incarnations', including potential demolition, until being restored multiple times after a disastrous 1922 fine. The hotel has hosted many famous people from all professions over nearly two centuries; some of the guests/visitors included: P.T. Barnum, Calvin Coolidge, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Duke of Windsor, Bob Fosse, Harry Houdini, Ulysses S. Grant, Julia Ward Howe, Jenny Lind, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Samuel Morse, John Pershing, Gloria Swanson, Mark Twain, and Walt Whitman (see link for more).

The map shows the location of the hotel (the blue dot is my Wi-Fi spot in my room) - we are up on the 8th floor - pics of the entrance, lobby, Peacock Alley (leads to F Street and a few blocks from Metro Central), and the famed Round Robin Bar w/ pics of many famous visitors (see last quote below) - presumably Henry Clay (18th century Kentucky senator mixed the first Mint Julep there, which is now the signature drink - we had drinks there after dinner each night of our stay but did not try the Clay specialty); also, a pic from the early 20th century, but not sure of the year. Subsequent posts will describe some of the places we visited on this trip and possibly on previous ones - I lived in the area for 3 months in the mid-1970s (attended the AFIP as part of my residency training) and have return many times. Dave :)






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suenc

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Smithsonian Institution

Washington, D.C. has many attractions, but the Smithsonian Institution is a MAJOR one along with the Monuments, Memorials, White House, Government buildings, and Arlington Cemetery; also, there are non-governmental commercial museums, such as the Newseum & Spy Museum - the Smithsonian buildings are free, while admission fees may be charged at the others mentioned. More history and descriptions are quoted below.

Over the decades that we've visited D.C. numerous times, I have been to virtually all of these museums, monuments and memorials, some many times, such as the National Gallery of Art (and its East Wing) - this trip, we had 3 days but relaxed in the hotel in the mornings and then lunched and visited selective attractions in the afternoon (days were hot and we've aged), which I'll describe in upcoming posts - there are 11 of the 19 museums and galleries on the National Mall - these are huge places that one could easily spend an entire day (or two) exploring, so for those reading this post and planning their first visit to the Smithsonian attractions, allot plenty of time, i.e. days.

The one and the newest museum that we really wanted to see is the National Museum of African American History and Culture (last 2 pics below), but only online 'time slots' were needed for admission (all were out on our time in D.C. - walk-ins were minimal) - SO, we did not get to visit this attraction - will need to return. One of the first buildings on the mall is known as the Castle, a beautiful ornate structure w/ gorgeous surrounding gardens (a few pics below). Dave :)

P.S. the maps below show the many museums, memorials, galleries and their locations.




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So much history!
 

suenc

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Newseum

The Newseum is located on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Capitol (see first pics below + mine from the observation deck) - an impressive 7-level structure w/ unique architecture of stairs and elevators. The concept of the museum is described in the quotes below - there are over a dozen galleries (ten listed below) and numerous theaters - this is our second visit and we've still not taken in the full extent of the exhibits and videos - several days could easily be consumed at this fascinating attraction.

Now, the Newseum is not part of the Smithsonian collection and a steep admission fee is charge (we paid a total of $38 w/ Senior & AAA discounts); despite the fees (which contribute little to running the complex), the museum has been in financial difficulty (see 2nd quote below) and could close and/or re-locate - however, for those visiting D.C. soon, the museum is highly recommended. Also, we lunched in their lower level cafeteria which was excellent. Pics below of the building and just a few of the listed galleries. Dave :)
  • 9/11 Gallery (Sponsored by Comcast)
  • Berlin Wall Gallery
  • Cox Enterprises First Amendment Gallery
  • FBI Exhibit
  • Journalists Memorial
  • News Corporation News History Gallery
  • NBC News Interactive Newsroom
  • Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery
  • Time Warner World News Gallery
  • Today’s Front Pages Gallery




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Newseum is a fascinating, fun museum, so relevant to the current claims of “fake news.” A tribute to freedom of the press.
 
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giradman

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Yes, it’s just as gorgeous as the photos. I expected to see Mark Twain in the bar.

On our arrival, we were hungry & thirsty, so went to the Round Robin Bar, and shared a light lunch (Willard Smoke Salmon & Crab cake sliders) - our luncheon booth is shown in one of the pics below along w/ 8 of nearly 20 or so portraits of famous visitors to the hotel and/or bar (I added the names) - attached is a PDF that includes the menu/drinks/and brief bios of the portraits in the bar - take a look! Dave :)
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giradman

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National Archives Building

Susan & I have not been to the National Archives for 30 years or so, so we did a return visit and was surprised at the additions, i.e. exhibits that one could spend hours perusing (below the rotunda), unfortunately our time was limited; there is also one of the original 1297 Magna Cartas on display (see quotes below).

The National Archives Building is a beautiful monumental structure - ground breaking occurred in 1931 and staff moved into the uncompleted building in 1935 (completed in 1937). "Over the years, however, more records filled the building and even the courtyard expansion proved to be inadequate. By the late 1960s, the building reached its storage capacity of 900,000 cubic feet and the agency began renting large amounts of storage and administrative space. The 1993 completion of a second National Archives building in College Park, Maryland, added 1.8 million square feet to the National Archives, providing the nation with the most modern archives facility in the world. (Link above)". Two large-scale murals in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom at the National Archives Building in Washington D.C. depict fictional scenes of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution - Barry Faulkner painted the murals starting in 1933 and installed in 1936 (restored in 2001-2003). Dave :)

On June 15, 1215, in a field at Runnymede, King John affixed his seal to Magna Carta. Confronted by 40 rebellious barons, he consented to their demands in order to avert civil war. Just 10 weeks later, Pope Innocent III nullified the agreement, and England plunged into internal war. Although Magna Carta failed to resolve the conflict between King John and his barons, it was reissued several times after his death. On display at the National Archives, courtesy of David M. Rubenstein, is one of four surviving originals of the 1297 Magna Carta. This version was entered into the official Statute Rolls of England. (Source)

The National Archives Building, known informally as Archives I, is the original headquarters of the National Archives and Records Administration. The Rotunda entrance is on Constitution Avenue. A second larger facility, known as "Archives II" is located in College Park, Maryland. The National Archives building holds the original copies of the three main formative documents of the United States and its government: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These are displayed to the public in the main chamber of the National Archives, which is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. The building hosts additional important American historical items, including the Articles of Confederation, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Emancipation Proclamation, and collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American artifacts. (Source)
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