(Photo) Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Piece 1: Arlington Cemetery/Lincoln Memorial. Located in Arlington VA just across the Potomac River from Washington D.C. is Arlington National Cemetery, established in 1864 when the federal government confiscated property owned by the family of Confederate General Robert E. Lee over a tax issue.

The acreage was well suited for internments because of its high elevation, which made it resistant to grave-damaging floods.

Perhaps the most famous individual buried at Arlington is President John F. Kennedy. Positioned in Section 30, his gravesite measures 18 by 30 feet and is covered by granite stones. A short wall that encircles the site is inscribed with quotations from Kennedy’s inaugural address and other speeches. An eternal flame burns in the center of a large round stone at the head of the President’s grave.

The final resting place of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the President’s brother, is nearby.

Another heavily visited part of Arlington is The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located in the north central part of the cemetery at the Memorial Amphitheater.

Established in 1921, the Tomb was initially the grave of an unidentified World War l service member. Unknowns from subsequent wars were interred later.

The Tomb is constantly guarded by a select group of military sentinels, and that group changes every hour on the hour. We were really impressed with the precision of the “changing of the guard” process.

Also, the view of Washington D.C. from the high vantage point at the Tomb is extraordinary.

One last memorable experience for us at Arlington was seeing the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial in Section 46, very near the Memorial Amphitheater. The cremains of the seven shuttle passengers are interred under the marker, which features the names and faces of the entire crew.

Once we got back over the river into Washington D.C., we went to the Lincoln Memorial, completed in the early 1920’s under the supervision of architect Henry Bacon. The large exterior structure of the Memorial is made of Colorado marble and resembles the Parthenon of Ancient Greece.

The 19-foot tall statue of a seated Abraham Lincoln was created over four years from Georgia marble under the oversight of sculptor Daniel Chester French with assistance from the Piccirilli Brothers (a family of skilled marble cutters).

In front of the Memorial is a marker where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech in 1963. From this vantage point, we were able to gaze over the long rectangular reflecting pool toward the Washington Monument (shaped like an Egyptian obelisk), and view the war memorials surrounding the pool and the U.S. Capital Building in the distance.

Lots to explore in this area; wear good walking shoes.

Archie and Edith Bunker Chairs (Smithsonian)

Piece 2: Museums. Moving east along the National Mall (a long grassy swath that extends from the Potomac River to the U.S. Capitol Building) from the Lincoln Memorial, there is a concentration of wonderful museums just past the Washington Monument.

Our first stop was the National Museum of American History (NMAH), which is part of the Smithsonian Institute. Located along the Mall at the intersection of 14th Street and Constitution Avenue (NW), the museum opened in 1964 and contains several floors of exhibits reflecting the experience of the American people.

The highlight for us here was on the second level, where the original Star Spangled Banner Flag was being conserved in a climate controlled room. The flag flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, and when Francis Scott Key saw it still flying the morning after the Battle of Baltimore, he was inspired to write the poem that would ultimately become the national anthem of the United States.

We also enjoyed the area on the third level entitled “Thanks for the Memories: Music, Sports and Entertainment History”, where the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz are displayed. Also in this section, for television history buffs, are the living room chairs used by Archie and Edith Bunker in the sitcom “All in the Family”.

After leaving NMAH, we continued eastward along Constitution Avenue a couple of blocks to the National Archives. Preserved here within moisture and bullet proof encasements are the three documents known as the “Charters of Freedom” (the original U.S. Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights). A bit of a wait to get inside, but it was worth it.

The last museum we went to was the Smithsonian National Museum of Air and Space; a short walk across the Mall from the National Archives. Of all the exhibits here, we were probably most excited to see Charles Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis” airplane, in which he completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927.

Other highlights at the museum for me included the Wright Brothers “Wright Flyer” (which marked the beginning of the pioneer era of aviation) and John Glenn’s Mercury Space Capsule (“Friendship 7”), in which he completed the first manned orbital space flight in 1962.

There are several other museums to experience around the Mall; covering natural history, cultural history, and art (among other things).

Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street in Washington DC

Piece 3: The Metrorail/Ben’s Chili Bowl. Driving (and parking) in Washington D.C. can be challenging and stressful. We found that using the “M” or the Metrorail is an easy way to get around the area. Further, the system extends into Virginia and Maryland, so commuting into D.C. via the “M” is convenient.

Before we left town, we wanted to visit the original location of Ben’s Chili Bowl in the U Street Historic District of the capital city, so we rode the Metrorail up there. Fun experience; got one of the famed “half-smoke chili dogs” and some swag (t-shirts and a ball cap).

An adventurous (and delicious) way to end the trip.

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