The DC Traveler

If you have already toured the inside of the US Capitol Building, perhaps, now that the weather is starting to get a bit more bearable, it’s the perfect time to take an outside walking tour of the most recognizable landmarks in Washington, DC.
George Washington laid the Capitol’s cornerstone in 1793 and since it opened in 1800, it’s been the center of American power and government. 

The building needed to be partially rebuild after the British burned parts of Washington, DC in 1814.  In the 1850s, the Capitol building was expanded, with the massive dome top statue, Freedom being …read more

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Associate Conductor, Emil de Cou, conducts the National Symphony Orchestra for the annual Annual Labor Day Concert on the West lawn of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.

National Symphony Orchestra Labor Day concert West lawn of the US Capitol Building E. Capitol and First Streets, NW  Washington, DC   (map it)
Dates and Times – Sunday, August 31, 2008, 8:00 p.m. Gates open at 3:20 p.m.
Tickets – FREE , no tickets required, but all attendees are subject to a security search
Nearest Metro Subway Station – Capitol South – Blue and …read more

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The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial at the base of Capitol Hill sits between the Capitol Building and the Capitol Reflecting pool.  The memorial consists of three major statutes and is the largest equestrian statue in the country.

The first statue depicts General Grant calmly sitting on horseback, which was typical of him demeanor during the excitement of battle. He is surrounded by four oversized lions.   Bronze panels on the statute’s base depict infantry maneuvers.
The other two major statues are teams of mounted Union cavalry and artillery troops in full charge.
The cavalry group, shows seven riders charging into …read more

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For over 200 years, the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC has been the seat of American government and it’s open to the public for guided tours only.
The Capitol’s 500+ rooms serve both the House of Representatives and the Senate, plus staff.
On the third floor, when Congress is in session, visitors with passes can watch a couple minutes the proceedings where lawmaking, speech making, voting and typical partisan posturing occurs.

Afterwards, visit the Rotunda, with frescoed paintings of major events in American history, the Crypt, and the National Statuary Hall (rub the the shoes of Will Rogers for good luck). And …read more

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For years, DC visitors wishing to tour the U.S. Capitol Building have been forced to wait outdoors in at times, long lines during DC’s humid summers and cold, windy winters. Unfortunately, last week, the Washington Post reported that tourists will have to wait a bit longer for the new visitor center – at least until next summer.  The new Capitol Visitor Center’s opening has been delayed for over three years, plagued by delays.
In planning since 1998 and under construction since 2000, the three-level underground visitor center is the largest and most extensive renovation or construction project of the Capitol Building since the …read more

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