Intro Music: 30 seconds of dubstep - bensound Good afternoon and welcome to Best of Washington DC Podcast episode 1, brought to you by Mr. Kurtz s 8 th Grade Computer Literacy Class. I am your guide Mr. Kurtz coming to you from Miamisburg Middle School on this chilly December 15, 2016 morning. Today I want to tell you about four places you must visit when you go to our nation s capital. Washington DC has many attractions to see, but if you have never been before, you must be sure to visit the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Capitol Building, and the Smithsonian Institution Building, AKA The Castle. Lets start with my favorite place in DC, the Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial consists of a building, a statue of the former president, and several inscriptions. The Memorial was constructed next to the Potomac River from 1914 to 1922. The construction was delayed because of the US involvement in WWI. The final cost of the memorial was 3 million dollars, which would cost roughly 41 million dollars today. The memorial is modeled after a Greek temple, constructed mostly of various marbles and consists of 36 columns. Each column represents a state of the U.S. at the time of Lincoln s death. The building is 204 feet long, 134 feet wide, and 99 feet tall. The statue of President Lincoln sits in the middle of the building. Daniel Chester French designed the statue to represent Lincoln during the Civil War era. The statue stands 19 feet tall, is carved out of 28 blocks of white Georgia marble and weighs 175 tons. The statue is positioned so that Lincoln is overlooking the National Mall and the country that he fought to preserve and unite. Directly behind statue is a quote etched into the wall that says, "In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever." To the left of the statue is Lincoln s Gettysburg Address.
The entire speech is etched into the wall as it is one of the most famous speeches in US history. To the right of Lincoln is his Second Inaugural Address, which he gave just months before his death. The Lincoln Memorial is my favorite place in all of DC. At the top of the stairs as you look over the Reflecting Pool and the National Mall, it is a site that is unforgettable. Also at the top of the stairs is a plaque at the spot where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr gave his I have a dream speech. The Lincoln Memorial is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Transition Music: Happy Rock - Bensound
My second favorite place to visit is Arlington National Cemetery, which was established June 15, 1864. Plan to spend an entire morning and afternoon in the cemetery because there are so many things to see. There is the JFK gravesite that has the eternal flame, the Memorial Amphitheater, Arlington House, numerous monuments and memorials, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Arlington is the final resting place for over 400,000 veterans and their families. The cemetery sits on 624 acres with rolling green hills, hundred year old trees, monuments and memorials, and beautiful white marble headstones. While I love and appreciate all of Arlington National Cemetery, I especially love the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guard. The Tomb is a white marble sarcophagus that is placed above the grave of the Unknown Soldier of World War I. On the East panel, which faces DC, are three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and Valor. On the sides of the Tomb are six wreaths, three sculpted on each side, represent the six major campaigns of World War I. Inscribed on the back of the Tomb are the words: Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God West of the World War I Unknown are the crypts of unknowns from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Those three graves are marked with white marble slabs flush with the plaza. Each unknown soldier was selected from a group of four unknowns, and a ceremony proceeded each burial at the memorial.
While the Tomb is impressive and moving of itself, the men who protect it are even more impressive. The Tomb is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in all weather conditions. The Sentinels that guard the Tomb are best of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and are all volunteers. Each soldier must: Be in superb physical condition Possess an unblemished military record Be between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 4 inches tall, with a proportionate weight and build. The changing of the guard is an elaborate ritual. There is a relief commander, and relieving sentinel and the retiring sentinel that follower very detailed instructions. The guard is changed every hour on the hour October 1 to March 31 in an elaborate ritual. From April 1 through September 30, the guard is changed every half hour. It is an amazing site to see the pride and honor these guards have. I could sit and watch them all day. Transition Music: Happy Rock - Bensound
The third must see site in DC is the US Capitol Building. It is a working office building for our nation s government as well as a tourist attraction and a museum of American Art and history. The Capitol was designed by Dr William Thornton and construction began in 1793. The House of Representatives and the Senate use the Capitol as its meeting chambers to discuss national policies and create laws. The Capitol has gone through many renovations and expansions for two centuries. It has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended and restored. The Capitol is five floors and has over 600 rooms, 658 windows, 850 doorways, covers over 1.5 million square feet and has miles of corridors. The main attraction of the building is the dome that overlooks DC. Atop the dome is the Statue of Freedom, a bronze statue that stands 19 feet 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 15,000 pounds. Once inside the Capitol, there are many places open to the public. On the first floor, visitors can stroll through the Hall of Columns and the Brumidi Corridors, roam the Old Supreme Court Chamber, and enter the Crypt, which has 13 statues that represent the 13 colonies. The second floor houses The Chambers of the House of Representatives, located in the South wing, and the Senate in the north wing, along with several public attractions. The most impressive area is the Rotunda, a circular room that is 96 feet in diameter and 180 feet in height. It is located under the massive dome and used for ceremonial events and a gallery paintings and sculptures. The second floor also contains the National Statuary Hall, which houses part of the Capitol s collection of statues. The hall has undergone many changes and as a result, there is a unique echo effect that occurs. A person on one side of the hall can be heard more clearly than a person much closer. It is nicknamed the Whispering Hall because of this effect. There is also the Old Senate Chamber has been restored and acts as a museum.
The third and fourth floors, along with the basement house many offices, workshops and other support areas. To stand outside of the Capitol is breathtaking. It is an extremely massive and impressive structure. It truly symbolizes the American people and our government.
Closing Music: 30 seconds of dubstep - bensound I want to thank you for tuning in to the Best of DC podcast. I hope you have some understanding of places you may visit and you appreciate them that much more when you see them in person. Take in the beauty of the Lincoln Memorial and its views. Embrace the honor and pride in Arlington National Cemetery. Revel in the sheer size of the Capitol. I also want to give a special thanks to bensound.com for providing the music for the show. Enjoy DC