Iwo Jima Memorial
Although popularly known as "Iwo Jima" since the statue depicts
one of the most famous incidents of World War II--the raising of the American
flag over Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima Island, Japan--the monument is officially
named the Marine Corps War Memorial. The memorial is dedicated to all Marines
who have given their lives in the defense of the United States since 1775.
Visit from The Virginian Suites with a short one-block stroll.
Arlington National Cemetery & JFK Memorial
Arlington Mansion and 200 acres of ground immediately surrounding it were
designated officially as a military cemetery June 15, 1864, by Secretary
of War Edwin M. Stanton. More than 260,000 people are buried at Arlington
Cemetery. Veterans from all the nation's wars are buried in the cemetery,
from the American Revolution through the Persian Gulf War and Somalia.
Many pre-Civil War dead were reinterred here after 1900.
The JFK Memorial eternal flame, located in Arlington National Cemetery,
was lit by Mrs. Kennedy. The Eternal Flame burns from the center of
a 5-foot circular flat-granite stone at the head of the grave. The
entire site, with a total of 3.2 acres, was set aside by the secretary
of the Army, with the approval of the secretary of defense, to honor
the memory of the president.
Fort Myer
With its main entrance adjacent to the Marine Corps War Memorial, Fort Myer's
historical significance far exceeds its popular renown. Fort Myer has been
a military post since the civil war and the home of Army chiefs of staff for
a century, and today is home for service members working throughout the Military
District of Washington and the National Capital Region. The acres encompassing
Fort Myer and Arlington National Cemetery were called Arlington Heights when
they were owned in the 1800s by the grandson of George Washington's wife, Martha.
It is a little known fact that the Wright Brothers tested the first military
aircraft on the grounds of Fort Myer. Georgetown
Georgetown was officially formed in 1751 when the Maryland Assembly authorized
the foundation of a town bordering the Potomac River. It was named George Town
in honor of King George II. Because of its access to the Potomac, Georgetown
soon had a commercial and industrial hub around the waterfront where flour
mills and wharves were constructed. As a result of its prosperity, Georgetown
gained a reputation as the fashionable quarter of the capital and was visited
by important people from all over the world. Georgetown was annexed to Washington
City in 1871 by Congress, and after a period of decline after the Civil War,
regained its international renown as a famous shopping, dining, and entertainment
destination. A half-mile away from The Virginian Suites via Historic Francis
Scott Key Bridge. The Pentagon
Directly across the Potomac River from the District of Columbia in Arlington
County, Virginia, is the building that has become a synonym for the Department
of Defense--the Pentagon. This enormous and busy structure had its origins
during World War II. The outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 placed tremendous
demands on the War Department and greatly increased its needs for office
space. By 1941 department personnel worked in at least seventeen different
buildings within Washington D.C. In October 1941 the President approved
plans and construction proceeded at a very rapid pace. Immediately after
the Pearl Harbor attack, a fourth floor was added to the plan, and later
a fifth. The Pentagon was built in record time and is considered to be
the largest office building in the world. Two stops from The Virginian
Suites on Metro's Blue Line.
The National Mall
The National Mall's origins are as old as the capital city itself. George
Washington commissioned Pierre L'Enfant to create open space and parklands
for the citizenry to gather and enjoy. The Mall has over the years since
become a center for national expressions of remembrance, observance and
protest. Two thousand American elms line the Mall and 3,000 Japanese cherry
trees grace the Tidal Basin. Gardens that are botanical showplaces display
thousands of tulips, pansies and annuals in over 170 flower beds, and 35
ornamental pools and fountains range from the simple to the sublime.
Stretching from the Lincoln Memorial grounds to the U.S. Capitol between
Independence and Constitution Avenues, the Mall encompasses all the
major memorials and the Washington Monument, as well as the grounds
of the White House. The Mall also is the home of the National Museum
of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, The Nation
Air & Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn
Museum, The Smithsonian, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and many
others. Six stops from The Virginian Suites on Metro's Orange
or Blue Line.
The Ballston Area
Ballston is a nearby attraction with lots of trendy restaurants and entertainment. The Ballston Common Mall is loaded with over 100 specialty stores, a multiplex movie theatre with state of the art Stadium seating. Located on top of the mall is a mega sized ice skating rink for your enjoyment!
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