This journal features the White House, the U.S. Capitol, & other important structures, museums, & monuments along the National Mall.

The National Mall is usually the center of every visitor's trip to Washington. This narrow strip of tree-lined parkland stretches two and a half miles from the Potomac River at the west end, to the United States Capitol at the east end, with an adjoining jut for the White House complex north of the Washington Monument.

At the west end, the Lincoln Memorial sits majestically on a hillock overlooking the Reflecting Pool in front of it & the Potomac River behind it. The stunning view from the memorial includes the Washington Monument , Constitution Gardens (with the three war veteran memorials) straight ahead, the Capitol in the distance at the east end of the mall, the Tidal Basin on the right, and several bridges crossing the Potomac River behind it. In addition to showcasing Washington’s national monuments, the Mall is home to 10 museums and a number of galleries, including many Smithsonian Institution buildings.

Designed by Pierre L'Enfant in 1791, the Mall was to be the foremost avenue of the city, and was to be named "The Grand Avenue." His plan was to extend the mall westward from the Capitol building all the way south to the house of the president, where it would terminate with a splendid statue of George Washington on horseback. His blueprint for the Mall, however, was largely neglected during the 1800s, & not resurrected again until 1902, after the Union had been restored. One reason was The Civil War - the Mall grounds were used for troop parades & encampments, and even for the slaughter of livestock and production of armaments. Then in 1872, 14 acres of the Mall were given to the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad for the building of a train depot. They were also granted permission to lay tracks north to south across part of the Mall. The railroad station was eventually removed from the area in 1909.

Today, the National Mall is one of the most popular places in the city. Considered the ‘heart of democracy’, the Mall is the site of many protests and demonstrations, such as the March on Washington in 1963 and the Million Man March in 1995. Every year on Independence Day, the Capitol hosts a massive July 4th celebration, with free performances by national entertainers and one of the most intense fireworks shows in the world.

The best way to enjoy the Mall is to walk it, from one end to the other - it’s not that far. Many believe the best time to visit the monuments is at night when their beautiful white stone edifices are brilliantly floodlit and there are no noisy crowds to diminish their stately tranquility. It is at this time that the reflective nature of their design is evident. (We saw the Jefferson Memorial after dark; it was stunning.) They say early mornings are also beautiful and very peaceful, with sunrises reflecting color across the pools and the white stone of the memorials. You don't even have to tour anything to enjoy the Mall. Locals and tourists alike gather there to picnic, fly kites, play volleyball, read on park benches, walk dogs, and to jog among the monuments in Washington DC. It really is considered the heart of the nation, which never stops pulsing with life.