Pages

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Capitol building

Last weekend we drove up to D.C. to spend some time with friends and enjoy being back in the area we first called home together. It was a wonderful weekend despite the rainy weather. On Saturday, Maggie took us to the Capitol where she gives tours as part of her work. I've seen the Capitol before, but I loved the tour she gave us! We learned all the intricacies about where famous people walked and sat and she showed us ghost cat prints and bloody stairs where someone was shot. There were also tons of gorgeous paintings. The following two are in the rotunda:
This painting circles the inside of the rotunda and depicts important moments in this country's history. This particular piece shows the beginning (the personification of America and then Christopher Columbus founding "America"), which starts at about the middle to right of this picture. The left of the picture to the middle shows Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight in Kittyhawk.
This painting on the ceiling shows a ton of stuff that I don't remember the meaning of. I know George Washington sits on the inner circle surrounded by 13 ladies (maybe for the colonies?) and lots of other good stuff that Maggie explained to us but I forgot...It is really impressive though and the rotunda in general is breathtaking.
This final picture shows where the Supreme Court sat from 1810-1860 including their original desks and chairs.
Basically, if you haven't gone to spend time in D.C. in awhile (especially those of you who live there!), you should go out and enjoy the sights. I've seen them tons of times, but every time you go you learn something new!

7 comments:

Patty said...

The best tour of the Capitol I ever had was with Maggie!

Anonymous said...

We've been trying to go into DC and enjoy it a bit more before the weather turns totally chilly. It's so easy to forget it's a hop, skip, and a jump away!

LA-jan said...

Thanks for the tour- we missed that on our visit!

jennie said...

great pictures! it definitely was an awesome tour!

Dorothy said...

I'd like one of those tours with Maggie!

Elizabeth said...

i can't wait to take a tour sometime! it looks beautiful!

maggie said...

katie, i'm so impressed with all that you remembered! well done!! i loved taking you all around and having a captive audience to listen to my history ramblings :) if your family wants a tour, just tell them to email me!