The National Mall and Washington Monument

The National Mall and Washington Monument

I visited DC twice during the window for this assignment, once with a friend and once with my dad. Since my first trip was at night and we didn't get much good footage of the Washington Monument (I think you can hear us in the video ripping on the lighting), I went back a second time during the day and took a wider look around the Mall.

Rose Stewart (featuring my father, Phil, and my friend, Isabella)

https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/monument-grounds-washington-dc/

https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/national-mall-development-washington-dc/

1938 (Washington Monument)

1939 (National Mall)

9/29/19

10/10/19

Three photos, two of me at the Washington Monument at night, and another of me and my father on the National Mall with the Monument in the background during the day

A short video of me (featuring my friend's voice) at the Washington Monument, forgetting everything I had planned to say.

The fact that the monuments and layout of the Mall have more or less been able to stay the same over centuries has always been incredible to me. Photographs of these things isolated could probably be from any period in time, the only giveaway is really how the humans in them look. Even in video, I think the only real sign of modern presence is electric lights. One of my favorite memories from living in DC was staking out a spot at the base of the Monument to watch fireworks on the 4th of July, and thinking about how many years people have probably been doing exactly that. In the 1930s, I can see why wanting to restore all these historical sites would have meant a lot for helping to renew a sense of patriotism.