National Mall

Thousands of people take part in a candlelight vigil on the National Mall in Washington D.C. September 12, 2001. (Photo: Reuters/Win McNamee/Newscom)

Candlelight Vigil on the Mall after 9/11

I remember this so vividly. I walked the length of the Mall, stood on the west front steps of the Capitol (which you can no longer do) and stared out onto a virtual sea of candles...

1903 Map of National Mall’s East End

Okay, it’s been a really long time since we posted anything. Life gets busy when you have Ghost Toddler and a new Ghost Baby. But, a few extra hours after an evening when they both went...
Third in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right (west to east) taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. The Mall area is covered with trees. The streets on the left perpendicular to the Mall are 12th Street and 11th Street. The long building on the right is Center Market bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue, 7th and 9th Streets, N.W. Up and behind Center Market on the right, the large building is the Pension Bureau Building bounded by F and G Streets, N.W., between 4th and 5th Streets, designed by General Montgomery C. Meigs, completed in 1887, later occupied by many government agencies and now known as the National Building Museum

Why Does the National Mall Look the Way It Does?

What do you think? Is Washington the most beautiful city in the world? I have to believe that I’m biased, but I do think it is certainly one of the most beautiful cities in the world....
proposed National Mall in early 1900s

What Was the Proposed National Mall in the Early 1900s?

Check out the drawing of a proposed National Mall, as viewed from the Capitol Building. This was in the early 1900s. Source: Library of Congress
view of Mall from Smithsonian

Beautiful Western View of Washington Monument From Smithsonian

What a beautiful view of the Mall from the Smithsonian. This was taken in the early 20th century. Source: Library of Congress
Proposed drawing for Independence Square, Washington Memorial and grounds from model. Drawing for Independence Square III

Proposed Second Mall East of Capitol

Check this out. It’s a proposed design for a second mall, east of the Capitol Building. Obviously, this was never built, but imagine how different things would be. The design below was done as part of...
the Mall

1930s Aerial View West of the National Mall

Here’s a cool aerial shot of the National Mall from the Capitol and Library of Congress to the Potomac. Source: Cornell University Library
1936 view of the Mall

1936 View of the National Mall

What a great photo from 1936. This shows the National Mall as viewed from the Capitol. Source: Cornell University Library

Cool Satellite View of National Mall

Here’s a really cool, not often seen, view of the National Mall. This was taken by the IKONOS satellite on March 30th, 2001. Source: Archive.org
Plan of the west end of the public appropriation in the city of Washington, called the Mall : as proposed to be arranged for the site of the university / to the Committee of the H. of R. of Congress, BHLatrobe, Surveyor of the City of Washington, Jan'y 1816.

Never Built: Proposed University on the National Mall in 1816

So this obviously never happened, but it’s a fascinating proposal for the National Mall, done in 1816. Can you imagine a university sitting where the Lincoln Memorial does today? Source: Library of Congress

Girls Baseball Game on the Mall

This is a shot of some ladies playing baseball on the Mall. Yes, baseball … not softball. The photo is dated October 10th, 1919. Source: Library of Congress
National Mall

National Mall Viewed from the Washington Monument

Here’s a cool shot of the National Mall, as viewed from the Washington Monument in 1936. Source: Cornell University

1963 March on Washington Plans Included Alcohol Ban

This is a long-overdue, and greatly anticipated, guest post by Aaron, who wrote one of our most popular pieces yet on the (almost) red Metro trains. As crowds celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on...
Washington DC proposed plan of public buildings. Copy of drawing.

Proposed Buildings on the Mall Near Capitol

The description on this image from Flickr says it’s a proposed plan for public buildings on the Mall near the Capitol. Source: Flickr user medicalmuseum
View of the Department of Agriculture, The Smithsonian Castle and the US Capitol taken from atop the Washington Monument

View of Tree-Covered Mall From Washington Monument

Look how different things were well over a hundred years ago. We dug this photo up on Flickr thanks to the DC Public Library. Source: DC Public Library
Main Navy and Munitions Buildings in 1942

“Temporary” Buildings on the Mall Seen From the Washington Monument

These are the “temporary” buildings on the Mall, erected in 1918 along Constitution Avenue (though still known as B St. then). The view is looking west from the Washington Monument in 1942, so it provides and...

More About That Mysterious Photo of the Capitol “Painted” Red

Yesterday Tom shared a somewhat jarring photo of the Capitol dome — colored red.  It wasn’t something we had seen before, dating roughly to the late 1950s.  Unfortunately, we just didn’t have much information. After a...

Beach Boys Play the National Mall: July 4th, 1980

Who doesn’t like the Beach Boys? This was a pretty big concert on the National Mall for the first July 4th celebration in the 80s. Did any of you attend this show? Related articles The Beach...
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