Day 5 Summary

We headed to the Nation's Capitol today, Washington, DC, for a few days of exploration there. The mood of the group is fantastic and enthusiastic and ready for adventure and the weather couldn't have been better. It looks like we've left the rain behind for now. Stops today included:

• Montpelier - Home of President James and Dolley Madison. James, known as the father of the U.S. Constitution and author of the Bill of Rights and Dolley, a dynamic political partner called the estate home.
• Gunston Hall - Home of George Mason, a senior statesman and author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights who was among the first to call for such fundamental American liberties as religious toleration and freedom of the press.
• Washington Monument - Built to honor George Washington, the United States' first president, the 555-foot marble obelisk towers over Washington, D.C.
• National WWII Memorial - A stunning a national memorial dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. It consists of 56 pillars and a pair of small triumphal arches surrounding a plaza and fountain

Our route today followed a beautiful highway with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains:

Montpelier

Montpelier consists of 2,650 acres of rolling hills, spacious horse pastures, and spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We enjoyed walking the beautiful grounds and enjoying the morning of a beautiful day in such a significant location where our Constitution was conceived.

On the pathway to Montpelier mansion

Beautiful spring blossoms at Montpelier

Students gather in front of James and Dolley Madison's home

Blue Ridge Mountains captured behind students who are staring into the Sun for this shot

Family time at Montpelier

Las Tres Amigas (Courtney, Laura, Anne)

Ben reacts negatively upon hearing that the colonial dance routine he's been working on has been cut from the talent show

Students practice "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes"

"Jazz hands!"

Stone gazebo on the beautiful grounds of Montpelier. Amazingly, we were the only group at the site this morning other than a wine and cheese festival taking place a good distance from the house...we did not partake :-)

What are these strange colonial objects? Tools? Toys? I MUST know! (Laura)

Constitution of the United States? Good. Amazing First Lady and massively gorgeous estate? Better. Putting comfortable chairs in a gift shop? PRICELESS!! (Sam)

Gunston Hall 

Gunston Hall is a National Historic Landmark that was the home of George Mason. Sometimes called the forgotten founding father, Mason was a family man first and a statesman second. Mason was a leader of those who pressed for the addition of explicit States rights and individual rights to the U.S. Constitution as a balance to the increased federal powers, and did not sign the Constitution in part because it lacked such a statement. His efforts eventually succeeded in convincing the Federalists to add the first ten amendments of the Constitution. These amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were based on the earlier Virginia Declaration of Rights, which Mason had drafted in 1776. He home, constructed between 1755 and 1759, is an outstanding example of Georgian architecture.

We received a tour of the home which is currently undergoing some restoration

Gunston Hall - in progress...

Inside "The Hall"

Mmmmm, give me a couple of vegetables, a bone and some meat and this pot over a fire and I'll give you the best stew you've ever had, baby!!

Gunston Hall grounds with the mighty Potomac in the background

The girls have developed one of the most complex clapping/singing activity ever (Mary, Lucy, Lily, Savannah)

Video of the clappy/slappy/singy activity that has infected the group - even spreading to some of the boys:

The men re-enacting the Battle of Yorktown on Gunston's great lawn

Duck, duck, GOOSE!

More DDG

Video of the fun and some thoughts from the ladies:

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument was built to honor George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States. The structure was designed by Robert Mills, with construction beginning in 1848. Construction was halted from 1854 to 1877, due to the Know Nothing Party’s rise to control of the Washington National Monument Society through an illegal election, lack of funding and the Civil War. It was completed in 1884 by Thomas Casey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and an elevator was added to the monument in 1889, which shuttles tourists to the top of the monument to this day. A restoration project was carried out from 1998 to 2002, and from 2004-2005. The monument officially reopened on April 1, 2005 until August 22, 2011 when an earthquake damaged the granite and marble structure. On May 12, 2014, the monument reopened to the public.

We were able to ride the elevator up to the top of the monument and look through the windows to take in a beautiful and expansive view of Washington D.C. and the surrounding area. The students loved this visit.

That's a long way up! Note the change in color half way up, marking the pre- and post-Civil War  construction periods

Looking toward the Capitol Building from the base of the Washington Monument

Ladies waiting for the elevator trip to the top of the Washington Monument

If you look closely, you can see The White House in the background. Taken from the base of the Washington Monument

View from the top of the Washington Monument - Facing East - Capitol in the distant end of The Mall

Facing North - White House in distance

Facing East - Lots of very significant buildings everywhere

Facing West - Lincoln Memorial at end of Reflecting Pool and WWII Memorial in the foreground

Facing SW - Pentagon

Facing South - Jefferson Memorial, Reagan International Airport

Dynamic Boyce duo at the base of the Washington Monument

Marine One Helicopter (or similar) after taking off from the White House

Sitting on the Washington Monument

Helicopter circling again - kept landing at White House then taking off, circling, and landing again on the White House lawn

First Amendment - Peaceful Protest

Here's another bonbon. Students got to watch a peaceful protest pass by

WWII Memorial

In front of the WWII Memorial

Students were asked to copy down a favorite quote from the many that are engraved on the WWII Memorial

Represent!!

Andrew on the monument

Looking across the WWII Memorial fountain from the Pacific side to the Atlantic side

More quote hunting

A favorite quote of a number of the students

Ben and Colson doing their duty

You take my picture...I'll take yours. Turnabout is fair play, Mr. H.

Let's see, day in the Nation's Capital, check; top of Washington Monument, check; watching a peaceful anti-war protest march by, check; viewing the spectacular WWII Memorial, check; President's helicopter photobombing you picture, check...sounds like just another day in the life of a Carden E-Former grader.

Here's one without the distracting helicopter rotor-wash

VidCaps of this moment:

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

There is an amazing spirit about this place. The students were appropriately respectful.

On one of the benches that represents an individual life lost during the 9/11 attack on The Pentagon (Isabella, Emily, Anneliese, Kate, Madeleine)

Courtney and Laura in repose

Very active day full of D.C. energy. We'll be back soon.