Hey tourists, here's the skinny on Washington's monuments
Does the White House need a sign in front of it that says 鈥淲hite House鈥�? Would a 鈥�Washington Monument鈥� billboard help tourists identify that tall stone pencil? Are visitors to D.C. so confused that they can鈥檛 find iconic memorials even if they鈥檙e standing in front of them?
Yes. More on that in a second.
First, the news: A federal arts panel in February voted down a National Park Service proposal to add small stone labels to Washington鈥檚 major memorials. The labels were ugly, would clutter the National Mall, and were unnecessary, said the US Commission of Fine Arts. The Park Service pushed for the signs because its research shows that many people from out of town don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e looking at.
Decoder sides with the Park Service on this one. We鈥檝e lost count of how many times someone on the street has asked us, 鈥淲here is the White House?鈥� Since our office is a block from Pennsylvania Avenue, most of the time we just point.
We鈥檝e been asked if that building next to the White House is where lawmakers meet. (No. They have this place called the 鈥淐apitol.鈥�) We鈥檝e been asked if anyone lives at the White House. We鈥檝e been asked if the Pentagon is really a pentagon. We鈥檝e been asked if you can walk to Mount Rushmore from here or if it鈥檚 better to take the Metro.
Just kidding on that last one.
So with the sign idea nixed, Decoder has put together a clip-and-save guide to the monuments.
Lincoln Memorial. It鈥檚 a big white square thing way down by the river over there. Take a cab.
Washington Monument. See that tall spike? That鈥檚 it. Don鈥檛 bother.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It鈥檚 this black slash in the ground. Follow the Scout groups.
Jefferson Memorial. Too far. Nobody鈥檚 ever been there. Round, I think. Watch out for geese.
White House. Right here. You鈥檙e looking at it.
