Places patricklongmire Wants to Go

A line of blue paint marks the route of the inaugural parade.

Part of a WWII submarine is lurking outside the Washington Navy Yard parking lot.

The elevator that makes it possible to fly American flags in bulk over the U.S. Capitol

One of the most influential presidents in U.S. history wanted only this plain, elegant monument as his lasting memorial.

The fountains of the U.S. Navy Memorial are annually salted with water from the Seven Seas as part of a nautical ritual.

A tiny monument to the unsuccessful attempt by Thomas Jefferson to place the prime meridian in Washington.

"Congress may voluntarily remain in session throughout the summer, in order that our Congressmen may be protected from the intolerable discomforts and dangers of the ordinary outdoor weather!”

One of the largest artillery pieces in the world sits in a Washington D.C. parking lot.

The span is crooked and made from two older recycled bridges.

The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.

These recently uncovered walls are all that's left of Washington, D.C's first defense contractor.

A little marble compass above George Washington's (empty) tomb in the Capitol marks where D.C.'s four quadrants intersect.

A three-story tower of books about Abraham Lincoln is one of the more unusual monuments to the president.

The remains of Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, serve as a tool to educate about conservation.

The only Civil War battle in Washington D.C. took place near this highest natural point in the city.

You could be standing at the site of one of D.C.'s most fatal tragedies and not even know it.

This stunning blue and gold room changed cities twice before becoming part of the Smithsonian.

The "lovely red Vega" of the legendary record-settling pilot.

Four bald cypress trees in Lafayette Square, across from the White House, mark the southern edge of a 100,000 year old cypress swamp.

The famous abolitionist’s preserved estate is one of Washington's finest monuments to its great Black citizens.

An atomic bomb-proof strongbox protects the U.S. Constitution from terrorists and thieves.

The actual model from the original "Star Trek" series is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum.

The house where John Wilkes Booth conspired with his co-conspirators.

The Byzantine, pre-Columbian, and medieval art at this stately mansion are some of the most under-appreciated collections in D.C.