East Coast Trip: Arlington National Cemetery

10-11 September 1985
Washington DC / Arlington, Virginia

Our first day in DC was certainly filled with moving and emotional experiences. After we left the Petersen House where President Lincoln died following his assassination at Ford’s Theater, we headed to Arlington National Cemetery, located across the Potomac River in Virginia. Here is some un-sourced information from my photo album:

The cemetery is located upon a portion of the Arlington Estate. The land was purchased in 1778 by John Parke Custis, son of Martha Washington by her first marriage. He later joined the Continental Army and served as an aide to General Washington. Upon his death, two of his four children, George Washington Parke Custis and Eleanor were adopted by George Washington. It was George Washington Parke Custis who carried on the development of the vast Arlington Estate and directed the building of the Greek Revival residence known as the Custis-Lee Mansion [now Arlington House]. His daughter, Mary Ann Randolph Custis, married Lt Robert E. Lee in 1831 and the house was in their possession at the time the Civil War broke out. The property was then taken by the US government for military purposes. Although clear title to the land was not obtained until 1883, when George Washington Custis Lee sold Arlington Estate to the US government for $150,000, the establishment of Arlington Cemetery dates back to 1864.

Over the years, Arlington Cemetery has become a cherished shrine, commemorating the lives and services of members of the Armed Forces of the United States. The remains of the dead, both known and unknown, from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, lie here. The graves of two presidents — William Howard Taft and John Fitzgerald Kennedy — are also here.

Located on the grounds of Arlington Cemetery is the white marble Memorial Amphitheater. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located on the plaza of the Amphitheater.

Parking the car, we we boarded the shuttle for a tour of the grounds. The hop-on/hop-off shuttle was an easy way of visiting some of the better known sites in these hallowed grounds.

We started off at the Eternal Flame at the JFK gravesite (and stopped by Robert Kennedy’s resting place around the corner). Construction of the permanent memorial and gravesite began in September 1965. The remains of President Kennedy and two infants, both of whom had pre-deceased their father, were removed to this gravesite on March 14, 1967, and the site was blessed by Richard Cardinal Cushing the next day.

Next, we headed up to Arlington House, home of General Robert E. Lee. He once wrote to a cousin that at Arlington House “my affections and attachments are more strongly placed than at any other place in the world.”

Distant view of DC from Arlington House; the grave of Pierre Charles L’Enfant
… engineer, artist, soldier, and architect of the Capital City … (to my right).

Our visit continued with a stop at the Memorial Amphitheater, which was dedicated in 1920. “When we assumed the soldier we did not lay aside the citizen,” from then-General George Washington's June 26, 1775, letter to the Provincial Congress is inscribed inside the apse. "We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain," from President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is inscribed above the stage.

In the above left image is a glimpse of the Maine Memorial through the entrance to the Amphitheater. By Act of Congress on May 9, 1910, the mast of the USS Maine was removed from Havana Harbor, and brought to Arlington to honor those who lost their lives in that historic disaster. Directly north of the monument, in a plot known as the Maine Section, are the remains of 229 decedents of whom 167 are unknowns. The names of all who lost their lives on the ship are inscribed on the memorial.

Finally, we were privileged to observe the honor guard assisting a Moroccan military attaché in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Entombed here are the remains of an American soldier of World War I, a serviceman of World War II, and one from the Korean War … representatives of all who fell in these conflicts, their identities known but to God.

We’ve been to a great many places in our travels. Some, more than others, leave a distinct impression on us. Our visit to Arlington National Cemetery falls into the latter category.

Speaking of long lasting impressions — I remember watching, as a child, a movie that starred John Wayne … The Sands of Iwo Jima. It goes without saying that when I found out that the Marine Corps War Memorial, located just outside the cemetery, depicts the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima, I just had to see it. Watching the sun set as we gazed at the memorial was the perfect end to our day of sightseeing.

Not so perfect was the torrential downpour that started as we were heading back to Yenö’s apartment in DC. It was a short, but hairy drive that left us grateful that the McGhees were picking us up for our dinner date. Even in the dwindling rain, traffic was a mess, but Dwight negotiated it with ease and soon we were back in Arlington for dinner at the Windows on Washington at the Vantage Point Hotel. The clearing weather afforded a wonderful view of DC … the memorials and monuments, the Capitol, the buildings … all twinkling like jewels in the distance.

Dwight had arranged for David Busigo, another Petrolex client, to join us for dinner … a very nice surprise. We had a delightful evening … the food was delicious, the views were spectacular, and the company was first class. Both Dwight and David had entertaining and interesting stories to relate about life in DC — including how they happened to be in a limo on the 14th Street Bridge when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac in 1982. Never a dull moment.

East Coast Trip: Ford’s Theater

10-11 September 1985
Washington DC

After grabbing lunch at the Old Post Office Building, we topped off the parking meter with quarters and headed to our next stop — Ford’s Theater where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on 14 April 1865.  We arrived just in time to hear a Lincoln-look-alike narrate the events that led to that fateful evening.

As fans of President Lincoln, we found the visit to Ford’s Theater to be a moving experience.  After the presentation, we were given a chance to peek into the presidential box (now sealed with glass) where a single gun shot to the back of the head led to the president’s demise.

We also saw the actual flag that draped the box on the night of the assassination.  The tear created by Booth’s spur when he jumped out of the box and back onto the stage after he shot Lincoln was clearly evident.  Too bad Booth didn’t break his neck during the jump.  (He later claimed to have broken his leg during the jump, but there is some doubt as to the veracity of the statement.)

The tear from Booths spur is just to the left of the sign on the wall.

The emotional impact of a presidential assassination was compounded the next day when we visited the Petersen House.  After he was shot, Lincoln was rushed to this brick rowhouse, which is located across the street from the theater.  He was attended to by physicians — to no avail — and died here the next day.  It was here that Secretary of War Stanton uttered the now-famous words: “Now, he belongs to the ages.”

The blood-stained pillowcase is encased in plastic.

Following the shooting, Booth fled on horseback to southern Maryland, eventually making his way to a farm in rural northern Virginia 12 days later.  He was tracked down and shot there by a Union soldier who was acting against orders.  Eight others were tried and convicted, and four were hanged shortly thereafter.  Over the years, various authors have suggested that Booth escaped his pursuers and subsequently died many years later under a pseudonym.

East Coast Trip: Washington Monument

10-11 September 1985
Washington, DC

With parking at a premium in DC, we left the car parked near the White House and walked over to the Washington Monument.

Built at intervals between 1848 and 1885 with funds from public subscriptions and federal appropriations, the monument “memorializes George Washington’s achievements and unselfish devotion to principle and to country.” The hollow obelisk, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, is both the world’s tallest stone structure and the world’s tallest obelisk.

Glimpse of the monument from the National Mall (L) and from the Lincoln Memorial (R).
(If you look closely at the picture on the left, you can see the difference in the shade of
the marble used when construction resumed after a multi-year hiatus.)

After a short wait, a 70-second elevator ride whisked us to the top of the 555-foot (169 m) tall monument.  We’d been looking forward to a spectacular view of the city, but it wasn’t meant to be.  Instead, we made do with views that were veiled by haze.

Glimpse of the monument from the Jefferson Memorial.

Back on the ground, it was time to call Dwight McGhee, a Petrolex client, who wanted to take us to dinner, and also get some lunch.  We figured the Old Post Office Building would provide both a public phone as well as eatery options.  But first, we had to find a longer-term parking solution; no easy feat in downtown DC.  Not to worry.  Mui made use of the driving skills he’d acquired in Turkey, flipped a u-turn in the middle of downtown traffic, and slipped the car into a spot across the street from our destination.  I have to admit that I thought the long-arm-of-the-law was going to descend on us and haul Mui off to traffic jail to punish him for the illegal maneuver, but we survived unscathed.

East Coast Trip: Ron & Nancy’s House

10-11 September 1985
washington DC

Seeing as how we didn’t get to bed until 2:00a the night before, it’s no surprise that our sightseeing got off to a late start.  But before I start off on the places we visited during our two days in DC, a bit about the nation’s capital (from un-sourced notes in my photo album).

After nearly seven years of argument, the site George Washington finally selected for the nation’s “Federal Town” was originally little more than a mosquito-infested fen.  But out of it Pierre Charles L’Enfant and Benjamin Banneker forged a visionary city of monuments, broad avenues, and circles.

Planned on a magnificent scale, the city was slow to grow.  In the early 1800s, real estate development was sporadic, and the War of 1812 further impeded the growth of the city.  On August 24, 1814, British troops defeated the Americans at Bladensburg, Maryland, and put a torch to the President’s House, the partially finished Capitol, and all the public buildings except the Post and Patent Office.  As soon as the war ended, rebuilding the city began in earnest.

Washington DC had finally begun to grow … the active trade centers of Georgetown and Alexandria, the rapidly expanding railroad system, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal became arteries that delivered new blood to the city.  By 1860, the total population had climbed to about 75,000, but at the same time, the divisive force of the North-South had also gone to work.  Tension was such that when Lincoln appeared for his inauguration, the city was placed under virtual military occupation.

The White House ruins after the conflagration of August 24, 1814.
Watercolor by George Munger, displayed at the White House.

Once the smoke of the Civil War cleared, Washington resumed its growth.  The present shape of the city had already been established in 1846 by retrocession to Virginia of Arlington and a portion of Alexandria.  And although with each new presidential administration the city assumed a different air, the trend was clearly and increasingly global.

Today, the diversity that characterizes this city is perhaps best illustrated by its architectural variety; from Greek Revival museums, to Victorian houses, to Baroque churches.  Though L’Enfant did not live to see the city he designed reach maturity, his grave in Arlington National Cemetery overlooks the capital he wanted to be “magnificent enough to grace a nation.”

If there’s one thing that DC does not lack, it’s tourist attractions.  With limited time in the city, we deliberated where to go first and decided to see if we could tour the White House … see if Ron and Nancy were at home, so to speak.  Alas, they were entertaining foreign dignitaries and all tours were canceled for the day.

So onward we continued with the rest of our must see list.

East Coast Trip: National Cathedral

9 September 1985
Washington DC

Yenö was anxious to show us a bit of his beloved adopted-city.  There wasn’t much daylight left, so we went to see the National Cathedral, easy walking distance to the apartment.  Although construction, which had begun 78 years before was still ongoing, the cathedral was open for services and special events.  In fact, they were setting up for a classical music concert, so we were unable to go inside and had to be satisfied with seeing the grand edifice from the outside.

Here are some notes about the cathedral (not sourced, I’m afraid):

George Washington was the first to plan a “great church for national purposes in the capital city.”  In 1893, Congress granted a charter creating the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, and in 1907 the foundation stone was laid.  President Theodore Roosevelt was the speaker on that memorable occasion.

The official name of the cathedral is the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.  It is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese in Washington.  Since it seeks to serve the whole nation, offering its ministry on behalf of all churches, it is widely known as National Cathedral.

Built in the shape of a cross, the architecture of the cathedral is 14th Century Gothic.  It requires no structural steel; the flying buttresses balance the outward thrust of its Indiana limestone walls.  Philip Frohman was its prime architect, taking over the design in 1921, and working until his death in 1972.

The completed nave was dedicated in 1976.  Probably the last pure Gothic construction in the world is that of the west façade and the towers.  When completed, the cathedral will be the sixth largest in the world.  At 676 feet (206 m) above sea level, the top of the Gloria in Excelsis tower is the highest point in Washington.

The Garth Fountain
Praise God who giveth the water of life and hath received into everlasting life
Irene Sophie Dupont (1877-1961)

East Coast Trip: Onward to DC

9 September 1985

This was our day to drive from NYC to Washington DC.  We’d left our schedule flexible so that we could stop along the way if something or someplace caught our attention.  As it turns out, we didn’t dawdle much because the weather was pretty miserable and it drizzled most of the way down.  Still, we somehow managed to stretch the four-hour drive a bit, arriving in the nation’s capital early in the afternoon.  With the help of our AAA city map, we had no trouble finding Yenö’s apartment.

Yenö Vegh, a Hungarian friend of Mui’s father, had graciously invited us to stay with him when he heard that we would be in DC for a day or two.  We’d been given to understand that he was quite well off and that he had suitable guest accommodations in his Massachusetts Avenue apartment, located in the heart of “Embassy Row.”

Dear Yenö — he lived in a two-bedroom apartment, one of which he had converted into a den with a cot tucked into one corner.  The guest bedroom was, in fact, his own bedroom.  After a battle of wills — on Mui’s part, for us to check into a hotel; on Yenö’s part, for us to stay with him — we gave in.  Out of consideration for Yenö, however, we decided to cut our stay short so he wouldn’t have to sleep on the narrow, uncomfortable cot for more than a couple of nights.

Yenö’s apartment was like nothing else we’d seen before.  Every square inch of floor space was filled with knee-high stacks of magazines, newspapers, and books.  We felt like we were in a maze, stepping carefully as we walked around the apartment so as not to send one of the stacks tumbling for surely the rest would follow like dominoes.  Shelves and bookcases were filled to overflowing with written material in Hungarian and English … and perhaps a few other languages as well.  He later told us that he liked to while the days away by reading articles and clipping those that he felt were important.  It didn’t matter that some of them had been written 5, 10, or even 15 years ago.  He had an astonishing collection of memorabilia and we spent many hours later that night talking about them.

East Coast Trip: SLC to NYC

8 September 1985

First I started out with photo albums.  Then I progressed to trip-specific photo albums.  And then I progressed to trip-specific photo albums with trip journals.  I don’t think I did this for all of our trips, but I sure did it for this one.  And yes, I am going to take advantage of all those notes.  You bet I am!

We were so naive.  When we started planning our 2½-week trip, our itinerary stretched from Montreal, Canada in the north to Florida in the south.  I guess it all looked close enough on the map.  Luckily, we wised up quickly and rearranged our itinerary to cover Washington DC (including northern Virginia), and bits and pieces of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.

Let me start at the beginning … from when we boarded our Western Airlines flight from Salt Lake City to New York City.  Actually, let me go back a little earlier in the day to when Carol, a friend of ours, came by to pick us up from our place in Kaysville.  She didn’t find us patiently waiting by the door; she found us putting the last coat of stain on our redwood lawn furniture!  But fear not.  Our bags were already packed, and it took us just a few minutes to wrap up our project, change our clothes, and walk out the door.

We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare before our 6:45p departure.  Once we were aboard the plane, we found it only a quarter full, so we each took three seats to ourselves, hoping to catch a couple of winks before we landed at JFK around midnight.  No sooner were we wheels up that they started feeding us.  The food wasn’t half-bad considering it was airline food.  It was an uneventful flight with just a bit of turbulence as we crossed over Iowa.  A spectacular lightning show almost — but not quite — made up for the discomfort of the turbulence.

Thanks to tail winds, our flight landed at JFK 3¼ hours after it took off from SLC.  It took the aircraft another 15-20 minutes to reach the gate.  By the time we had collected our bags and called the car rental agency for pick-up it was long past midnight.  We were way too tired to drive any significant distance, so we decided to overnight at one of the airport hotels.

Boy can we pick ‘em or what!  After perusing our AAA guide, we settled on the Kennedy Airport Inn.  We figured that for $60/night it had to be a reasonably nice hotel, right?  WRONG!  The place was a dump!  And the dim light from the one lamp in the room didn’t help matters at all.  Or maybe it did.  Maybe we would have left running had we really been able to see what was hidden by the weak light.

After deliberating for a couple of minutes, we decided to stay the night … we were practically asleep on our feet, and sticky and irritable from the humidity.  We were simply in no shape to go looking for another hotel.  Keeping our travel clothes on, we covered the pillows with a couple of t-shirts and fell into bed.  It was instant lights out.

Our mood wasn’t much improved when we woke up the next morning.  The dreary weather outside the grimy windows made our room feel even more depressing and we couldn’t wait to get on the road.  By 9:30a, we were in our ‘85 Dodge Aries rental, putting as much distance between the hotel and ourselves as the heavy traffic would allow.

Hence we began the first leg of our vacation … onward to DC.