The National Mall, Washington, D.C.

The National Mall * Washington, D.C. * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Mall
In the heart of D.C. connecting the Capital building, Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial is a green open-are National Park and recreational strip called “The National Mall”. It was originally conceived by Peter Charles L’Enfant during the construction of Washington D.C. in 1791. Because of its size and width, open expanse – its often the site for many protests and rallies. Most popular rallies in the area were the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedoms, a massive rally for African-American civil rights, at which Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In 1969 it was home to the largest officially recorded rally known as the Vietnam War Moratorium. In 2004 the Nation of Islam leader Min Louis Farrakhan was the Million Man March. In 2007 tens of thousands of Iraq War protesters converged here as well. This green strip also serves as a popular spot for picnics, walks, jogs, and kite flying. Each year several events are held here including 4th of July celebrations. In July and August there are annual Screen on the Green movie festivals. Rating: 5 stars out of 5. Visited 2007 and 2008.

National Monument viewed from the National Mall on 5/20/2008