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The Nation's Attic: 1919
Submitted by Dave on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 9:35pm.
Tags:
1919. "Air view, National Museum (Smithsonian)." They call the Smithsonian Institution the nation's attic, but if they made it the nation's basement instead, the first term could more suitably be applied to the top of the Washington Monument. Here we see two visitors peering from its portals. Harris & Ewing. View full size.
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Where Was the Photographer?
Submitted by Doug on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 4:26pm.
Any idea about from what vantage point this shot was taken? Balloon, blimp???
[Biplane. - Dave]
Fun fact.
Submitted by nauss on Tue, 03/03/2009 - 5:31pm.
The very tip of the monument is the largest piece of aluminum ever made up to that time. It was worth more than gold when it was smelted and put in place, if memory serves.
Cometh the Tax-man!
Submitted by C Kim on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 11:27pm.
What a great view of the Federal Triangle-to-be.
Growing up from the early 70's, my mom and I would pick my dad up at the IRS building a couple of times a week when he wasn't carpooling, taking the bus or later on, the Metro.
It always seemed to me that those huge stone buildings had been there for a hundred years. I just figured that because of the materials that they had to be really old!
It's been really eye-opening to see that less than a hundred years ago that there were very different buildings there.
Open and Shut
Submitted by Tom on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 10:00pm.
Two differences between then and now -- the windows at the observation level have been closed since the late 50's or early 60's, and aircraft warning lights were added above them.
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