The Professor went to meetings today so I explored the Corcoran Museum

and walked past the White House alone.  Even though there

is no one you know is in the pictures, I hope you will enjoy them.  

In 1983-84 the Professor worked at the office of the US Trade Representative in the Old Executive Office Building. The Professor worked across the street in in the Winder Building.  The ghost lore is that on a quiet night you can
still here Abraham Lincoln pacing the floor waiting for a telegram from the latest battle in the Civil War.  The Winder Building used to be the post office in those days.

Over the years, various myths have grown up around the Civil War history of the Winder Building. Some of these myths were enshrined on the historical marker that was placed on the building in 1950. According to one legend, Lincoln was fond of visiting the Winder Building to read telegraphs carrying war news from the front. However, historic evidence indicates that the Telegraph Office was located in the old War Department building across the street (site of the present-day Eisenhower Executive Office Building), and that the Winder Building did not have any military telegraph wires connected to it. It is also unlikely that Lincoln reviewed military parades from the building’s wrought-iron balcony. 

Next time I am in the area, I will have to look for the historical marker.



The last time that we were in Washington, the Old Executive Office Building or the Eisenhower Executive Office Building was having a face lift.  I definitely approve of what has been done to it.  The building and grounds are beautiful.  

I arrived at the Corcoran Museum several minutes before the museum opened.  I took the opportunity to walk to the "backyard" of the White House.  

I had not been there long when police came to ask everyone to leave the sidewalk and the fence rail.  I have no idea what was going on in the President's backyard, but the street in front of the Corcoran was blocked off.

This photograph of the Washington Monument was taken from the "back" of the White House.

You can see the Washington Monument behind the White House and through the trees.  This shot is from the other side of the building.  August 24th, was the 200th anniversary of the British burning the White House during the War of 1812.

This park across from the White House is Lafayette's Square.  It is part of the White House grounds known as the President's Park. I did not get a picture of the statue of Lafayette because the sun was behind him so he was deep within a shadow.  The one out of 5 statues that I took is of Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau. 

Because of its location across from the White House, it is often the scene of protesters.  When I was there Chinese people were protesting against the selling of human organs in China.  

The Corcoran Museum of Art.  It is closing its doors on September 28th.  The artwork will be distributed to various museums including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.  

This is the other lion by the doorway.  He looks a little too much like a lion to draw many admirers.  Online almost all of the pictures are of the sad lion.