Landmark of the Month (March): The Lincoln Memorial (Part II)

If America is a melting pot, then the Lincoln Memorial is a good place to go to watch all those ingredients swirling around together. A trip to the steps of the Memorial will expose you to a variety of different cultures, more than any trip to Disneyland or Yosemite.

I sat on the steps one day for an hour, and saw all the colors of the rainbow in just a few moments.

I saw an African-American family posing for pictures underneath the statue of Lincoln.

I saw an elderly Muslim couple hobble up the steps and study the words of the Gettysburg Address.

I saw a lady from Liberia proudly posing with her son, a naturalized citizen and her grandson, a first-generation American citizen.

I saw Indians and Asians and Native Americans and Mexicans and numerous others, all on a Tuesday night.

Many people make a visit to the Memorial and don't know that there is a historical exhibit underneath the Memorial (along with a set of public bathrooms that are often overlooked!). Enter through a door to the left on the main staircase--it's a well-done exhibit that you don't want to miss.