Star-Spangled Banner Byway
National Mall, MD

The National Mall was imagined by Pierre L’Enfant as part of the plans for Washington, DC. The Nation’s Capital has many memorials to the people who served and died in American wars, former Presidents, and other prominent Americans. Among the 2,000 American elms, the 3,000 Japanese cherry trees, the botanical gardens displaying varieties of flowers, and the 35 ornamental pools and fountains, the various monuments and memorials have become emblems of America. These symbols have also been a way to revere those who have fought for America’s freedoms. The Mall is an ideal forum for national expressions of grief, remembrance, and protest.

The Mall includes the Memorials of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Korean War, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and the Vietnam Veterans. In addition, President’s Park (White House), the Washington Monument, and the Smithsonian Museums are contained in the Mall. These images of America’s freedom and history have contributed to the site’s mass appeal. By combining the majesty of the numerous monuments and the varieties of trees and flowers, the National Mall has become one of the most visited and photographed places in the world.