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This One's for George

Submitted by jersu on February 20, 2006 - 5:23pm
Washington MonumentGeorge Washington is honored today. He is among the most important people in the creation of the United States. Not only did he lead the Continental Army to victory during the Revolutionary War, he also presided over the Philadelphia Convention that created the Constitution. And of course, he was our nation's first President. Last week, I identified places around the National Park Service that honor Abe Lincoln. Today, let's have a look at a few places we can honor Washington around the NPS.

Born in Virginia on February 22, 1732
During the Revolutionary War, the business of the new country was happening in Philadelphia, PA. It is here that Washington was appointed to command the Continental Army. It is also the site where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were created.
Take your car along the same routes that Washington rode on horse along the Potomac River. The watershed and natural scenery were first protected in 1932, the bicentennial of George Washington's birth.
FYI: You may know that George Washington lived his life at Mount Vernon, overlooking the scenic Potomac River. It is an excellent place to visit and learn about the life of George Washington, but, this is one historic site that is not operated by the Park Service. It has been run for the last 150 years by a private non-profit called the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.
Washington had visited and recommended Harpers Ferry as the site for a new federal armory and arsenal.
There is an interesting connection between George Washington and Arlington House, the home of Robert E. Lee for 30 years. Lee's father-in-law, George Washington Park Custis built the house, in-part, to be a memorial to his step-grandfather: George Washington. A visit to the museum behind the Arlington House explains this relationship a little more clearly.
And, to conclude our tour, just as with Lincoln, Washington has been memorialized in stone in our nation's capitol and in the rugged cliffs of western South Dakota.