Few destinations 

possess the power of 

place conveyed by the 

National Mall and 

Memorial Parks. From 

the steps of the U.S. 

Capitol to the Reflecting 

Pool of West Potomac Park, 

visitors sense the enduring legacy of presidents and 

celebrate the nation’s assurance of freedom and equality. 

Cared for by the National Park Service, the remarkable 

memorials and sweeping landscapes of the nation’s 

capital reflect the soul of our national identity and serve 

as the symbolic heart of the nation.

Experience the

Nation’s Capital

The Washington Monu-

ment was built in honor of 

George Washington, who 

led the country to indepen-

dence and took his oath of 

office as first U.S. president 

on April 30, 1789. The 

Monument was completed 

on December 6, 1884.

For the trust reposed in 

me I will return the 

courage and the 

devotion that befit the 

time. I can do no less.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

First Inaugural Address,

March 4, 1933

I was summoned by my 

Country, whose voice I 

can never hear but with 

veneration and love.

—George Washington

First Inaugural Address

April 30, 1789

Monumental Leadership Legacy of Liberty

Four score and seven years ago 

our fathers brought forth, on 

this continent, a new nation, 

conceived in Liberty, and 

dedicated to the proposition 

that all men are created equal.

—Abraham Lincoln

Gettysburg Address

November 19, 1863

A Home with History

... I pray Heaven to bestow 

the best of Blessings on 

this House and all that 

shall hereafter inhabit 

it. May none but honest 

and wise Men ever rule 

under this roof.

—John Adams

President’s House

November 2, 1800

The White House has served 

as home for the nation’s first 

families and as the office 

and residence of U.S. presi-

dents since it was first occu-

pied by John and Abigail Ad-

ams in 1800. Over time the 

White House has been the 

site of many family gather-

ings, including birthday par-

ties, holiday dinners, and 

Easter Egg Rolls.The presi-

dent’s family shared the sec-

ond floor of the White 

House with the president’s 

National Park Service

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA T M

The First Family

In 1969 Lady Bird Johnson 

created a children’s garden 

at the White House. With 

Barack Obama’s presidency 

in 2009, children’s voices are 

heard once again in the his-

toric home and gardens of 

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

staff until President Theo-

dore Roosevelt ordered the 

construction of a temporary 

building, which allowed 

more space for the president 

and his aides as well as the 

six growing and lively 

Roosevelt children. Today 

that building is called the 

West Wing. In 1901 Theo-

dore Roosevelt officially 

named the historic home the 

White House, now a symbol 

of democracy recognized 

worldwide. 

Chief Justice Charles Evans 

Hughes administers the 

oath of office to Franklin 

Delano Roosevelt on the 

east portico of the U.S. 

Capitol, January 20, 1941.

Where History Happens

NPS/THOMAS PARADIS

NPS/THOMAS PARADIS

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

PHOTO COURTESY OF OBAMA FOR AMERICA

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The Lincoln Memorial stands as an 

enduring symbol of freedom and a 

tribute to the 16th president of the 

United States—the Great Emancipator 

and preserver of the nation during 

the Civil War. For decades the Lincoln 

Memorial has been an inspirational 

place for important speeches, concerts, 

and national celebrations such as the 

Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s 

birthday on February 12, 2009. This 

commemorative ribbon was made for 

Abraham Lincoln’s Centennial birthday 

celebration on February 12, 1909.

NPS/RICK LEWIS

NPS

Abigail Adams

As wife of the first vice president, 

Abigail Adams helped with official 

entertaining. When John Adams 

became the second U.S. president, 

she continued to hold formal din-

ners and receptions even though 

the President’s House was still under 

construction in November of 1800. PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Background: Aerial view of U.S. Capitol and National Mall.

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Capital Region
Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Ford's Theatre National Historic Site

George Washington Memorial Parkway

	 • Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial

	 • Clara Barton National Historic Site

	 • Glen Echo Park

	 • Great Falls Park

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

Manassas National Battlefield Park

Monocacy National Battlefield

National Capital Parks - East

	 • Anacostia Park

	 • Fort Washington Park

	 • Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

	 • Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens

	 • Greenbelt Park

	 • Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm

	 • Piscataway Park

	 • Sewall-Belmont House National Historic Site

National Mall and Memorial Parks

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

President’s Park (White House)

Prince William Forest Park

Rock Creek Park

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

Exceptional People and Places Your Passport to the National Parks

Administered by the National Park Service, 

the National Capital Region Parks include 

much more than monuments and 

memorials that celebrate, honor, and 

demonstrate the nation’s commitment to 

democracy. Extending beyond the 

National Mall are additional tributes to our 

heritage that range from historic homes 

and peaceful parkways to national scenic 

trails and national battlefields.

It is not what we 

have that will 

make us a great 

nation; it is the 

way in which 

we use it.

—Theodore Roosevelt

Dakota Territory

July 4, 1886

Discoveries in Every Direction

Prince William

Forest Park

Harpers Ferry NHP

Chesapeake & 

Ohio Canal NHP

Catoctin

Mountain Park

Monocacy NB

Manassas NBP

Additional national parks throughout the 

area offer opportunities to experience the 

nation’s heritage. Visit www.nps.gov for di-

rections, podcasts, and more information.

Frederick Douglass

National Historic Site

This late 19th-century 

home preserves the legacy 

of the nation’s leading Af-

rican American spokesper-

son. Known as the father of

the civil rights movement,

Frederick Douglass helped 

shape the nation as an

abolitionist, publisher, and 

social reformer. Douglass 

also served as an advisor to 

presidents, including Abra-

ham Lincoln.

Mary McLeod Bethune 

Council House This 1870s 

home was the first head-

quarters of the National

Council of Negro Women, 

founded by Bethune. 

From here, Bethune and 

the Council developed 

strategies and programs 

that advanced African 

American women and the 

Black community. Bethune 

influenced Roosevelt’s New 

Deal Government from 1936 

to 1945.

Clara Barton National His-

toric Site Built in 1891, 

this structure first stored 

American Red Cross sup-

plies. By 1897 it became 

the organization’s head-

quarters and the home of

its founder, Clara Barton. 

Although women could not 

vote at that time, Barton’s 

influence extended to the 

White House. Her invitation 

to attend Lincoln’s 1865 in-

augural ball is displayed on-

site.

National Park Service National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

National Capital Region

Theodore Roosevelt Island

The only memorial to the 26th president 

of the United States in the nation’s capital 

is a small island in the Potomac River. An 

architectural memorial and the restored 

natural landscape surrounding it together 

form a living tribute to the man known as 

the “Great Conservationist.” Theodore 

Roosevelt was the first president to make 

conservation of America’s natural resourc-

es a centerpiece of his domestic policy.

5801 Oxford Road, Glen Echo, Maryland 

1411 W Street SE, Washington D.C .

1318 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington D.C. .

Visit these websites for 

further information: • Help protect our national

treasures by volunteering at 

a national park. Visit

www.nps.gov and www.

volunteer.gov/gov, or 

contact any national park to 

get started. • National parks work in

partnerships with their local 

community neighbors.

Learn how you can 

participate at www.nps.gov/

gettinginvolved or contact 

any national park.

Record your national park visits here with passport cancella-

tion stamps that name each site and the date of your visit. 

Recording your visits to different NPS sites will help you re-

call the many memories you have made and the destinations 

you discovered. The National Park Service Passport is pro-

duced by Eastern National.

• The National Park

Foundation strengthens the 

connections between the 

American people and their 

national parks by raising 

private funds, making 

strategic grants, creating 

innovative partnerships and 

increasing public awareness. 

Visit www.nationalparks.

org.

• Educational materials

are available through the 

National Park Service and its 

partners. Find out more at 

www.nps.gov/learn.

Where History Happens

NPS/DAN SEALY NPS NPS

NPS

NPS

NPS/BRAD WALDRON

NPS

NPS

NPS

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

PORTRAIT/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

West to Arlington

Many also enjoy a visit to Arlington National 

Cemetery and the grave of John F. Kennedy,

35th president of the United States. 

Administered by the Department of the 

Army, Arlington Cemetery rests on a verdant 

terrace below Arlington House, the Robert E. 

Lee Memorial, part of the National Park 

System. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis,

who brought a special interest in the arts to 

her role as First Lady, is buried at his side.

Explore the Heart of Our Heritage

NPS