Historical and Genealogical Research

I traveled to Washington, D.C., with my brother to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama.

On the way from Atlanta on January 19:

We got up at 4am on January 20 and made it to the Franconia-Springfield Metro station about 6:30am. Virginia paid for free OmniRide bus service to train stations.

The trains were packed and most people were trying to get to L’Enfant Plaza or Metro Center. Rather than join the crowd, we got off at Foggy Bottom and walked down to the Lincoln Memorial. We arrived on the Mall shortly after official sunrise at 7:23am.

Walking to the National Mall in the morning:

On the Mall at daybreak (from the Lincoln Memorial):

Birds were everywhere:

Many people watched the sunrise from the Lincoln Memorial:

Sunday’s event at the Lincoln Memorial was played on the JumboTrons in the morning:

The crowd gathered:

Steady winds meant all the flags were flying:

National Park Service rangers handed out NPS buttons at the World War II Memorial:

I made sure to get a NPS button.

Now for the crowd pictures…

The view of Obama:

We were at the red dot:

More of the crowd:

Security was obvious but not overbearing:

Still more of the crowd…

The crowd dispersed:

Someone forgot their boot.