Home > Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C.
Pennsylvania Avenue and the Capitol seen from the Old Post Office buildingPennsylvania Avenue is an important street in the United States capital, Washington, D.C.. The street runs for seven miles inside Washington, but the stretch from the White House to the United States Capitol building is considered the most important as effectively the 'heart' of the city. It continues on the other side of the Capitol for many miles, over the Anacostia River and well into Prince George's County, Maryland. Similarly the street continues northwest past the White House ending in Georgetown. Called "America's Main Street," it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches and civilian protests.
Abraham Lincoln's funeral cortege solemnly proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1865, and only weeks later the end of the American Civil War was celebrated when the Army of the Potomac paraded more joyously down the street. Following the lead of Thomas Jefferson, incoming presidents traditionally walk or ride down the avenue from the Capitol to the White House after taking the oath of office.
1 Security measures
After the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, the Secret Service closed the portion of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House to vehicular traffic. Pedestrian traffic, however, was still permitted. After the September 11, 2001 attacksThe attacks of September 11, 2001 were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. Nineteen members of the al-Qaida militant Islamist group hijacked four aircraft. They crashed two into the two towers of the this policy was made permanent. Near the White House traffic is redirected to H Street or Constitution Avenue both of which eventually link back with Pennsylvania Avenue.
2 External link
Washington, DC
