American Landscapes and Monuments

Famous American Landmarks and Monuments, including more Scenic Nature Photography soon, this is featured in my ‘Travel America’ project, other projects ‘on the simmer’ are: Travel Ireland, Travel Italy, Travel France, Travel Australia since I’m Australian, can hardly ‘skip’ my own Nation… Although being intrigued by the vastness of America, have chosen it as my first project at WordPress.. a little on the ‘major’ sights, but I will endeavour to add to it of course 🙂

Just click on any image to view larger size:

Capitol Building

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco America

The Golden Gate Bridge was built in 1937 to connect the city of San Francisco to Marin County across the Golden Gate Strait.

The total length of the bridge is 1.7 miles (8,981 ft or 2,737 m). The length of the suspension spans, including main span and side spans, is 1.2 miles (6,450 ft or 1,966 m).

The bridge is 220 feet above the strait, with the top of the tower at 746 feet above the water.

Lincoln Memorial

Mount Rushmore

Chosen because it’s the tallest mountain in the area at 5,725 feet above sea level. It also faces southeast, which meant that the work would receive sunlight for most of the day.

Mount Rushmore is also made up of smooth granite. This durable rock is especially good for sculpting, because it erodes at a rate of only one inch every 10,000 years.

Rather than simply carving “famous people” into Mount Rushmore, Borglum thought the sculpture should have a patriotic, national focus. His idea was to carve the likenesses of four presidents who best represented the first 150 years of United States history.

Borglum chose George Washington because, as the first president, he represents the birth of America. Jefferson, who was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase, promoted the expansion of the nation. Lincoln, through his guidance through the Civil War, symbolizes the preservation of the country. Roosevelt, who encouraged construction of the Panama Canal, embodies the development of America.

– Read the full story at: ‘Wonderopolis’

The Smithsonian

The Smithsonian Institution is the largest museum in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian Institution consists of several museums including: the National Museum of Natural History; the National Air and Space Museum; the National Museum of American Art; and, the National Museum of African Art. Collectively called the Smithsonian Institution, the world-renowned museum and research complex consists of 15 separate museums and the National Zoo in Washington, DC. From the origins of man at the Natural History Museum to the future of space… – Read the Full Story:

Statue of Liberty

Close Up of Statue-of-Liberty Face and Torch

The Statue of Liberty is probably one of the most recognizable structures in the entire world, a “new colossus,” as it was called when it was built, intended to be a shining beacon of welcome and promise for weary travelers entering New York Harbor. Thanks to the fact that there is no copyright on the statue’s image, her noble visage has also been used to peddle everything from tax preparation services to key chains.

But while you might be familiar with the statue’s public persona, how much do you know about the history of Lady Liberty and the island she stands on? Read on to learn some of the statue’s secrets, and visit Liberty Island yourself..

The inspiration
Although it is not known for certain, many historians believe that sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi used his mother’s face as a model for Lady Liberty’s. The fabric-draped body, on the other hand, is said by some to have been fashioned with his wife’s figure in mind.

A thin-skinned lady
The copper skin of the statue is as thin as two pennies put together—3/32 of an inch—but it weighs 62,000 pounds. The stresses caused by that enormous weight is absorbed by the pedestal, which is made of concrete clad in granite quarried in Connecticut (solid granite was just too expensive). Read the Full Story.

Washington, DC

Washington Monument