[1946 HOME MOVIE TRIP TO WASHINGTON DC, MOUNT VERNON & GETTYSBURG]

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1946

Description: This silent home movie was shot by an amateur filmmaker, and shows a visit to Washington, D.C. and Gettysburg circa 1946. It includes views of iconic structures in D.C. It opens with marble pillars of the Memorial Amphitheater and continues as the family traverses the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, the National Mall, DAR complex and Mount Vernon. The family also tours Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg National Park. It features vintage aircraft and automobiles including the ever popular DC-3 and Ford Deluxe. Tourists walk immaculately maintained grounds in 1940’s style dress; high trousers, trim suits, pinched fedoras and skirts with long hemlines. 0:00 Uniformed sailors approach the Memorial Amphitheater (:11) in Arlington National Cemetery. The family passes through stadium seats (:31). Interior footage captures decorative urns (:39), the stage of the theater (:43) and box seats (:50). Armed guards protect the tomb of the Unknown Solider installed in 1921 containing the unidentified remains of a WWI soldier (1:18). Distant shots sweep the amphitheater’s courtyard and exterior (1:28). The Capital’s north lawn fountain (2:10) and National Archives building housing the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Bill of Rights follow (2:23). Russell Pope designed it with 53 foot columns. Shots run down Constitution Ave. near the IRS Building at the Federal Triangle on the corner of 12th street (236). James Renwick designed the Smithsonian Institute (2:50) in 1855 from red sandstone in Romanesque Revival. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History; founded in 1910 (3:09), the National Gallery of Art (3:42), Lincoln Memorial (3:54) and Washington Monument (4:23) follow. The US Marine Corps War Memorial stands in front of the Old Navy Building off Constitution Ave. (4:35). Memorial Continental Hall (4:56) in the DAR complex is of the oldest buildings within the complex. It was completed in 1910. The Pan American Union building (512), the east front side (6:11) and Senate Wing of the Capital (6:53) follow. Vintage cars fill a lot (7:40) including the 1939 DeSoto Custom S-6 Touring Sedan (7:46). The USS Potomac; FDR’s presidential yacht, appears docked in the Washington Navy Yard (8:10). They drive (9:15) to the National Naval Medical Center (9:30). Footage of the Washington National Cathedral showcase it’s Gothic style comprised of pointed arches, spires (10:59) and flying buttresses (11:20). They tour the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial at the base of Capital Hill (11:27), the Library of Congress (12:05), Supreme Court Building (12:20), White House (13:30), Peterson House (14:34) and British (15:25) and Japanese Embassies. The Washington Monument (17:25), Arlington Mansion (17:34), American Institute of Pharmacy Building (18:04), Alexandria Christ Church (18:38) and Potomac Overlook follow (19:28). They explore Mount Vernon (20:05); George Washington’s residence on the banks of the Potomac. The Texas Gate (20:36) was built in 1899 in tribute of the 100th anniversary of Washington’s death. Footage highlights it’s Palladian style (20:55-21:13). George and Martha’s tombs (22:11) and the wharf where travelers by boat might arrive (22:34) follow. A 1940 Ford Deluxe (25:21) precedes Douglas DC-3’s (25:36) of Eastern Airlines ‘Great Silver Fleet’ (25:49). Shots of Gettysburg (26:39) feature the Alabama State Monument (26:54), General Governor K. Warren’s statue (27:10), the 8th Pennsylvania Calvary Monument (28:15), Old Oak Ridge Tower (28:42), General George Gordon Meade’s Statue (28:46), Abraham Brian Farmhouse (29:16), the Lincoln Gettysburg Address Memorial (29:49), the Monument to the 4th NY Artillery Division (30:08), 1st Vermont Brigade Statue (30:27), the Pennsylvania State Memorial on Cemetery Ridge (30:37) and its bronze sculpture of Nike; the Goddess of Victory and Peace cast from civil war cannons (31:15). The finale features the family posing together at home (31:54).

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOVrrcl9OWs

Metadata Source:YouTube