Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PENN QUARTER
Like other urban downtown areas, Washington's city center is filled with
shops, hotels, restaurants, and theaters for every taste. Yet downtown Wash-
ington borders Pennsylvania Avenue - often called “America's main street.”
This is the direct route between the White House and the Capitol, and is
therefore rich in historic associations. Presidential inauguration parades
sweep down the avenue every four years; citizens protest here; President
Lincoln was shot and died nearby. Washington's importance to world cul-
ture is reflected in the ease with which local restaurants and stores cater to
an international clientele. The area draws visitors to the attractions of Chin-
atown, the Verizon Center, and the feeling of being at the center of the polit-
ical world.
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1. FORD'S THEATRE
John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln in a balcony box here on April 14, 1865 -
a tragic event that has made
Ford's Theatre
one of America's best-known historical
sites. A museum contains Booth's .44 caliber Derringer pistol and other objects and
information giving insights into Lincoln and the assassination plot. The restored
building also houses theater productions. Directly across 10th Street is Petersen
House, where Lincoln died after being carried from the theater.
511 10th St, NW •
Open 9am-5pm daily • 202 347 4833 • Dis. access • Free
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2. VERIZON CENTER
While the
Verizon Center
is principally a sports arena, it has also become an unoffi-
cial community center. It draws crowds night after night with college and profession-
al sports events, big-name concerts, circuses, figure skating performances, and other
events.
601 F St, NW • Dis. access
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