The Supreme Court, Union Station & National Post Office Museum

Another early start to our day. We took the green line Metro train and then red line to Judiciary Square stop in Washington, D.C. There we walked past the Capitol Building. This is quite the hill to walk up, thus, “Capitol Hill?”

United States Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. 05/24

Behind the Capitol, from our direction, is the United States Supreme Court. We saw a short line of people off to the side and went over to inquire. It was the line to go inside for a self-guided tour. Great. Guard said no food, drinks, or water. We thought it was like other places and you couldn’t have them out of your backpack.

Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. 05/24

There is even a sign in the planter next to him that said to please not empty your water bottle on the plants. HA We waited a few minutes and then told to go inside. At the security check a guard said you can’t have food, even unopened packaged and no water in bottles. We had to leave and go back outside. I was confused: we have snacks for the day and water, because, you know, you are suppose to drink water especially on these hot humid days. Why were we suppose to throw it all away? (Hang on for the rest of the story!) I really wanted to see the courtroom and Kevin wanted to, too. So we decided I would stay outside with the backpack (with the snacks and water) and he would go through the tour. Then we would switch. After an hour, he came out and I went in. The tour boards and displays gave tremendous information on the history of the court and how it works. Very easy to understand.

Spiral Staircase in Supreme Court, It Is Closed, Washington, D.C. 05/24

Kevin wasn’t able to see the courtroom; you have to wait for a lecture. I saw I was close to the time of the lecture (11:30 a.m.) so I went to the visitor information desk, gestured for a paper and pen and wrote out that I am deaf, I can’t hear the lecture, but I want to just look inside the courtroom and then leave. Was that possible? I was afraid the group would go in, sit down, listen to the 1/2 hour lecture with locked doors and then be ushered out a different way. Being deaf, and Kevin not being able to be with me to interpret the highlights, I didn’t want to just sit there and waste time. The volunteer wrote that she would ask a guard for “headphones for the deaf” for me to use. HAHA Thanks, but I can’t hear, I am deaf, not hard of hearing. Then she said yes, I could go into the courtroom and look, sit in the back, and then leave. I took the paper up to the second floor and showed the guard. He didn’t understand, I guess, and walked me over to an office. Turns out that is the Marshall’s office! Two ladies walked over to me and one, Jo, started signing American Sign Language. Hurrah! She wants to be a disabilities lawyer. It was wonderful to chat with her using ASL. She walked me over to the courtroom, where people had just walked in, and I was able to stand in the back and look around. Then I said I am done. HA The rest of the story: as I was walking through the main hallway, with the security point at one end and guards all around all the sides, I saw two school teens carrying French fries from the cafe here. I couldn’t believe it! They wouldn’t let us have food and water stored away in our backpack but they allowed these girls to walk around with French fries. I was NOT laughing!

Washington Union Station, Washington, D.C. 05/24

From there we walked to Union Station. For one week, this was the largest train station, and then NYC finished theirs. HAHA (Kevin heard that from other RVers) The building is grand with a half circle ceiling that is like inside the tunnels of the trains. Amtrak runs through here and the area to get tickets and wait looks just like an airport. You can also get on Metro trains, buses, and some tours start here. We were hungry and found Shake Shack just inside. This was our first time eating their food and it was very delicious. Fun to sit and watch the people in the station. We then walked over to where our monuments tour will be and got the information for where to meet on Friday.

Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, Washington, D.C. 05/24

Outside we walked across the street to Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. Free. The museum is in the historic City Post Office Building and was built in 1914. It was used from that time through 1986. There is 35,000 sq ft of exhibits to see. 🙂 The building is 100,000 sq ft. The decor reflects “the presence and stature of the Federal government.”  Another sign said, “People come to this building to buy stamps, mail letters, pick up tax forms, and apply for passports. They once even did their banking here!”  Before the 1830s, post offices were located in hotel basements, print shops, taverns, and even postmasters’ houses.

This place has a great section telling all about stamps. I didn’t realize that stamps were made on the old printing presses, one layer of color at a time. I should have realized this but it just never entered my mind. 

Inverted Jenny Stamp, National Postal Museum, Washington, D.C. 05/24

The “Inverted Jenny” is a stamp that was printed wrong. It shows a blue airplane upside down and was on the 24-cent airmail stamp. It was 1918 and only one sheet of 100 inverted airplane stamps was sold. A single stamp has sold at auction for $2 million dollars! 

Hope Diamond Wrapper? National Postal Museum, Washington, D.C. 05/24

Can you believe – the Hope Diamond was mailed in this wrapper?!

Delayed A Bit! HA National Postal Museum, Washington, D.C. 05/24

The mail with get through! Even after a plane crash in Salt Lake City, Utah! Just delayed a bit. HA

This place is extra fun because Kevin’s dad was a post master for a very small town. The post master’s office in this building is “nothing like Dad had!” HAHA Kevin bought the book he remembers from his childhood, The 7 Little Postmen. So cute. 

NOTE: I should mention more about the Metro system. The bus cost is $2.00 from where you get on to wherever you get off. Change buses, another $2.00. The train is a charge based on distance. So when you first go to get on a train, you swipe your app or card as you enter the train station. Then when you get off, you swipe going out of the station and it charges for the distance. From the train station near our campground to Archives Station, for example, which is the stop on the north side of the Mall, it is $4.25 one way. Parking down there is very expensive and a lot of places say on their website there is no parking. The Circulator, the bus that goes around the Washington Mall and some monuments is $1.00 with your app or card or $2.00 cash. That is good for 2 hours. If you have any questions about this, let me know.