Most of Lafayette Park is fenced off and will likely stay this way until late January. However, you can still see signs of inauguration starting to take shape. The reviewing stands on Pennsylvania Avenue NW are being contructed as we speak.
This is typically the last public stop for the president on inauguration day. I doubt anything about this inauguration will be typical, but historically, the new president walks and/or rides the 1.2 miles from the Capitol where they are actually assume the office to the White House where they'll begin actual service.
These reviewing stands offer the final chance for people to view the new president before they officially get to work in the Oval Office.
The 40 Year Old Vigil: Patreon Preview
This week on Patreon:
What happens to a round-the-clock vigil when the park it inhabits is closed? I talked with Philipos, a 30 year (and going) participant in the longest running anti-war protest in the U.S. With Lafayette Park temporarily closed, the holders of the vigil must adapt.
How do we publicly grieve over the loss of life due to covid-19? I visited an ephemeral memorial in DC that honors the 200,000+ Americans who have died due to coronavirus. It’s both interactive and a statement piece with stark, plain visuals I convey as best I can through photography.
And later this week: Museums in DC are starting to reopen, but a new museum that transcends physical objects is opening for the first time ever in the heart of downtown DC.
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