Grant took command of all the armies of the United States. One hundred and fifty years ago this spring, Ulysses S. Tour buses stop nearby, but everyone walks toward the Capitol - except groups that pose on the steps of the memorial because it offers an excellent spot to capture the Capitol as a backdrop. The memorial is a hike from the museums, Union Station or any Metro stop. ¶ Grant, huge as he is, is dwarfed by the Capitol and is flanked by lots with signs reading “Permit Parking Only.” The oceanic Capitol Reflecting Pool was built in 1971 as if to block Grant from charging onto the Mall. But at least these folks are surrounded by pedestrians and motorists. ¶ Washington is full of statues to Civil War heroes whose achievements have been largely forgotten. His horse is so passive-looking it appears to be waiting for someone to insert a quarter. He stares fixedly down the Mall toward Lincoln in his memorial. Grant is, appropriately, the calm man at the center of the storm. The memorial features one of the largest equestrian statues in the world, set on a platform 250 feet wide, with ancillary sculptures that are heaving with action and drama. ¶ Its location is actually spectacular, right at the foot of Capitol Hill, at the opening to the Mall. Grant Memorial is the Lost Monument of Washington.
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