Lincoln occupies the best spot of all monuments in Washington, DC. 

Unlike poor Jefferson or Roosevelt, Lincoln sits at the end of the enormous reflecting pool beneath the Washington Monument. To his back is the mighty Potomac, the river that fed the growth of a fledgling nation. To his front, is all of Washington, DC. He looks out over the Washington Monument and the National Mall, with the U.S. Capitol Building beyond. He sits amidst a Greek-style temple, with inscriptions of The Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address.

Walking up the steps, unabashed awe sets in as you rise to Lincoln’s level. He is commanding in his posture, sitting confidently. He drinks in the scene as flashbulbs cast eerie shadows on his face. This man shaped America in ways he could never have known, and yet somehow this gigantic pantheon seems at odds with Lincoln’s own humility.

Four score and seven years ago…