Visiting the National Cathedral
A Day Away By Mike Steely
I was reminded recently while watching the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., of previous visits to that historic church. The building is a wonderful place to visit and holds some little-known secrets.
I was stationed in the nation’s capitol for my last two years in the Coast Guard and, while there, was assigned to many events including some duty at Arlington Cemetery, marching in the Nixon second inaugural parade, and carrying dispatches from the then Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters to the Treasury Department and the Pentagon. The most memorable of those assignments came at the funeral of former President Dwight Eisenhower.
I was assigned to the funeral and placed at one of the side doors. I held the door for members of the U. S. Senate to enter. I specifically remember the late Senator Ted Kennedy entering and his face held the thoughts of the loss of his brothers, former President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General R. F. Kennedy.
I had seen candidate Eisenhower in Kentucky at a campaign event years earlier when I was a child so the former president’s funeral was a bit more personal for me.
Years later my wife and I were visiting D. C. to meet with some old friends. We started the Capitol tour at Congressman John Duncan’s office where we chatted before his staff gave us the tour. While in the city we visited the National Cathedral and I showed my wife where I had held the door for the senators before we started to wander about the large building.
We were surprised to find that several nationally-known people were interred there including Helen Keller and her teacher and companion, Anne Sullivan Macy.
Among the other national figures interred at the cathedral are Tennessee’s Cordell Hull and former President Woodrow Wilson. We cherish our visit there and our glimpse of the crypts.
You can visit the National Cathedral and tour it at your own pace for $15 or take a guided tour for $20. The cathedral is located at 3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. You can pay the ticket machines at the lobby with cash or credit cards. There is a café and gift shop and there is never a charge for worship services or private prayer.
You may also contact the Washington National Cathedral by calling (202) 537-6200 or visit www.cathedral.org online.
