The Washington Monument near the Virginia State Capitol was a gathering point during the Civil War. The South venerated Washington, of course, and felt he would have supported their cause if he was still alive.   There’s a lot of that still goes on today.  Famous figures are brought up and the question asked, “What would they say about this?”   And then someone is always ready to suggest an answer.

Doesn’t it take a little hubris to do something like that?  Anyway, I took this photo while waiting for a marathon to start a few years ago.   Washington and his horse have been frozen in time, running their race, for much longer.

http://www.civilwar-va.com/RichmondTours/CapitolSquare.html