“The Main Street of America” once looked more like a main street, with shops, libraries and grand markets; now Pennsylvania Avenue is lined with office towers, government buildings and even an embassy. Thomas Jefferson was the first to have an inaugural parade on that route and since that time, the main street, which appears on both the L’Enfant and Ellicott plans of the city as the connection between the White House and the Capitol, has been used as a path for countless celebrations, protests and funerals.

Click here for a map of historical spots along Pennsylvania Avenue.