Day 48 The Naval Academy pt 1

Annapolis Naval Academy is freaking amazing. We took the earliest walking tour this morning (9:30) and did not leave till 2pm. There's so much to see and so much history - it's overwhelming. Jack, our guide, took us all over campus. We started at the Olympic pool where Michael Phelps once practiced. - little surprise, he holds all the pool records. Athletics is very important to the Academy especially when they play Army. The school focuses on academics, sports, and military. During the Civil War, the school was moved and the facility was used for a base and a hospital - most of it was destroyed and neglected. When the Naval Academy returned, they rebuilt a lot. One building was like a giant quonset hut. This was an all purpose structure that was used over the years as a cafeteria, gym, dance hall and even a skating rink. (Pic 1) Bancroft Hall is the largest stone building in the US. (Pic 2) It houses the midshipmen and a magnificent ballroom. Engraved on one wall are all the names of graduates, who have lost their lives in combat. On another wall, they record all Naval Medal of Honor recipients. These two areas are very sacred to the Academy. The massive ballroom is a work of art. (Pic 3) The non-denominational church was the last thing on the tour. They hold 2 different religious services each Sunday and it's also used for funerals. One row is reserved for the "missing" Naval graduates. It is marked with a fresh bouquet of flowers - no one can sit there. (Pic 4) Since I can only do 4 pictures, I'll continue this in part 2.