The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, also referred to as the Tomb of the Unknowns is a monument erected as a dedication to US service members who lost their lives and could not be identified by their remains. Located in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, the monument overlooks Washington DC from atop a hill.

The monument is constructed of a white marble sarcophagus and has three Greek statues sculpted into it that each represent a different virtue: peace, victory, and valor. Also, there are six wreaths that represent the six major campaigns of World War I and an inscription that states: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God” as Congress allowed an unidentified soldier to be buried there in the early 1920’s.

Later on, three other soldiers were also buried in the same tomb, from WWII, The Vietnam War,  and the Korean War. However, the Unknown of Vietnam was only a part of the memorial for a short time as DNA testing advances allowed scientists to identify the remains as belonging to Michael Joseph Blassie during an exhumation in 1988. Regardless, the Vietnam Unknown Soldier monument remains empty and the inscription now reads: “Honoring and Keeping Faith with America’s Missing Servicemen, 1958-1975.”

Another thing to note about this memorial is that it is guarded 24/7 by Tomb Guards who protect the monument rain or shine. These guards serve the section of the infantry known as “The Old Guard,” which is the oldest unit in the army and has been serving the United States since the 1700’s. It is an incredible honor to become a Tomb Guard as they work 24 hour shifts and live beneath the monument in the guards quarters when they are not working. There is also an important ceremony that happens called the Changing of the Guard, during which the acting Tomb Guard marches forward 21 steps and alternates facing north and east. The guard then places his weapon on his shoulder to signify the protection of the monument from threat.

If you are interested in witnessing the beauty of this incredible dedication to American loyalty and servitude, join us on March 27-30th as we visit Washington DC, and all that it has to offer. To learn more about this trip, click here. 

Maybe you've heard about the hype through friends, or maybe you've seen a post on Facebook. Either way, it seems like everyone is talking about "murder mystery dinner parties," so what are they? And why should you go?

Luckily, no one is really being murdered at these parties, at least not in real life that is. A mystery dinner is a type of dinner theater, where the play is more interactive and immersive than a typical performance. In fact, many of the locations that host these mystery dinners forego the stage and opt for having the actors sit down with the diners and behave normally, which only adds to the façade. 

Now the fun part comes when dinner is over and the diners become involved in the classic whodunnit style mystery, wherein the viewers are a part of the solution. The diners come together to play characters and forward the plot. The main difference with one of these performances is the audience participation that is involved. Typically, diners will interrogate suspects and put clues together to solve the mystery themselves. 

Do you think this sounds like fun? Well we just so happen to stop by at the Victorian Mount Hope Mansion for a theatrical interactive dining experience. According to their website, here's what the night entails: Meet and mingle with intriguing guests to the Mansion and be sure to take note as they visit guests table side while they dine. After enjoying a four-course meal and tastes of the mystery that is thick in the air, everyone will assemble in the Mansion's Theater Room for a time of interrogation, hilarity and the answer to the question on everyone's mind!