Pennsylvania Avenue is probably best known for the address that's home to the president, number 1600; but the street also extends into the heart of urban life, revealing the patchwork of the American experience. Divided into two sections by the Capitol: Northwest and Southeast; contrasts and symmetry are observed.

 

Essayist Henry Allen describes it this way: "The Southeast end is the sort of America that tourists come from. The Northwest end is where tourists go to. One avenue, many paradoxes, many echoes."