Civil War (1860-1865) A scene from Edison's film of President McKinley's funeral procession down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1901 MPEG Format (15.7 MB) Help With Video Credits The Army of the Potomac Paraded Down Pennsylvania Avenue May 23, 1865 Pennsylvania Avenue, America's "Main Street," was one of the earliest streets constructed in the federal city. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson considered the avenue an important feature of the new capital city. At first, this "Grand Avenue" was just a dirt road that Jefferson had planted with rows of fast-growing poplar trees. That stretch of the avenue between the White House and the Capitol has served the country well as a ceremonial heart of the nation. What other things have happened on Pennsylvania Avenue? page 2 of 3 Library Of Congress | Legal Notices | Privacy | Site Map | Contact Us VIDEO CREDIT: Edison, A. Thomas. “President McKinley’s Funeral Cortege at Washington D.C.,” 1901. Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress. Call Number LC 2158.