West of Scott Circle, in a small park bound by Bataan Street and Massachusetts and Rhode Island Avenues, stands the monument to Daniel Webster – who may be the most famous orator Senator in U.S. history. Traffic teems on all sides of the monument but few remember him for more than being the protagonist of the short story “The Devil and Daniel Webster.”
At the eastern end of Freedom Plaza, at 13th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue, is the equestrian statue of General Casimir Pulaski. The statue is surrounded by stone benches and office workers can often be found lunching on them, under the nearby trees.
Standing in the shadow of the John A. Wilson Building (the municipal offices of Washington, D.C.) is the statue of Alexander Robey Shepherd. Although it is passed by hundreds of pedestrians and drivers daily, few realize the significance of the man whose legacy looms over the entire District.
In a triangular park on the east side of Scott Circle is one of the least known and most beautiful monuments in Washington. Bounded by Corregidor Street, Massachusetts Avenue, and Rhode Island Avenue, the bronze statue of Hahnemann – the progenitor of homeopathy – faces west toward the monuments to General Winfield Scott and Daniel Webster.
Most prominent among the statuary found around Washington are those of Civil War generals. Of the 18 grouped together by the National Register of Historic Places, half of them are equestrian statues. Only three of the non-equestrian statues are dedicated to a single individual. Not included on the list – but more than worthy of inclusion – is the African American Civil War Memorial that was completed 70 years after the last memorial was built.
Ten of the 18 monuments had dedication ceremonies that were attended by sitting presidents; three didn’t even have a ceremony. The first was dedicated in 1874 (nine years after the end of the war) and the last (before the African American Civil War Memorial was built) was dedicated in 1927. Read more for quick facts about these 19 monuments. Continue reading “Civil War Monuments”
In a small park at the intersection of Constitution and Virginia Avenues stands one of the early leaders of South American independence, José Gervasio Artigas Arnal. Crowned by a copse of trees and frequently flanked by tour buses, this 9-foot bronze statue is often overlooked despite the heavy traffic that swarms around it.
In the middle of a crescent-shaped park in South West D.C., a 30-foot granite sculpture of Martin Luther King, Jr. rises above its surroundings and peers south across the tidal basin. At all hours of the day visitors come to the park to pay their respects to the man who helped lead the civil rights movement of the 1960s and to learn why his legacy is so important to the United States.
Perched atop the dome of the Capitol stands one of the most misinterpreted statues in all of Washington D.C. Often confused for a Greek goddess or a Native American woman, the truth is, it is Freedom personified, although its design was inspired by both classical motifs and Native American culture.
On warm days, the park between Connecticut Avenue, M Street NW, and 18th Street NW is full of D.C. residents and tourists stopping for a rest beneath its trees. The neighborhood around it is filled with restaurants and bars, making it the perfect place for an outdoor lunch. In the middle sits the bronze statue of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, seated with a book in his left hand, chin resting on his right.
Thomas Circle sits on the intersections of 14th Street NW, M Street NW, Massachusetts Avenue, and Vermont Avenue. To the north are the trendier blocks of 14th Street, and to the south is the heart of downtown D.C. While Thomas Circle doesn’t define its neighborhood the way Du Pont Circle or Logan Circle do, it has its own personality. The National City Christian Church dominates the circle while the rest is ringed by businesses and hotels. Visit the rooftop bar of the Donovan hotel for an amazing view of the circle and the District.
