Why is there three quarters of a wall here? In the event of a major flood, levee panels can be installed at this location to protect the buildings north of Constitution Avenue.
Constitution Gardens was built in part to commemorate the bicentennial of American independence, and this memorial on Signers Island honors the men who risked everything to sign the Declaration of Independence. Granite stones include facsimiles of their signatures, the location of their homes, and their occupations.Designer: EDAW, Inc.InscriptionsBridge, land sideA MEMORIAL TO THE 56 SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCEA GIFT FROMTHE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONBICENTENNIAL ADMN
David G. Farragut (1801-1870) was an officer in the US Navy during the American Civil War. He is renowned for liberating New Orleans and eventually securing Mobile Bay, a seaport in the Gulf of Mexico, for the United States.
Samuel Du Pont (1803-1865) helped plan naval operations for the United States Navy at the start of the American Civil War. He was given command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, the largest fleet ever commanded by a naval officer up to that time.
Over 200,000 African-American soldiers and sailors served in the US Army and Navy during the American Civil War. Their service helped to end the war and free over four million enslaved people. The African American Civil War Memorial honors their service and sacrifice.Memorial authorized 1992 (106 Stat. 2104), dedicated 1998InscriptionsStatue front base:CIVIL WAR TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND BEYONDTHIS MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO SERVED INTHE AFRICAN AMERICAN UNITS OF THE UNION
A double-scale replica of the famed Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the massive symbol is offered as a gift to the United States from The American Legion during the bicentennial commemoration.
Dedicated on October 5, 2014, the Memorial shines a light on the important lessons of courage, sacrifice, tenacity, loyalty and honor by bearing witness to the experiences of war heroes who were disabled as a result of military service. It is the first national memorial dedicated solely to disabled veterans, paying tribute to the hidden and visible disabilities from all conflicts and all branches of service.
The angled piece of granite at the entrance to the World War II Memorial reads: "Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln, one the eighteenth century father and the other the nineteenth century preserver of our nation, we honor those twentieth century Americans who took up the struggle during the second world war and made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us, a nation conceived in liberty and justice."InscriptionsGranite slab, entranceHE
Originally the U.S. National Museum, the Arts and Industries Building of the Smithsonian was one of the founding museum institutions in the nation’s history. A superb example of World’s Fair architecture of the early 1900s, the Arts and Industries Building has housed some of the nation’s most important historical artifacts.
The golden "Arts of Peace," statues that stand at the end of Potomac Parkway were sculpted by James Earle Fraser. "Aspiration and Literature" features Pegasus flanked by figures holding a bow and a book. These 17-foot tall bronze statues rest on granite pedestals with 36 bronze stars, which represent the States that belonged to the Union at the end of the Civil War.
The golden "Arts of Peace," statues that stand at the end of Potomac Parkway were sculpted by James Earle Fraser. The statue entitled "Music and Harvest" features the winged horse Pegasus between a male figure holding a sickle and a bundle of wheat, and a female holding a harp. "Aspiration and Literature" also features Pegasus, this time flanked by figures holding a bow and a book.
One of three entrances to the World War II Memorial, this "victory pavilion" houses a dramatic sculpture of bald eagles laying a laurel wreath, symbolizing victory. On the floor, find a depiction of the victory medal presented to each servicemember at the end of the war.InscriptionsEntrance floorWorld War II1941-1945Victory on LandVictory at SeaVictory in AirPool edgeNORTH AFRICABATTLE OF THE ATLANTICMURMANSK RUNTUNISIASOUTHERN EUROPESICILYSALERNOANZIOROMEPO VALLEYNORMANDYST.
Twelve "bas-relief" or shallow sculptures line the wall on the north side of the World War II Memorial's entrance. They illustrate the American expereince in the Atlantic theater of war, from the United States' Lend-Lease policy of providing aid to friendly countries before Pearl Harbor to the US Army meeting the Soviet Red Army at the Elbe River in Germany, an event that signaled the ending of the war in Europe. Inscriptionscorner pillar, side of bas reliefsWomen who stepped
Twelve "bas-relief" or shallow sculptures line the wall on the south side of the World War II Memorial entrance. They illustrate the American expereince in the Pacific theater of war, from the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor to the end of the war on V-J, or Victory in Japan, Day. Inscriptionscorner pillar, bas relief sideThey fought together as brother-in-arms. They died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation.Admiral Chester W. Nimitzcor
Home to the National Woman's Party for nearly 90 years, this building was the epicenter of the struggle for women's rights. From this house in the shadow of the US Capitol and Supreme Court, Alice Paul and the NWP developed innovative strategies and tactics to advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment and equality for women. President Barack Obama designated the national monument on April 12, 2016.InscriptionsDoorway, right sideResidence of Albert Gallatin, peace negotiator and
Benjamin Banneker Park honors an accomplished African American of the colonial era. Banneker's signature acomplishment was surveying the land that became the nation's capital, Washington, DC. Landscape architect Dan Kiley designed the park which opened in 1967.
Bernardo de Gálvez (1746-1786) was the governor of the Spanish province of Louisiana during the American Revolution and supporting the American colonies' fight for independence.
This memorial was erected by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, to honor Albert Pike's (1809-1891) influential role in the Masons. Pike was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and this is the only outdoor statue of a confederate in Washington, DC. As a result, the memorial stirred opposition since it was first planned.<br /><br />Sculptor: Gaetano Trentanove
Casimir Pulaski (1745-1799), a Polish soldier and commander, was recruited for the American Revolution, where he made his mark as a cavalry officer and came to be known as "The Father of American Cavalry." Pulaski was mortally wounded in battle at Savannah, Georgia.
John Marshall (1755-1835) was one of the most influential Supreme Court justices in the history of the court. Marshall wrote the landmark opinion in Marbury v. Madison which established the Supreme Court as having the power to review the legality of congression actions. Marshall also defined the boundaries of the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution and concluded that business monopolies were unconstitutional.
The Columbus Fountain features a statue of Christopher Columbus, a globe, and figures representing the old and new worlds. Columbus (1451-1506) was an Italian explorer who in 1492 sailed west in the Atlantic Ocean for the Spanish monarchy, opening the age of European exploration and colonization of the Americas.
John Barry (1745-1803), an Irish immigrant to the 13 colonies, served in the Continental Navy, attacking British shipping throughout the American Revolution. He was the first commissioned American naval officer, and the first flag officer.
Constitution Gardens was built to commemorate the bicentennial of American independence as well as to the document that established the United States' governement, as we know it today. <br />Inscriptions<br />Plaque, north of bridge<br />A MEMORIAL TO THE 56 SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE<br />A GIFT FROM<br />THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION<br />BICENTENNIAL ADMINISTRATION<br />1976<br />
In addition to its striking neoclassical design by architect John Russell Pope, Constitution Hall is noted for an important event that never occurred there. In 1939, Constitution Hall was at the center of a Civil Rights crisis when the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), an all-white organization of descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers, denied famous African-American opera singer Marian Anderson use of its concert hall.
A stone inscription near the entrance to the World War II Memorial noting the the year that the memorial was dedicated, 2004, the president in office, George W. Bush, the design architect of the memorial, Freidrich St. Florian, and the organization that built the memorial, the American Battle Monuments Commission. <br />Inscriptions<br />WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL<br />George W. Bush<br />President of the United States<br />Friedrich St. Florian<br />Design Architect<br />American Battle<br />Monuments Commission<br />2004<br />
This urn was carved from a piece of a memorial honoring the victims of the USS Maine explosion in Havana Harbor. The original memorial was destroyed in a hurricane. The refashioned urn was given to President Calvin Coolidge when he visited Cuba in 1928. The urn depicts two figures representing the United States and Cuba joining hands over a depiction of the USS Maine sinking.
Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was a lawyer and Whig party statesman who served as secretary of state for presidents John Tyler, William Henry Harrison, and Millard Fillmore. Previously he served as congressman first for New Hampshire, then congressman and senator for Massachusetts (1845-50). Webster's fame as an orator is captured in a stirring bas relief on the memorial's plinth.
Dedicated in 1956, the discus thrower was a gift from Italy to thank the United States for returning art that was looted by Nazis during World War II. The column on which the statue stands is from a Roman archeological site. The statue is a replica of the original Discobolus, a 5th-century Greek sculpture.
Built to honor the 499 District of Columbia residents who gave their lives in service in World War I, the DC War Memorial was dedicated in 1931 in a ceremony that included President Hoover and a performance by a band led by John Philip Sousa. The memorial and grounds were restored in 2010. Along the base of the memorial, the names of the men and women from the District of Columbia who gave their lives in the World War are inscribed.
Hahnemann (1755-1843) was a German doctor who pioneered the field of homeopathy. Based on the idea that "like cures like," homeopathy used various substances derived from poisonous plants that generated symptoms similar to diseases. The theory was that by producing the effect in the body, these substances would help cure the actual diseases themselves. The field was largely eclipsed by germ theory.Sculptor: Charles NiehausInscriptionsBelow the statueSIMILIA / SIMILIBUS / CURE
Located at the intersection of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire Avenues in Northwest Washington, DC, Dupont Circle has served as the anchor of a neighborhood of diplomats, government officials, war commemorations, and the LGB community for over 200 years.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States and the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II . During his presidency, "Ike" worked to contain the spread of Communism around the globe, developed the interstate highway system, and famously used the military to enforce the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. The memorial reflects Eisenhower's leadership roles as general and as president. On the right side of the mem
Dwight Eisenhower returned to Abilene on June 22, 1945 to a parade welcoming him home and honoring his leadership in Europe during World War II. After watching the celebration, his grateful acceptance of the recognition began with the above quote. He went on to say that this parade was not just for him; he was only a "symbol" of the soldiers, sailors and airmen who helped bring Allied victory.
On the right side of the memorial core, Eisenhower as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force during World War II is commemorated by a bronze heroic-sized statue with sculptures of his soldiers inspired by the famous photograph with the 101st Airborne Division before their jump into France. Behind the sculptures is a bas relief depicting the Normandy landings on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
On the left side of the memorial core, the bronze heroic-sized statue of Eisenhower as 34th President of the United States places him at the center of the White House Oval Office flanked by sculptures of civilian and military advisors, symbolizing the balance Eisenhower struck between conflicting demands of national security and peaceful progress. The bas-relief global background depicts a map of the world symbolizing Eisenhower's role as a world statesman and preeminent inte
Under the design direction of architect Frank Gehry, artist Tomas Osinski has created a stainless-steel tapestry for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial. The tapestry depicts the Pointe du Hoc promontory of France’s Normandy coastline during peacetime and serves as a symbol of the peace Eisenhower sought and won as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II and maintained and nurtured as 34th president. Although the artistic feature draws inspiration from historic tapestry.
On a pedestal at the northwest plaza entrance, a life-size sculpture of Eisenhower as a young man depicts the trajectory of his life as the quintessential American story. Inscribed in stone nearby is an excerpt from Eisenhower's Abilene Homecoming Speech on June 22, 1945.
Originally a whites-only, segregated public golf course, the course was desegregated completely in 1941 by Secretary of Interior Harold Ickes after three black men - Asa Williams, George Williams, and Cecil R. Shamwell - insisted on playing a round on the course, which they did under police guard. The act opened the door for the full integration of all national park facilities in 1945. The course remains a popular public course, open year-round.
Hains Point is named for the US Army Corps of Engineers' Peter Conover Hains, the engineer who designed the Tidal Basin. Here, the Potomac River, Washington Channel, and Anacostia River all converge.
Although its features have changed over time, this mini-golf course, built in 1931, is the oldest continuously-operated miniature golf course in the United States.
The East Potomac Tennis Center offers tennis court rentals and lessons on indoor and outdoor, clay and hard surfact courts. For more information visit http://www.eastpotomactennis.com/east-potomac-tennis-courts.htm
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) was born in Ireland and was a member of the British parliament between 1765 and 1780. He is best remembered as a staunch advocate of conservatism. In the run up to the American Revolution, he was a proponent of preventing violence in the American colonies, sympathizing with the colonists' grievances and opposing the authoritarianism King George III showed.
