Washington, D.C. has 574 locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The White House, Lincoln Memorial and Korean War Memorial are all well-known examples. Here are some of the many buildings, statues and memorials that do not get printed in tourist books:
Emancipation Memorial
There are 18 memorials dedicated to the Civil War in D.C.. Most depict grand generals on horseback, clapped in bronze, gazing over your dreary morning commute with the same intensity as they might a battlefield. This isn’t one of those memorials. The Emancipation Memorial in Capitol Hill depicts Abraham Lincoln clutching the Emancipation Proclamation in his right hand and outstretching his left.
The proclamation rests on a pillar with a Union Shield and George Washington depicted on it. This probably represents the belief that the emancipation of blacks was necessary in keeping the ideals of the United States. The memorial has attracted some controversy, however, because many believe that the image of a freed black slave kneeling to Lincoln, a white man, depicts a racist view.
Titanic Memorial
One of the most famous scenes in the film Titanic is when Kate Winslet outstretches her arms across the bow of the doomed vessel. The Titanic memorial in Southeast depicts an unknown male clad in granite with his arms outstretched much like Winslet in the film. The memorial is dedicated to the men who perished to save women and children who would otherwise have died.
The inscription, which starts on the front and continues on the back, is quite moving:
“TO THE BRAVE MEN WHO PERISHED IN THE WRECK OF THE TITANIC APRIL 15 1912 THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT WOMEN AND CHILDREN MIGHT BE SAVED ERECTED BY THE WOMEN OF AMERICA TO THE YOUNG AND THE OLD THE RICH AND THE POOR THE IGNORANT AND THE LEARNED ALL WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES NOBLY TO SAVE WOMEN AND CHILDREN”
Cuban Friendship Urn
The Cuban Friendship Urn is dedicated to the American Sailors and Marines who died on the USS Maine when it sunk in Havana Harbor in 1898. The memorial also celebrates what were, at the time, strong bonds between the U.S. and Cuba.
The marble column resided in the Cuban capitol until 1926, when it was toppled and damaged by a hurricane. It was repaired and relocated to DC, but disappeared during the Cold War and was eventually discovered languishing in a warehouse in 1992 and in dire need of repair. The monument now resides in Southeast.
General Jose de San Martin Memorial
Equestrian statues are a popular way of memorializing people. They are difficult to differentiate from one another, and most commemorate a leader in one of America’s many wars. What makes this memorial different is that commemorates a general from another country. General Jose de San Martin was an Argentine who led both that country and Peru to independence from the Spanish empire. He is one of Argentina’s founding fathers and is claimed to represent “The American ideal of democracy, justice, and peace.” The statue in Northwest was a gift to the United States and a replica of a statue in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Adams Memorial
The Adams Memorial in Northwest looks like it could be in an advertisement for a video game. However, unlike most memorials, it commemorates a troubled and relatively obscure individual.
At first glance, the veiled figure looks dark and brooding, almost like a video game villain. However, upon closer inspection, the veiled figure looks sad and contemplative if anything. The statue commemorates Marian Hooper Adams, whose husband, Henry Adams, was a great grandson of President John Adams. Unfortunately, she suffered from depression and committed suicide from ingesting potassium cyanide. The monument was commissioned by her grieving husband.
