James Renwick Jr. was an architect in the 19th
century United States.&nbsp; He designed many
timeless building including the Smithsonian Castle in Washington D.C. and St.
Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.&nbsp; It is
very interesting that he had no architectural background, but had a degree in
engineering instead.&nbsp; He was only 12
years old when he enrolled in Columbia to study engineering just as his father
had done.&nbsp; Renwick was 25 when he won his
first commission, in 1843, to build New York's Grace Episcopal Church.&nbsp; Renwick helped introduce the Second Empire style in the United States when he designed the Corcoran (now the Renwick Gallery).&nbsp; In his later years, he designed and built a house
for his parents in New York at 21 5th Ave., where Mark Twain resided
at a later date.The Renwick was inspired by an addition onto the Louvre in Paris.&nbsp; The design was heavily influenced by French buildings with the pavilions and mansard roofs.&nbsp; The words "Dedicated to Art" are etched into the stone that lies above the main entrance to the Renwick Gallery.&nbsp; Senator Charles Sumner dubbed the building "The American Louvre", as it put Washington D.C. on the map as cultural center.In November 2015, the Renwick Gallery re-opened its doors after a two year renovation.&nbsp; The entire museum was made into an immersive artwork gallery for the debut exhibition.&nbsp; Nine contemporary artists were given the task of turning the building into a giant work of art.&nbsp; Jennifer Angus, Chakaia Booker, Gabriel Dawe, Tara Donovan,
Patrick Dougherty, Janet Echelman, John Grade, Maya Lin, and Leo Villareal each had their own gallery in the building to create site specific artwork.

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The Renwick Gallery is a Branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum dedicated to exhibiting American contemporary craft.  The Renwick Gallery is just on the other side of the White House in the heart of historic federal Washington. This National Historic Landmark was designed by architect James Renwick Jr. in 1858.  This was the first building that specifically made to be an art museum in the United States. 

Renwick Gallery

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Blair House was an important home even its early years. The Blairs were an influential family and their son Montgomery Blair was an advisor to President Lincoln. The house experienced a resurgence in popularity in 1942 when became a place of residence for visiting dignitaries. It was frequent visits by Winston Churchill that sparked President Franklin Roosevelt’s desire to use the house for diplomatic purposes. It was purchased by the government in 1942.Prior to Blair House, most guests of the president stayed in the White House and then a hotel or embassy for the rest of the visit. During the Truman administration the Blair House became the Truman White House. Renovation and remodeling in the White House left a need for Truman to relocate to Blair House. At this time as well, on November 1, 1950, Puerto Rican nationalists, Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo, made an assassination attempt on President Truman, in broad daylight. Collazo was mortally wounded and White House Policeman Leslie Coeffeit was killed in the failed attempt after he killed Torresola. It now consists of four connected townhomes featuring more than 120 rooms. It has 14 guestrooms, 3 formal dining rooms, two conference rooms, a beauty salon, an exercise room and in-house laundry facility. It has a full-time staff of 18 people including an executive chef and a sous chef. It is not open to the public. If it is not occupied, Blair House often hosts special events.The house has played a key role in U.S. history as many notable guests, important conversations and key decisions have been made within its walls. Famous guests at the Blair House include Winston Churchill, Vyacheslav Molotov, Emperor Akihito of Japan, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles de Gaulle, François Mitterrand, Vladimir Putin, Boris Yeltsin, Hosni Mubarak (Egypt), Margaret Thatcher, Javier Perez de Cuellar (5th Secretary General to the UN), Nambaryn Enkhbayar, Narendra Modi, Hamid Karzai (Afghanistan), and Justin Trudeau.

Blair House, a National Historic Landmark, is part of the President’s Guest House Complex. The house itself was built for Dr. Joseph Lovell, the first Surgeon General on the United States, in 1824. In 1836 it was bought by Francis Preston Blair, Sr., a member of President Jackson’s “Kitchen Cabinet.” The Blair’s built a house next door for their daughter in 1852, which became known as the Lee House. The two houses were and still are practically used as one. The United States Government purchased Blair House in 1942 and it has been housing guests of the presidents since that time. 

Blair House

Rochambeau was born on July 1, 1725 near Vendome, France. By the age of 36, Rochambeau&nbsp;had been made the inspector of the French Calvary in recognition of his leadership and success on the battlefield during the Seven Years War and the War of Austrian Succession. Rochambeau&nbsp;spent the next decade and half training his army in anticipation for a war with the rival British. In 1780 he was promoted to Lieutenant General, and had 5,500 soldiers under his command. His mission was to support the American colonists in their war. He and his men arrived in&nbsp;Newport, Rhode Island in July of 1780. The following year, General Cornwallis and his troops made their way into Virginia. Rochambeau convinced General George Washington that they needed to concentrate all of their forces on the Virginia Peninsula. Over 12,000 men, artillery, supplies, and two French fleets converged on the British at Yorktown. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered and the British ended the war shortly thereafter. When the war was over, Rochambeau returned to France but continued to correspond with George Washington. Rochambeau tried to retire from the military but his plans were put on hold due to the French Revolution in 1789 when King Louis XVI promoted him to Marshal of France. During the Reign of Terror in 1793, Rochambeau&nbsp;was arrested due to the king being overthrown and the rise of Robespierre. Rochambeau was freed and his life was saved about a year later when Robespierre passed away. Then on May 12, 1807 Rochambeau passed at the age of 83.&nbsp;

Dedicated on May 24, 1902 by President Theodore Roosevelt, this monument commemorates the life of Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau. This monument was dedicated to Rochambeau in recognition of his military service to the American colonies during the Battle of Yorktown in the Revolutionary War. The monument is placed in the southwest corner of Lafayette Square. The monument serves as a reminder of the alliance between France and the American colonists who fought for independence from Britain. During the dedication ceremony of the monument, President Roosevelt stated to the French diplomats, "because the history of the United States has been so interwoven with what France has done for us...the American people, through me, extend their thanks to you."

Rochambeau Statue

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben was a member of a military family and the son of an engineer and lieutenant in the Prussian military. Prussia was a large state within Germany and was home to one of the world’s finest militaries. After spending his youth in Russia, von Steuben moved back to Germany with his father when he was ten years old. Full of ambition and military blood, von Steuben reached the rank of officer in the Prussian military by the time he was seventeen years old. The Seven Years War, beginning in 1756, provided von Steuben a springboard into military stardom through the trials of an officer in a powerful army. Early in the war, von Steuben showed great promise but was wounded. During his service he gave all of himself in any endeavor that entrenched his station, a trait that would serve him well throughout his epic career as an officer in different armies. After being wounded von Steuben was granted the position of staff officer and quartermaster, providing him with immense knowledge of military leadership operations and strategic field management. Eventually, von Steuben earned favor from Frederick the Great and furthered his unique education in the complexities of leadership. At the age of thirty-three, von Steuben was discharged from the Prussian military for reasons that are still unknown. His patronage to the soon to be French Minister of War, Louis de St. Germain, helped him earn the title of Baron and in a few years served as his connection to the fledgling Continental Army in the American Colonies. In 1777, Baron von Steuben met with Benjamin Franklin in Paris to discuss employment in the American military. Franklin saw the promise of the renowned Baron and sent him to the Colonies with a letter of recommendation for Congressional approval. Upon the genesis of his service to the Continental Army, von Steuben acted as a volunteer officer due to the lack of funds within the new government. Within a few short weeks, he was reporting directly to Washington and training rebel soldiers at Valley Forge. Baron von Steuben quickly earned the favor of General Washington and the men within the army. Although he could not speak English, his French was good enough that he was able to communicate with some men in the army. The Baron sheltered a powerful personality, and when he arrived, <blockquote>“one soldier's first impression of the Baron was ‘of the ancient fabled God of War… he seemed to me a perfect personification of Mars. The trappings of his horse, the enormous holsters of his pistols, his large size, and his strikingly martial aspect, all seemed to favor the idea."</blockquote> The army was willing to listen to this martial eminence and he trained men by working with one company, about a hundred men, at a time. This company then went to teach other troops which allowed the training to spread quickly throughout. The teachings of von Steuben went beyond corralling the unruly army, however. He also taught the military how to properly encamp themselves and effectively communicate between ranks. His teachings were forever bound within his book, Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, otherwise known as the “Blue Book”. Some of the fundamental regulations within the book like uniforms, cleanliness, general orders, and accountability remain at the core of the United States Army today.   The importance of Baron von Steuben’s training program was evident in the small victories at Barren Hill and Monmouth Courthouse during the Spring of 1778. While these battles were not grand or decisive, both resulting in relative stalemates, the Continental Army found a uniformity to stack up against their British counterparts and once again saw the strength of their resolve. After his successful training at Valley Forge, Baron von Steuben moved South to aide Nathaniel Greene. During the Southern campaign of the war, the Baron served as a training and supply officer. His efforts along with those of the French reinforcements helped Greene surge to sweeping victories across the South and the eventual surrender of the British at Yorktown in 1781. In thanks for his service to the American cause, the Pennsylvania legislature extended citizenship to von Steuben in 1784 after he was given an honorable discharge from the military. Until the time of his death on November 28, 1794, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben remained an ally to the nation he helped free from the reaches of tyranny. He never was a rich man, but his wealth of military knowledge helped form the United States. His likeness is now eternally portrayed in Lafayette Square, just to the north of the White House. Upon the statue’s dedication in 1910, sitting President Taft said, <blockquote>“We dedicate today the last of the monuments which fill the four corners of this beautiful square and which testify to the gratitude of the American people to those from France, from Poland and from Prussia who aided them in their struggle for national independence.”</blockquote> In a city of monuments and great stone buildings, Baron von Steuben and his martial legacy is eternalized in the capitol that his efforts help establish.

This statue commemorates the military service of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben of Prussia, who served as an ally of the colonial rebels against the British during the American Revolution. Baron von Steuben is known for establishing training and regulations within the fledgling U.S. Army and bringing a new professional identity to the American military. His work with General George Washington was essential in turning the tide of the Revolutionary War. With a forceful personality and immense knowledge of military tactics, he was a successful leader in different militaries around the world.  Without his efforts, the American military could not have succeeded in freeing the colonies.       

Baron von Steuben Statue, Washington DC

In 1816, Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., accompanied by his
wife, Susan Decatur, moved to Washington, D.C. A veteran of both the Barbary
Wars and the War of 1812, Decatur had acquired a large sum of prize money for
his wartime efforts, and together with his wife, they bought land in what is
now Lafayette Square. As they wanted a grand house to entertain guests with,
they sent for architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe to design their home. Not long
after completion of the home in 1818, the Decaturs held several parties for the
elite of Washington, D.C., and their popularity in the area grew as a result.
The couple only lived in the home for 14 months, however, due to Stephen’s
untimely death on March 22, 1820, in a duel against Commodore James Barron. Shortly
afterwards, Susan moved to Georgetown and rented out the house over the
following&nbsp;15 years; between 1834 and 1836, for example, the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://theclio.com/web/entry?id=38351">British Embassy</a>&nbsp;rented the house.&nbsp;In 1836, Susan was forced to sell the house in order to
pay numerous debts she had incurred.

Over the following decades, Decatur House changed hands
numerous times, serving initially as a retirement home beginning in 1836. After
the death of its proprietor, John Gadsby, in 1844, his wife Providence rented
the building out. When the American Civil War began, it was commandeered by the
federal government to help with the war effort. Following the Civil War,
California General Edward Beale bought the building in 1872 and converted it
back into a home for himself and his family. Decatur House remained in the
possession of the Beale family for 84 years, until Edward's daughter-in-law,&nbsp;Marie Beale, gave the
building to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1956.

In the early 1960s, the house opened to the public as a
museum. It is now operated by the White House Historical Association and is
home to the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History, which
was opened in 2010. The Center houses documentation, supports research efforts
and provides education programs involving the history of the White House. It is
also available for conferences, parties, receptions, weddings and more.

The Decatur House is one of the last remaining creations of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, America’s first professional architect. Located in central Washington, D.C., the Decatur House is a historic home built by Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., in 1818, and it is one of the oldest historic homes in the area still standing. Designed with entertaining guests in mind, the Decatur House’s spacious quarters were lavishly furnished, and the home would change hands numerous times over the course of a century. It was converted into a public museum in the 1960s, and since 2010, it has served as the headquarters of the National Center for White House History. 

Decatur House

St. John's Episcopal Church in Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C. is a historic church that has served as an important landmark in the area since construction began in 1815. The church held its first service on October 27, 1816 and was consecrated on December 27, 1816. The building exterior is made from stucco-covered brick in a distinctive yellow color. It was originally designed in the Greek Classical style by Benjamin Latrobe, the architect famous for his work on the Capitol, White House, and Decatur House. Subsequent additions, such as an 1820 extension and the addition of a triple-tiered steeple, have altered the Latrobe's plan, but the original structure remains recognizable. &nbsp; St. John's has long been known as "the Church of the Presidents," as every sitting president since James Madison has attended services here. Pew 54 is the President's pew, which is reserved for the POTUS when in attendance at the church, a tradition which began with Madison in 1816. In the pew is an 18th-century prayer book featuring the 
autographs of many of the Presidents. St. John's also has strong ties with the African American community. The second Rector of St. John's, Reverend William Hawley, baptized and 
married African Americans of all legal statuses during his leadership of the Church 
from 1817 to 1845. In the late 1860s, the Rector of St. John's worked with a group of 28 African Americans to establish Mary's Chapel for Colored People in Foggy Bottom. During the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, St. John's rector—Rev. John C. Harper—held a special service of prayer open to all races; the event was attended by 700 congregants. Notable features of the church includes the nearly-1,000 lb steeple bell cast by Joseph Revere at his Boston foundry in 1822. It is one of two Revere bells in Washington, and the only one to remain in continuous service since its installation. St. John's is also famous for its 25 stained glass windows, which were designed and produced by the Lorin Stained Glass Windows firm of 
Chartres, France in 1883. Inside St. Johns are a number of works of art. These include two sculptures by Jay Hall Carpenter, a brass chapel cross, and Ascent Into Heaven, a 3/4 lifesize bronze sculpture. Amongst its other treasures are a silver chalice and a gold, jewel-encrusted communion chalice. St. John's Episcopal Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 and has been a National Historical Landmark since 1960. Today, the church continues to conduct regular services and serve the D.C. community. Tours are available after most Sunday services and also by reservation. Adjacent to the church is another well-known historical landmark in Lafayette Square, the Ashburton 
House, which now serves as St. John's Parish House.

Built from 1815 to 1816, St. John's Episcopal Church was the second building to be constructed in Lafayette Square. Known as "the church of the Presidents," every sitting president since James Madison has attended services at St. John's. Notable features of St. Johns include the nearly-1,000 lb steeple bell, cast by Paul Revere's son, and 25 historic stained glass windows, produced by Lorin Stained Glass Windows. The adjacent Parish House is also a National Historic Landmark.

St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square

General Tadeusz Kosciuszko was born on February 4, 1746 in Mereczowszczyzna, Poland and passed away October 15, 1817 in Solothurn, Switzerland. He gained most of his fame for the role that he played in the American Revolution and he was also a decorated army officer in his homeland of Poland. For his early life, he grew up in a noble family and attended the military academy in Warsaw. His success at this school attracted the attention of the King, and he was then sent to Paris to further his military education. Once he returned home in 1774, he was instructed to be a mathematics instructor to a high ranking generals daughter. Eventually, he fell in love with one of the daughters, Ludwika, and tried to get her to elope with him. To avoid further conflict he fled to France. Then, in 1776 he traveled to the Colonies to help fight for their independence from Great Britain. He was sent to Pennsylvania to help plan fortifications to protect the Continental Congress. Since he excelled at this, he was then promoted to engineer colonel. Then, in 1777 he was he was transferred to the army of General Horatio Gates at Fort Ticonderoga, in upstate New York. He was very active in Gates's and worked to close all roads that were along the Hudson River. This contributed to the success of General John Burgoyne against enemy forces at Saratoga. Once this was done, he spent the following couple years helping to fortify West Point. For his excellent work, he was then promoted to chief of the engineering corps. For his part in the war effort, he was given citizenship to the new United States and was also made a brigadier general in the US Army. After the end of the Revolution he returned to his homeland of Poland. When he was home he was not allowed to join &nbsp;the military due to his past trials with the general he used to work for. He lived in poverty on a small estate for the next five years of his life. He was only able to join the military again after there were reforms to the country and once he had protection from his former lover, Ludwika. Once back in the military he was given the rank of general major and once again found himself in love an eighteen year old noblewoman. He would once again try to get her elope, but just like before, he father wouldn't let this happen. After this happened, he began different conquests that included Prussia, Russia, and eventually he was taken captive as a prisoner of war.&nbsp; When the general was released from the prison in 1797, he traveled back to the country in which he helped to&nbsp;gain its independence, the United States. He arrived in Philadelphia and was greeted by a crowd of people. During his time back he found himself going to different social events and sticking around with different social groups. He ended up becoming close friends with then Vice President, Thomas Jefferson. He then secretly left the States as he found out that there might be some possibility to help promote Poland in their cause in France. Before he left however, he gave instruction for his slaves to be freed and they were to educated. After his different failures throughout the years in France and talks with Napoleon, the General eventually died in 1817. He was buried within the kings tombs within the cathedral and true to custom, a huge mound was erected to preserve his memory.&nbsp;

Thaddeus Kosciuszko was a general during the American Revolution. He arrived in the colonies from Poland in 1776, first working as a civil engineer and then rising in ranks in the military. His contributions as a military leader helped the Continental Army win a few major battles, including the Battle of Saratoga. For his efforts, Kosciuszko was memorialized in a bronze statue in Lafayette Park. The statue was erected by the Polish National Alliance of America on behalf of Polish citizens in the United States. The 10-foot tall sculpture was designed and created by Antoni Popiel and dedicated by William Howard Taft on May 11, 1910. 

General Thaddeus Kosciuszko Statue

Marquis de Lafayette was born on September 6, 1757, in the town of Chavaniac, France. He lived until&nbsp;May 20, 1834, when he passed away&nbsp;in Paris. This French aristocrat came to America and&nbsp;fought alongside the colonial rebels&nbsp;during the American Revolution. Lafayette was a strong supporter of constitutional monarchy in France and was a leader in the French Revolution.&nbsp;&nbsp; Born into a wealthy family but orphaned as a teen, Lafayette was raised by servants and lived among the members at the court of King Louis XVI. When Lafayette arrived in Philadelphia in 1777, he had no combat experience. Owing to his noble birth, he was appointed as a&nbsp;major general which gave him access to influential colonial leaders including George Washington. &nbsp; Washington was impressed with Lafayette and following his success at the&nbsp;Battle of Brandywine in September of 1777, the French aristocrat was appointed to lead a division. In 1779, Lafayette returned to&nbsp;France as a diplomat where he worked with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams and convinced the leaders of France to increase their&nbsp;aid the colonies. When he returned to the Americas, he announced that France was sending ships and&nbsp;6,000 troops to help the colonists. Lafayette was hailed by the Americans as a hero for his efforts during the war and&nbsp;named an honorary citizen in 1784 when he returned to the United States for a visit.&nbsp; Lafayette returned to the United States in 1824 and was greeted by thousands. The seven-acre&nbsp;public park north of&nbsp;the White House was renamed Lafayette Square in honor of his visit.&nbsp;During this visit, Lafayette paid his respects to&nbsp;his former friend George Washington by visiting his grave. He also visited Monticello to see Thomas Jefferson. Lafayette became the first foreigner to address the House of Representatives. Several American&nbsp;cities have been named in honor of Lafayette. At the time of his death, Lafayette asked that soil from Bunker Hill be shipped to France so that he could be buried in both French and American soil.&nbsp; Lafayette Square was conceived as part of architect&nbsp;Pierre L'Enfant's original design for Washington, D.C.&nbsp;a racetrack, a cemetery, a zoo, a slave market, an encampment for soldiers during the War of 1812, and the site of celebrations and&nbsp;political protests.&nbsp;After the area was redesigned in 1851 in its&nbsp;picturesque&nbsp;style,&nbsp;a statue of President Andrew Jackson on horseback that preceded Lafayette's statue. In April&nbsp;1891, a 10-foot sculpture of Lafayette, standing atop&nbsp;a 15-foot base, was placed in the square bearing his name.&nbsp;The artist, Jean Alexandre Joseph Falguiere of France, depicted Lafayette as advocating for American independence&nbsp;to the French National Assembly. He wears a long coat, vest, boots, and a wig, rather than a military uniform. Surrounding him are important figures that are either historic or figurative. On the west side is&nbsp;Comte de Rochambeau and the Chevalier du Portal, French army&nbsp;commanders, with a symbolic cannon at their feet. On the east side is&nbsp;Comte d'Estaing and Comte de Grasse, French naval commanders, with a symbolic anchor at their feet.&nbsp;In front of Lafayette sits America, personified as woman offering the major general a sword. On the back of the base, two cherubs kneel below a sign thanking Lafayette for his service: <blockquote>BY THE CONGRESS IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SERVICES RENDERED BY GENERAL LAFAYETTE AND HIS COMPATRIOTS DURING THE STRUGGLE FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA&nbsp;</blockquote> City leaders decided that Lafayette's statue should be joined by statues of other Europeans who fought on behalf of American independence. He is joined by the likes of&nbsp;Comte Jean de Rochambeau&nbsp;of France,&nbsp;Brigadier General Thaddeus Kosciuszko&nbsp;of&nbsp;Poland, and&nbsp;Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben&nbsp;of&nbsp;Prussia.

This statue was created to honor Marquis de Lafayette, an important ally in the American Revolution. It was installed in 1891 in Lafayette Square, named for the major general in 1824. In 1951, French president Vincent Auriol visited Lafayette's statue and placed a wreath at the foot of the statue. 

Marquis de Lafayette Statue

The most notable feature of Mills’ design was a 350-foot long Greek inspired colonnade. This architect also completed the east and center sections of the present building. In 1844 the entire sandstone building was painted white. In subsequent years, architect Thomas Walter designed an expansion that was began in 1855. Construction was halted in 1858 due to rising financial concerns, but the project was complete three years later under the direction of architect Ammi B. Young.Then came the Civil War and the completion of the south wing in 1862. Young stepped down and Isaiah Rogers was brought in to oversee the addition of the west wing. Within a couple years Alfred Mullett became the supervising architect. The west wing remained a focus through the war years and was completed near its end.Then it was time to start the north wing. In 1867 the State Department building was demolished to make room for the north wing. It was largely completed two years later, in time to host the Inaugural Reception of President Ulysses S. Grant in the popular Cash Room. A few details lingered into 1870 when finally after 34 years of work and additions, the Treasury Building was complete.In 1919 an annex building was constructed across the street from the Treasury Building. The Treasury Building itself has been the recipient of various upgrades from electrical to technological throughout the years. After a brief time of being in disrepair and another fire, it has seen regular cleanings as well major renovations and upgrades to continue to modernize the initial structure.Guided tours of the building are available.The Treasury Department's function is to see to the financial stability of the country. The Department advises the president, produces money, collects revenue and more. It is under the leadership of the Secretary of the Treasury, which is currently Jacob Lew.

A National Historic landmark, the U.S. Department of Treasury Building was constructed in multiple phases dating back to the 1830s.. Prior to that time, the first Treasury building was a simple two-story brick structure with a basement and attic. This modest treasury was damaged by fire within its first six months. During the repair of the original treasury building, a vault extension was added, a feature that would be the only part of the building to survive the War of 1812. 

As the nation and its government grew following the War of 1812, Congress decided to build a more permanent structure for its treasury. Architect Robert Mills won the design competition and construction began in the 1830s. The project ran into multiple difficulties and Congress even debated whether they should demolish what Mills had started. Congress decided to stick with Mills and his design, and the building was completed in 1842. It would be expanded during the 1850s and also in the midst of the Civil War. 

U.S. Department of Treasury Building

Alexander Hamilton was one of the most influential of America's Founding Generation, serving as an officer in the Revolutionary War and one of the leading spirits behind the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Although Hamilton may be most well-known today for his death at the hands of Aaron Burr following his participation in the nation's most famous duel, Hamilton should also be remembered as the father of America's monetary system. Hamilton was the leading proponent of a strong central government and central banking. As the first Secretary of the Treasury, he shaped the nature of currency and banking. As one of George Washington's most trusted advisers, he shaped the nature of the Presidency. Hamilton may have followed in Washington's footsteps had it not been for his perception as a man of strong personal ambition, or his decision to participate in a fatal duel with Vice President Aaron Burr in Weehawken, New Jersey, in July 1804. His life and legacy are commemorated in a bronze statue, commissioned in 1917 and dedicated on May 17, 1923, at the United States Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. This 10-foot-tall statue was created by American sculptor James Earle Fraser. It stands atop a 9-foot granite base made by the Beaux-Arts architect Henry Bacon. Cast by the Kunst Foundry in New York, the statue depicts Hamilton holding a tricorn hat and dress coat. He wears knee breeches, a throat fichu, buckled shoes, and ruffled cuffs. The statue bears inscriptions on its front, back, and north face indicating the foundry and text relating to Hamilton's life. The inscriptions read as follows: (Rear of sculpture, near base)<blockquote>Fraser 19221</blockquote>(Rear of sculpture, near base)<blockquote>A. Kunst Foundry NY1</blockquote>(Front of base)<blockquote>ALEXANDER HAMILTON/1757-1804/FIRST SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY/SOLDIER ORATOR STATESMAN/CHAMPION OF CONSTITUTIONAL UNION/REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND/NATIONAL INTEGRITY1</blockquote>(North side of base) <blockquote>HE SMOTE THE ROCK OF THE NATIONAL RESOURCES AND ABUNDANT STREAMS OF REVENUE GUSHED FORTH. HE TOUCHED THE DEAD CORPSE OF THE PUBLIC CREDIT AND IT SPRANG UPON ITS FEET. signed Founder's mark appears.1</blockquote> Hamilton's life is also chronicled in a bestselling book by Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton, published in 2004. In 2015, a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda based on the book debuted on Broadway, winning eleven Tony Awards and renewing widespread interest in Hamilton's life. In 2017, the Library of Congress digitized the largest collection of Hamilton's papers, consisting of approximately 12,000 documents, for researchers, students, and curious readers to freely peruse.

One of the most prominent figures in early American history is represented by this 10-foot-tall outdoor bronze sculpture by American sculptor James Earle Fraser. The Alexander Hamilton Statue stands atop a granite base created by Henry Bacon. The base features multiple inscriptions pertaining to the "Father of the American Monetary System." It is located on the on the south patio (Alexander Hamilton Place, NW) of the U.S. Treasury Building in Washington D.C.

Alexander Hamilton Statue

In 2006, Washington DC residents began an effort to create and place two statues of influential DC representatives in the US Capitol. Although each state in the union is allowed to place two statues of their influential residents in the Capitol, Washington D.C. was not allowed the same honor. City residents selected Frederick Douglass and Pierre L'Enfant as their preferred candidates for inclusion and the city government paid $200,000 to create statues of :'Enfant and Douglass. However, neither were permitted to be installed inside the Capitol upon their completion. Responding to growing pressure, Congress sought a compromise in 2013 by allowing the statue of Douglass to be placed in the Capitol. From the perspective of many DC residents, however, the inclusion of only one statue is emblematic of their second-class citizenship. Although Congress is given authority over nearly all matters involving District governance, residents of the District are represented only by one non-voting delegate in the House of Representatives.&nbsp; From the perspective of Eleanor Holmes Norton, a non-voting member of the House of Representatives and the only member of Congress that represents the people who live in the city, the statue's exclusion from the Capitol is a metaphor for Washington's lack congressional representation. Holmes Norton worked to get the statue of Douglass inside the Capitol in recent years, and will work to do the same for the statue of L'Enfant.,&nbsp;“I expect to get his done the way I was able to get Frederick Douglas done," she says. "It became impossible to refuse Frederick Douglas. I don’t see how the Senate can sit there and say ‘We don't want Pierre L'Enfant — the man who created the very city where the Senate and the House sit."<div> </div>

Named in honor of Washington DC Council Chair John A. Wilson Building, this municipal building is home to the offices of the mayor and many other departments. The building was completed in 1908. As a precursor to DC's attempt to place two statues of prominent leaders in the Capitol- a privilege given only to states, the city commissioned statues to abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Pierre L'Enfant, the designer of Washington D.C.'s master plan. While Douglass's statue was moved to the Capitol as part of an effort to honor DC residents similarly to those from U.S. states, the statue of L'Enfant remains. The exterior of the building is home to a statue of Alexander Robey Shepherd, perhaps the most influential civic leaders in the history of the city. Stephens' legacy is controversial, however, as he was known both as the "Father of Modern Washington" owing to his role in promoting public works progress and as a corrupt city boss who used public funds to maintain his power and reward his supporters with government contracts. 

John A. Wilson Building and the Statue of Pierre L'Enfant 

The Willard has been known as the “Residence of the
Presidents” since Franklin Pierce lived there prior to his inauguration. President
Abraham Lincoln returned to the hotel to watch the parade following his first
inauguration. President Calvin Coolidge lived there for nearly a month. 

Julia Ward Howe wrote the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” at
the Willard. President Ulysses S. Grant grumbled about and made the term lobbyist
popular. In 1998, U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Israeli Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met to discuss peace negotiations. In 2014, the
first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit took place here. 

The Willard was originally built as row houses. It was first
used as a hotel in the early 1800s. It had names such as The American House and
City Hotel before Henry Willard arrived on the scene in 1847. With the help of
his brother Edwin, the brothers continued to improve and remodel the hotel. They
bought it in 1864 and renamed it the Willard City Hotel. The old hotel was demolished
in 1900 and a new, bigger building was built in its place. It was considered
one of the first skyscrapers in the city. In 1946, the Willard family sold their shares of the hotel due to mismanagement and financial decline in the area. The hotel closed in 1968, with plans for a number of years to demolish it before it was sold to the&nbsp;Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation.&nbsp;In the early 1980s more changes came
when the InterContinental Hotel Corporation became the new management. The building
was restored and renamed the Willard InterContinental in 1986. &nbsp;A multi-million dollar renovation was
completed in 2000. The hotel was subject to a court battle that reached the Supreme Court. An equity suit, that is a case where the argument centers on both purchasing price and method of payment (paper currency or gold coin), this case took place during the Civil War in 1864. The judges split during this case, Willard v. Tayloe. In the end, Willard who has purchased the hotel from Benjamin Tayloe was able to maintain his purchase, however, Willard was to pay in gold coin rather than paper, when he had tried with paper currency at a depreciated price.&nbsp;

The historic Willard InterContinental Hotel is located on Pennsylvania Avenue one block away from The White House. One of the city’s landmark hotels, it has hosted dinners, meetings and major social events for more than 150 years. The famous hotel has hosted nearly every U.S. president since Franklin Pierce in 1853. Notable guests have included Charles Dickens, Buffalo Bill, David Lloyd George, P.T. Barnum, heads of states, world business leaders and many more. Martin Luther King famously finished his “I Have A Dream” speech while staying at the hotel. Mark Twain wrote a pair of books while staying at the Willard and Walt Whitman specifically mentioned it in his works. The Hollywood movie “Minority Report” starring Tom Cruise was partially filmed here. 

The Willard InterContinental Hotel

Sherman was born in Lancaster, Ohio in 1820 and served during the Mexican-American war of the 1840s. In 1861, Sherman was appointed to the rank of brigadier general as the Union was mired in civil war. Sherman led Union troops at Bull Run and Shiloh and was promoted to major general in 1862. His willingness to engage the enemy won accolades among a growing number of civilian and military leaders in the North that sought a more aggressive campaign against the Confederacy. Sherman served under the new Union commander, Ulysses S. Grant, and waged a grueling offensive through Georgia and the Carolinas that accelerated the Confederate surrender. General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered his army to Sherman on April 26, 1865, 17 days after General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. Sherman's younger brother, Senator John Sherman, was the author of the Sherman Anti-Trust act of 1890 that sought to prevent the formation of monopolies. William T. Sherman would remain the most famous member of the family, however, and is still regarded as one of the most effective generals in US history. Shortly after Sherman died in New York in 1891, members of the Chamber of Commerce raised funds for a monument.  The committee commissioned artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens to create the monument, a selection inspired by the fact that Saint-Gaudens had created a bust of Sherman's head in 1888. This process required Sherman to sit for two hours at a time for a total of over 18 hours. Saint-Gaudens admired the general, and labored heavily over every aspect of the piece. This overwork caused the artist to become ill, which extended the amount of time needed to create the monument. In 1902, the work was complete and the statue was ready for dedication the following year.

This bronze monument honors one of the leading Civil War generals, William Tecumseh Sherman, and is located near the exact location where Sherman reviewed Union troops at a ceremony commemorating the end of the war in May, 1865. The monument features an equestrian statue of the general on top of a square platform with a soldier at each corner of the base. The four bronze statues represent each of the four branches of the army at that time (infantry, cavalry, engineers, and artillery). President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt dedicated the statue in 1903. The monument was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a master craftsman who produced numerous sculptures before completing this piece, his very last work before his death in 1907.

General William Tecumseh Sherman Monument

The First Division was formed as part of the American Expeditionary Forces in May 1917 after the United States declared war on Germany. These forces were the first in the United States Military to fight overseas. The First Division was a particular favorite of General John J. Pershing, commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, and the division earned the nickname “Pershing’s Own.” In February 1919, active soldiers in Germany came together and formed the Society of the First Division to honor the fallen.The First Division Monument was a special project of Major General Charles P. Summerall, the president of the Society of the First Division and a commander in World War I. He proposed the memorial in September 1919, and by October, the First Division Memorial Association was organized to raise funds and manage the project. Summerall and the memorial team collaborated with the Commission of Fine Arts, an agency that oversees building design in Washington, D.C., to create a beautiful and honorable monument on federal grounds. Summerall’s vision for the monument was inspired by the Battle Monument, a Civil War memorial at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. It consisted of a tall granite columnn with a statue of Victory at the top. The base listed the names of fallen soldiers and officers. Summerall wanted a monument that commemorated all fallen soldiers of the First Division, unlike many of the Civil War monuments in D.C., which often displayed a notable individual on horseback.Throughout the planning and construction processes, the First Division Monument team and the Commission of Fine Arts faced important decisions about the monument’s design and meaning. This would be the first monument to the Great War in the nation’s capital, and no war since the Civil War engaged soldiers and citizens so rigorously. The Commission of Fine Arts initially pushed for a national memorial, rather than one solely dedicated to the First Division. They realized, however, that populating D.C. with a variety of World War I monuments would create balance among the city’s numerous Civil War monuments. the First Division Memorial Association chose a site for the monument, they took such ideas into consideration. Their site fulfilled the Senate Park Commission Plan of 1901-02, which called for a monument in President’s Park outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, formerly known as the State, War, and Navy Building and the Old Executive Office Building. This site also created a visual balance with a nearby statue of Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman. Yet the Commission of Fine Arts favored a fountain instead of a columnn monument on this site. The monument’s architect, Cass Gilbert, argued that a fountain would be more difficult to maintain and that columnns around the world, such as Nelson’s Column in London’s Trafalgar Square and Trajan’s Column in Rome, proved the permanence and power of this design. The Commission of Fine Arts agreed.The Society of the First Division hired prominent figures in art and architecture to create a contemporary yet classical monument. They hired architects Cass Gilbert to build the monument and sculptor David Chester French to create the statue of Victory. Gilbert designed grand works such as the Woolworth Building in New York and Washington, D.C.’s Treasury Annex Building, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Building, and Supreme Court Building. French, a founder of the Commission of Fine Arts, fashioned the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial and the fountain in Dupont Circle. Additionally, the monument project explored the George A. Fuler company to create the pedestal, the Dodd’s Granite Company to extract the unique and desirable Milford pink granite, and the Piccirilli Brothers and the Roman Bronze Works of New York cast the statue.  Completed in 1924, the First Division Monument stood at 78 feet, from the ground to the top of the Victory statue. It included the names of 5,599 members of the First Division on bronze plaques. French’s winged statue of Victory, an ancient Roman goddess often personified in American art. She stands in a dynamic pose with hands outstretched, a waving flag, and a flowing dress. The National Park Service calls her “an eternal flame on the constant memorial.” The First Division Monument was dedicated on October 4, 1924, with more than 6,000 veterans and guests in attendance. Major General Summerall and President Calvin Coolidge spoke and the First Division band played the “Star-Spangled Banner.”Like the symbolic statue of Victory, the First Division Monument has been dynamic. After acquired by the National Park Service in 1939, new additions have been added to commemorate fallen First Division soldiers in subsequent wars. The World War II addition, designed by Cass Gilbert Jr., was added August 24, 1957, honoring the more than 4,300 who fought throughout Europe and North Africa. A mirroring design was completed in May 1977, to honor the more than 3,000 soldiers who died in Vietnam, where the First Division was the first to be deployed in the war. In the 1990s, the First Division led armored attacks in Desert Storm, and a plaque honoring the 27 soldiers who died was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1995. The grounds have also undergone change. In the 1960s, Lady Bird Johnson led efforts to create a flower bed in the shape of the First Division patch. Services are held at the First Division Monument on Veterans Day, while the Society of the First Infantry Division has a commemoration plan in place to guide future expansion of the monument. Constantly evolving yet steadfast, the First Division Monument is a prominent reminder of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The First Division Monument honors fallen members of the First Division of the United States Army. Located in President's Park outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the monument was originally erected and dedicated in 1924 in honor of First Division members who died in World War I. The Society of the First Division, under the leadership of Major General Charles P. Summerall, advocated for a World War I monument in the nation's capital. Over the years, multiple additions to the monument honor First Division members who died in World War II, the Vietnam War, and Desert Storm. Its design reflects the Battle Monument at the United States Military Academy in West Point. It features a granite columnn and pedestal designed by Cass Gilbert and a winged statue of Victory by David Chester French. The First Division Monument is under the care of the National Park Service and hosts services on Veterans Day.

First Division Monument

Additional Information&nbsp; The Corcoran Gallery of Art was founded in 1869 by William Wilson Corcoran and quickly became one of the country's&nbsp;leading fine arts galleries. It was originally established at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue but was relocated in 1897 after the construction of a new facility at its current location. The building was designed by&nbsp;Ernest Flagg and measures at 135,000 square feet.&nbsp; The gallery, beset by financial difficulties over the past decades, agreed in 2014 to merge with both the National Gallery of Art and George Washington University. The university will oversee operations of&nbsp;Corcoran College of Art and Design while the National Gallery of Art manages the gallery's collections. Interim Director and President of&nbsp;Corcoran Gallery of Art Peggy Loar will be leading the transition in the coming months. The gallery is slated to reopen in late 2015.&nbsp;

The Corcoran Gallery of Art stands as a major center of American art, both historic and contemporary. Founded “for the purpose of encouraging American Genius,” the Corcoran’s extensive collection of 18th, 19th, and 20th century American art represents most significant American artists. The Corcoran possesses a fine collection of European art as well. While continuing its efforts to represent historic American works, the gallery also encourages modern European and American artists by showing and purchasing their work, paying particular attention to artists in the Washington area. 

The president’s neighborhood

Renwick Gallery

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information