John Edgar Hoover, former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is buried in Congressional Cemetery near his family’s plot at site R20/117. He died on May 2, 1972. There is a fence and a bench that carry the FBI seal that were donated by former FBI agents. J. Edgar Hoover was born on New…
Cenotaphs
A cenotaph is an “empty tomb” or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The history of Congressional Cemetery (1801 E St SE, Washington, DC 20003) begins around the beginning…
200th Anniversary of the Battle of Ft. McHenry
After burning the Nation’s capital, the British head north to Baltimore and stay there from Sept 11-17, 1814. From Sept 13-14, 1814, Fort McHenry was under attack. It was during that time that F.S. Key wrote the Star Spanglaed Banner. There are many activities taking place this year throughout Maryland in remembrance of this (second)…
Washington Monument Opening Stairs for Walkdown Tours this Fall
The Washington Monument reopened in May 2014 after a 33-month long renovation following the August 2011 earthquake that damaged the memorial. Now, the NPS is also going to open the stairs! The NPS announced that starting this month, September, tickets will be available for purchase through Recreation.gov for $15 ($12 with a $3 handling fee)…
Edmund Burke
Statue: Edmund Burke, January 12, 1729, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Died: July 9, 1797, Beaconsfield, UK Location: Massachusetts Avenue between 11th and 10th Streets, NW Dedication: 3:00 p.m., October 12, 1922 Sculptor: James Havard Thomas (recast from Bristol, England statue) Architect: Horace Peasley, Washington, DC Cost to Taxpayers: $0, gift of the Sulgrave Institution Edmund…
Simon Bolivar
Statue: Simon Bolivar, South American Liberator, July 24, 1783 – December 17, 1830 Location: 18th and C Street and Virginia Avenue, NW (Bolivar Park) Sculptor: Felix W. de Weldon, Washington, D.C. Dedication: February 28, 1959 Cost to taxpayers: $0 In 1955 a resolution was passed in the Senate authorizing acceptance of a statue to Simon Bolivar,…
Today is the Anniversary of the creation of the District of Columbia
On July 9, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital on the Potomac River. The exact location was to be selected by President George Washington, who signed the bill into law on July 16. Formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, the initial shape…
J. J. Darlington Memorial and Fountain
This little statue to a prominent Washington attorney by a prominent sculptor caused quite a stir when it was unveiled. There is very little written about the inception of this memorial, but it only took 3 years to erect — practically a record in terms of memorial placement.