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| Location | Dupont Circle,Washington, D.C., United States |
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| Coordinates | 38°54′33″N77°02′30″W / 38.9092378°N 77.0416637°W /38.9092378; -77.0416637 |
Dupont Circle Fountain | |
| Part of | Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C. |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000257[1] |
| Added to NRHP | September 20, 1978[2] |
| Designer | Daniel Chester French (sculptor) Henry Bacon (architect) Piccirilli Brothers (carver) George A. Fuller Company (contractor) |
| Material | Marble Concrete (base) |
| Width | 11.6 feet (3.5 m) |
| Height | 16 feet (4.9 m) |
| Opening date | May 17, 1921 |
| Dedicated to | Samuel Francis Du Pont |
TheDupont Circle Fountain, formally known as theRear Admiral Samuel Francis Dupont Memorial Fountain, is a fountain located in the center ofDupont Circle inWashington, D.C. It honors Rear AdmiralSamuel Francis Du Pont, a prominent American naval officer and member of theDu Pont family. The fountain replaced a statue of Du Pont that was installed in 1884. Designed byHenry Bacon and sculpted byDaniel Chester French, the fountain was dedicated in 1921. Prominent guests at the dedication ceremony included First LadyFlorence Harding, Secretary of WarJohn W. Weeks and Secretary of the NavyEdwin Denby.
The fountain is one of eighteenCivil War monuments collectively listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1978. The marble fountain, which is adorned with three allegorical sculptures, rests on a concrete base and is surrounded by an open plaza. The fountain and surrounding park are owned and maintained by theNational Park Service, a federal agency of theInterior Department.
In 1871, theUnited States Army Corps of Engineers began constructingDupont Circle, which at the time was called Pacific Circle since it was the western boundary of the city's residential areas.[3][4] On February 25, 1882, Congress renamed the circle and authorized a memorial toSamuel Francis Du Pont (1803–1865) to honor his services during theMexican–American War andCivil War.[5][6] He played a large role in the modernization of theNavy, and during the Civil War he was responsible for making theUnion blockade effective against theConfederacy, though his failed attempt to attackCharleston in 1863 tarnished his career record.[5][6][7] The bronze statue was sculpted byLaunt Thompson and dedicated on December 20, 1884, at a cost of $20,500. Attendees at the ceremony included PresidentChester A. Arthur, SenatorThomas F. Bayard, AdmiralDavid Dixon Porter and GeneralPhilip Sheridan.[8] The circle was landscaped with exotic plants and hundreds of trees.[4][6]
In the early 20th century, members of the prominentDu Pont family wanted a memorial of greater artistic value and lobbied for a replacement. The family had always disliked the statue and by 1909, the base of the statue had begun to sink and tilt, resulting in jokes being made that Du Pont and sailors were alcoholics.[9] SenatorWillard Saulsbury, Jr.'s wife, who was a niece of Du Pont, led efforts to replace the statue.[10] The family asked that no government funds be used for the new memorial and that theCommission of Fine Arts (CFA) approve the design. On February 26, 1917, Congress approved the replacement of the statue and insisted on construction beginning within three years.[11]
The Du Pont family chose architectHenry Bacon and sculptorDaniel Chester French to design a fountain that reflected theBeaux-Arts andneoclassical styles that were popular in the neighborhood at the time, such as thePatterson Mansion, located on the northeast edge of the circle.[10][12] Bacon is best known for designing theLincoln Memorial while French's best known work is thestatue of Abraham Lincoln inside the memorial.[10] French's other works in Washington, D.C., include theButt-Millet Memorial Fountain, theFirst Division Monument and theThomas Gallaudet Memorial.[6] The total cost of the commission was $77,521.[13] The CFA approved the design in 1917 and work began on the fountain shortly thereafter.[11]
Congress wanted recognition for its earlier attempt to honor Du Pont, so the inscription on the fountain had to include the fact that a statue erected by Congress was replaced.[10] An early model included plans for a fountain emitting water at the top, but this wasn't incorporated into the final design.[6] The fountain was carved by thePiccirilli Brothers, who also carved French's statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial. The contractor was theGeorge A. Fuller Company, whose other projects include theFlatiron Building and thePlaza Hotel in New York City.[14] In 1920, the statue was moved toRockford Park inWilmington,Delaware, the hometown of the Du Pont family.[12] Later that year, the fountain was installed using pipes that were placed in 1877 for a potential fountain that had never been built.[6][14] After the installation, mature trees and thick vegetation were planted in the surrounding park.[15]
The fountain was formally dedicated the afternoon of May 17, 1921.[14][16] The ceremony, which was supervised by Lieutenant ColonelClarence O. Sherrill, was described as "simple, yet impressive." A temporary stand decorated with flags and shields was built for prominent guests including First LadyFlorence Harding, Secretary of WarJohn W. Weeks and Secretary of the NavyEdwin Denby.[16][17][18] Chairs were placed along the walkways surrounding the fountain and sailors served as ushers for the event. While invited guests were being seated, theNavy Band performed music. Following the concert, members of the public were allowed to enter the area and soon filled the surrounding park.[9][16]
The invocation was given by Episcopal bishopAlfred Harding followed by presentation of the colors while the band performed "The Stars and Stripes Forever". The cloth screens concealing the fountain were then removed by Du Pont's granddaughter, Sophie Du Pont Ford, and the band performed the national anthem and "Narcissus" byEthelbert Nevin. The fountain was formally presented by Rear Admiral Purnell Frederick Harrington, who had served alongside Du Pont. Weeks received the fountain as a gift from the Du Pont family on behalf of the government. A speech was then given by Denby who praised Du Pont's services to his country. He stated: "Du Pont's hereditary background had justified the hope so meritoriously fulfilled in that officer's career, while his service as a midshipman on the then activeConstitution must have proved an inspiration for his later activities." Denby also praised Du Pont's attitude toward his fellow sailors and his willingness to put the country's needs above his own. He concluded his speech by noting how proud the Navy was of the new memorial and expressed hopes that it would always be well maintained. Following Denby's speech, three young girls that were descendants of du Pont, Ann Andrews, Emily Du Pont and Mary Harvey, placedlaurel wreaths in the fountain water. The ceremony concluded with the band performing "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean."[16]
The fountain was a frequent target for vandals who would repeatedly break off fingers or hands from the sculptures. New hands were later carved and attached to the sculptures.[19][20] In 1948, the fountain was temporarily removed when astreetcar underpass was built beneath Dupont Circle. When it was moved back to its original location two years later, the fountain's pumping system was replaced.[21] When the new system was installed, workers forgot to connect the pipes to the fountain. The issue was corrected the following year and the fountain became operational.[22]
The fountain is one of eighteenCivil War monuments in Washington, D.C. that were collectively listed on theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on September 20, 1978, and theDistrict of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979.[2] It is one of the few Civil War monuments that is a not anequestrian sculpture. The others are theStephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial,Nuns of the Battlefield, thePeace Monument, and statues ofAdmiral David G. Farragut,Albert Pike andGeneral John A. Rawlins.[13] The fountain is designated acontributing property to the Massachusetts Avenue Historic District, listed on the NRHP on October 22, 1974, and the Dupont Circle Historic District, listed on the NRHP on July 21, 1978.[2] In the late 1990s, the fountain was restored by sculptorConstantine Seferlis.[23] The fountain and surrounding park are owned and maintained by theNational Park Service, a federal agency of theInterior Department.[14]
The fountain sits in the center of Dupont Circle, a park, traffic circle and neighborhood in thenorthwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. The park is located at the convergence of 19th Street,P Street,Connecticut Avenue,Massachusetts Avenue andNew Hampshire Avenue NW.[24]
The double-tiered, white marble fountain rests on a concrete base. The upper basin of the fountain, which is approximately 3 feet (0.91 m) high and 11.6 feet (3.5 m) wide and weighs 15 tons, is supported by an 8-ton shaft adorned with three allegorical figures, the Arts of Ocean Navigation. The figures, which are approximately 8 feet (2.4 m) tall and 4.5 feet (1.4 m) wide and weigh 12 tons, represent the Sea, the Stars and the Wind.[8][14] The Sea is represented by a female figure with long hair holding a boat in her right hand while caressing aseagull on her shoulder with her left hand. Her left foot rests on adolphin. The Stars is a nude female figure with long hair holding aglobe in her left hand and is faced downward. The Wind is a nude male figure draped with a ship sail. He is holding aconch shell with his left hand to use as a horn and is facing right. The water pours over the upper basin into a large lower basin that is approximately 1.8 feet (0.55 m) tall. The inscription on the outer rim of the lower basin states: "THIS MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN REPLACES A STATUE ERECTED BY THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES IN RECOGNITION OF HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICES. SAMUEL FRANCIS DUPONT UNITED STATES NAVY 1803 – 1865." The circular concrete base features four sets of three steps that lead to the surrounding plaza.[14] Six radial paths corresponding to the surrounding streets lead from the plaza to the edges of the park.[25]
Media related toDupont Circle Fountain at Wikimedia Commons
