 Freedom Plaza inWashington, D.C. in 2005 | |
 Interactive map of Freedom Plaza | |
| Location | Northwest Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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Freedom Plaza, originally known asWestern Plaza, is an open plaza inNorthwest Washington, D.C.,United States, located near14th Street andPennsylvania Avenue NW, adjacent toPershing Park. The plaza features aninlay that partially depictsPierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's plan for the City of Washington. TheNational Park Service administers the Plaza as part of itsPennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site and coordinates the Plaza's activities.[1]
TheJohn A. Wilson Building, the seat of theDistrict of Columbia government, faces the plaza, as does the historicNational Theatre, which has been visited by every U.S. president since it opened in 1835.[2][3] Three large hotels are to the north and west. TheOld Post Office building, which houses theWaldorf Astoria Washington D.C., is to the southeast.[4]
The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation constructed "Western Plaza", which was dedicated on November 1, 1980 (see:History of Pennsylvania Avenue).[5] The plaza was renamed in 1988 to "Freedom Plaza" in honor ofMartin Luther King Jr., who worked on his "I Have a Dream" speech in the nearbyWillard Hotel.[2][5][6] During that year, atime capsule containing aBible, a robe, and other King relics was planted at the site.[5][7] The capsule will be reopened in 2088.[7]
The Plaza is one of the settings inDan Brown's 2009 novelThe Lost Symbol.[8]
In 2011, the Plaza was one of the sites of anOccupy D.C. protest.[9]
In 2014, theAmerican Planning Association noted that Freedom Plaza is a popular location for political protests and other events.[10] However, a reporter for theWashington Business Journal stated "but that does not mean the concrete expanse across from the John A. Wilson Building was well planned".[10] Many observers consider the site a "failure."[11]
On July 17, 2020, the Plaza hosted twoliving statues that mocked PresidentDonald Trump. TheTrump Statue Initiative installed the live display, which a violinist accompanied, around 9:30 a.m. The display was gone by the afternoon.[12]
During the morning of November 14, 2020, thousands of PresidentDonald Trump's supporters gathered in and around Freedom Plaza for a series of demonstrations associated with the "Million MAGA March". Various groups including Women for America First and March for Trump organized the event to protest theresults of the November 3 presidential election.[13]Counter-protesters later confronted the demonstrators, leading to violence during the evening.[14]
On December 12, 2020, a pro-Trump demonstration in and near the Plaza later also resulted in nighttime counter-protests, violence, and arrests.[15]
On January 13, 2024, Freedom Plaza was used as a venue during theMarch on Washington for Gaza. According to protest organizers, around 400,000 protesters were in the vicinity of the plaza.[16]
The Plaza is a modification of an original design byarchitectRobert Venturi that theUnited States Commission of Fine Arts approved.[2][3][5][6][17] The Plaza, which is composed mostly of stone, is inlaid with a partial depiction of L'Enfant's plan for the City of Washington.[5] Most of the plaza is raised above street level.[5] The eastern end of the plaza contains anequestrian statue ofKazimierz Pułaski that had been installed at its site in 1910.[5]
The surface of the raised portion of the Plaza, consisting of dark and light marble, delineates L’Enfant's plan.[5] Brass outlines mark the sites of the White House and the Capitol.[5] Quotes about the city from its visitors and residents are carved into the marble surface.[5] Granite retaining walls, marked at intervals by planted urns, edge the plaza.[5] A granite-walled fountain flows in the western portion of the plaza.[5]
Flagpoles flying flags of the District of Columbia and the United States rise from the plaza opposite the entrance of the District Building.[5] The Plaza also contains a metallic plaque containing theGreat Seal of the United States,[18] followed by an inscription describing the history and usage of the seal. The Plaza is one block south of the "Freedom Plaza" historical marker at stop number W.7 of the Civil War to Civil Rights Downtown Heritage Trail at 13th and E Streets, NW.[2][3]
The Plaza is a popular location forskateboarding, although the illegal sport damages stonework, walls, steps, and sculpture while presenting a persistent law enforcement and management challenge. Popular websites advertise Freedom Plaza's attractiveness for the activity.[19] Further, vandals have removed "No Skateboarding" signs.[19]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link).In 1988, Western Plaza became Freedom Plaza in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "I Have A Dream" speech. Fittingly, a time capsule in his memory was buried underneath it. When it is opened in 2088, historians will find King's bible, a robe he wore to preach in and audio recordings of some of his speeches.
Yes, Freedom Plaza "remains a popular location for political protests and other events," as the association describes it, but that does not mean the concrete expanse across from the John A. Wilson Building was well planned.
One group of people do use Freedom Plaza regularly: skateboarders. The open hardscape and railings of Freedom Plaza make an excellent and popular skate park, though skating there is not actually allowed and Park Police regularly chase skaters from the park.
Scott Brown said, "They came from all over the country to wreck our plaza, which they nearly did, and all those inscriptions on the floor and everything else, that's ruined by roller skating."
Skateboarding damages stonework, walls, steps, and sculpture in some areas and presents a persistent law enforcement and management challenge. Damaged areas include stone facing on memorials, benches, and other surfaces. Moreover, popular websites advertise the attractiveness of these areas for skateboarding, which indicates the large scope of this challenge. .... Actions: .... In park areas replace and maintain "No Skateboarding" signs that have been vandalized.
38°53′45″N77°1′50.6″W / 38.89583°N 77.030722°W /38.89583; -77.030722
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