Peter Muhlenberg Memorial

Last updated

Peter Muhlenberg Memorial
Peter Muhlenberg Memorial Washington.jpg
The memorial in 2019
Peter Muhlenberg Memorial
38°57′13″N77°04′10″W / 38.95361°N 77.06944°W / 38.95361; -77.06944
LocationMuhlenberg Park, Washington, D.C., United States
Designer
Material
  • bronze (sculpture)
  • limestone (base)
  • concrete (exedra)
Height
  • 4 feet (1.2 m) (sculpture)
  • 8.16 feet (2.49 m) (base)
  • 2 feet (0.61 m) (exedra)
Opening dateOctober 26, 1980
Dedicated to Peter Muhlenberg

John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg, commonly known as the Peter Muhlenberg Memorial, is a public monument in Washington, D.C. It honors Peter Muhlenberg, a Lutheran minister, Continental Army general, Federalist Era American politician, and member of the prominent Muhlenberg family. The memorial is located in a one-acre park bounded by Connecticut Avenue, Ellicott Street, and 36th Street NW on the eastern edge of Washington's Wakefield neighborhood. Designed by architect John Harbeson, it features at its center a bronze bust of Muhlenberg, sculpted by his descendant, Caroline M. Hufford. Completed in 1980, 52 years after its construction was authorized by Congress, attendees at the dedication ceremony included West German ambassador Peter Hermes.

Contents

The bronze sculpture of Muhlenberg is displayed on a limestone pedestal and surrounded on three sides by a concrete exedra. The memorial is owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

History

Background

In the late 19th century, the site of Muhlenberg Park was the intersection of Grant Road and Chappell Road in rural Washington County, D.C. [1] In 1871, Washington County, Washington City, and Georgetown were unified under one district government, establishing the modern boundaries of Washington, D.C. Over the following decades, motorized streetcars made settlement in the far Northwest of the city more feasible. In 1907, the completion of a bridge over the Rock Creek gorge allowed Connecticut Avenue to run uninterrupted from downtown to Chevy Chase, Maryland. [2] As the area was developed, Grant Road was gradually built over and replaced with a street grid, leaving only a few disconnected segments, including the Grant Road Historic District, remaining. Chappell Road was connected to 36th Street NW and renamed, leaving a small, triangular piece of land between it and Connecticut Avenue. [2]

1917 United States Geological Survey topographic map, with modern streets overlaid. The location of Muhlenberg Park is highlighted in blue. Muhlenberg Park street map.jpg
1917 United States Geological Survey topographic map, with modern streets overlaid. The location of Muhlenberg Park is highlighted in blue.

In 1925, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Epiphany, located on 16th and U Streets NW, purchased 4900 Connecticut Avenue NW, at the intersection of Connecticut and Ellicott, from the Chevy Chase Land Company, intending to relocate there. [3] [4] [5] The following year, Epiphany agreed to merge with St. Paul's English Lutheran Church, keeping the St. Paul's name and charter and using the Connecticut Avenue site for a new building. [6] [7] [8] [9] St. Paul's, founded in 1843 and based at the southwest corner of 11th and H Streets NW since 1845, had grown such that their historic edifice could no longer accommodate the size of the congregation. [10] [11] [5] The Church set aside the front portion of the new property, cut off from the rest by 36th Street, for donation to the federal government, as a site for a memorial to Lutheran minister, Revolutionary War hero, and early-American politician Peter Muhlenberg. [9] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Planning

On May 2, 1928, Congress passed Public Resolution No. 30, authorizing construction of the monument, with funds to be raised by the Peter Muhlenberg Memorial Association and the design to be approved by the United States Congress Joint Committee on the Library and the Commission of Fine Arts. [16] [17] [18] Congressmen Alfred L. Bulwinkle of North Carolina, who sponsored the resolution, and R. Walton Moore of Virginia both spoke in favor of its passage in the House of Representatives. [19] [20] Calling Muhlenberg "one of America's great men," Bulwinkle opined that "the appreciation of Congress should be given to the Peter Muhlenberg Memorial Association for the idea of erecting here, in the Capital of the Nation, a fitting monument to serve as a memorial to one of the men who helped to found this Republic." [21] Before further action could be taken, financial problems caused by the Great Depression resulted in delayed construction of the new church building and a halt in fundraising for the memorial. [4] [22] [23]

St. Paul's Lutheran Church from 36th Street NW in 2015 St. Paul's Lutheran Church DC.JPG
St. Paul's Lutheran Church from 36th Street NW in 2015

In 1959, the year after the church was completed, a committee was named to begin soliciting funds for the memorial's construction. [24] Washington attorney and St. Paul's congregant Henry F. Lerch III was instrumental in relaunching the project, serving as chairman of the Memorial Association, with the goal of completing it in time for the United States Bicentennial. [15] [25] John Harbeson of the Philadelphia firm Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson, a former president of the National Academy of Design, was chosen as the architect while Charles Town, West Virginia-based artist Caroline Muhlenberg Hufford was chosen to sculpt the bust at its center. [25] [26] Hufford, formerly of Reading, Pennsylvania and Arlington, Virginia, was a daughter of noted architect and former Pennsylvania Congressman, Frederick A. Muhlenberg, and a third great-granddaughter of Peter Muhlenberg. [27] The E. A. Baker Company of Washington was hired as general contractor. [26] Following several changes to the site's preliminary design, including reducing the height of the proposed backing wall, the Commission of Fine Arts gave its approval in September 1975. [28] [29] [30] The memorial cost $59,430 to build (equivalent to $249,492in 2023). [31]

Dedication

The memorial was formally dedicated on Reformation Sunday, October 26, 1980. [26] [32] [31] Approximately 300 people attended the ceremony, including West German Ambassador to the United States Peter Hermes and Mayor James Lambert of Woodstock, Virginia, the town where Muhlenberg preached prior to the American Revolution; a color guard from Woodstock and about thirty Muhlenberg descendants were also in attendance. [22] [25]

Dr. Russell Zimmerman, former pastor of the historic Augustus Lutheran Church in Trappe, Pennsylvania, gave a sermon at a preceding church service, calling Muhlenberg, "a giant among giants of the American fight for justice, liberty and independence." [15] Afterward, Henry Lerch was given the honor of unveiling the statue, and Robert Stanton, Deputy Director of the National Park Service for the National Capital Parks, delivered a speech accepting it on behalf of the federal government. [25]

Later history

The memorial and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department, as part of the Rock Creek Park administrative area. [26] [31] The park runs along the Fort Circle Parks greenway, a proposal inspired by an unrealized portion of the McMillan Plan. [33] Under its 1968, 2004 and 2010 master plans, the Park Service and National Capital Planning Commission suggested the creation of a system of trails connecting the Fort Circle Parks, including nearby Fort Reno, to each other and other open spaces in the District. [34]

Design and location

Detail of the bust by Hufford Peter Muhlenberg Memorial bust detail.jpg
Detail of the bust by Hufford

The memorial sits in the center of Muhlenberg Park in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., alongside a segment of Wakefield's eastern border with Forest Hills. The one-acre pocket park is located on the plot of land bounded by Connecticut Avenue, Ellicott Street, and 36th Street NW. [35] [36] It is directly adjacent to St. Paul's Lutheran Church and Engine Company 31, which are to the west and northwest, respectively. Also close by are Politics and Prose and Comet Ping Pong, one block up Connecticut Avenue. [22]

The bronze bust of Muhlenberg sits atop a limestone base. The approximately 4 feet (1.2 m) high by 4 feet (1.2 m) wide sculpture depicts Muhlenberg in civilian dress, with his hands resting on an open Bible before him. The base, which stands approximately 8 feet 2 inches (2.49 m) tall, resembles a pulpit and features, on three sides, carvings representing Muhlenberg's contributions to his country as a Clergyman, Soldier, and Statesman. [26] [37] The Clergyman side features an image of a Latin cross and the years, "1768–1776" inscribed below it. The Soldier side features an image of a saber and the years, "1774–1783." The Statesman side features an image of a fasces and the years, "1787–1807." The inscription at the front of the base reads: "JOHN PETER GABRIEL MUHLENBERG, 1746–1807; Serving HIS CHURCH, HIS COUNTRY, HIS STATE." A rectangular concrete exedra with three plaques, each containing biographical information about Muhlenberg, flanks the rear and sides of the memorial. [22] [26] [37]

The memorial was originally intended to feature two fountains along with a pond or reflecting pool, both to be added during a second phase of construction. [15] [25] [32] These plans were never realized.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Muhlenberg</span> American politician

John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg was an American clergyman and military officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. A member of Pennsylvania's prominent Muhlenberg family political dynasty, he became a respected figure in the newly independent United States as a Lutheran minister and member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dupont Circle</span> Place in the United States

Dupont Circle is a historic roundabout park and neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th Street NW to the east, 22nd Street NW to the west, M Street NW to the south, and Florida Avenue NW to the north. Much of the neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the local government Advisory Neighborhood Commission and the Dupont Circle Historic District have slightly different boundaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logan Circle (Washington, D.C.)</span> Place in the United States

Logan Circle is a historic roundabout park and neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest D.C. The majority of Logan Circle is primarily residential, except for the highly-commercialized 14th Street corridor that passes through the western part of the neighborhood. In the 21st century, Logan Circle has been the focus of urban redevelopment and become one of Washington's most expensive neighborhoods. Today, Logan Circle is also one of D.C.'s most prominent gay neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest Hills (Washington, D.C.)</span> Place in the United States

Forest Hills is a residential neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., United States, bounded by Connecticut Avenue NW to the west, Rock Creek Park to the east, Chevy Chase to the north, and Tilden Street NW to the south. The neighborhood is frequently referred to as Van Ness because it is served by the Van Ness–UDC station on the Washington Metro's Red Line and is near the Van Ness campus of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Philippe Cret</span> French-American architect and industrial designer (1876–1945)

Paul Philippe Cret was a French-born Philadelphia architect and industrial designer. For more than thirty years, he taught at a design studio in the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution Avenue</span> Street in the city of Washington, D.C.

Constitution Avenue is a major east–west street in the northwest and northeast quadrants of the city of Washington, D.C., in the United States. It was originally known as B Street, and its western section was greatly lengthened and widened between 1925 and 1933. It received its current name on February 26, 1931, though it was almost named Jefferson Avenue in honor of Thomas Jefferson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outdoor sculpture in Washington, D.C.</span>

There are many outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. In addition to the capital's most famous monuments and memorials, many figures recognized as national heroes have been posthumously awarded with his or her own statue in a park or public square. Some figures appear on several statues: Abraham Lincoln, for example, has at least three likenesses, including those at the Lincoln Memorial, in Lincoln Park, and the old Superior Court of the District of Columbia. A number of international figures, such as Mohandas Gandhi, have also been immortalized with statues. The Statue of Freedom is a 19½-foot tall allegorical statue that rests atop the United States Capitol dome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Circle</span> Traffic circle

Thomas Circle is a traffic circle in Northwest Washington, D.C., United States. It is located at the intersection of 14th Street, M Street, Massachusetts Avenue, and Vermont Avenue NW. A portion of Massachusetts Avenue travels through a tunnel underneath the circle. The interior of the circle includes the equestrian statue of George Henry Thomas, a Union Army general in the Civil War.

A series of Statues of the Liberators of western-hemisphere countries from colonial rule is found along Virginia Avenue, N.W., in Washington, D.C., which has been referred to as a Washington, D.C.'s version of New York City's Avenue of the Americas.

<i>Columbus Fountain</i> Public artwork in Washington, DC

Columbus Fountain, also known as the Columbus Memorial, is a public artwork by American sculptor Lorado Taft, located at Union Station in Washington, D.C., United States. A centerpiece of Columbus Circle, Columbus Fountain serves as a tribute to the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. The unveiling in 1912 was celebrated all over Washington, DC over the course of three days with parades, concerts and fireworks gathering tens of thousands of people from all over the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luther Monument (Washington, D.C.)</span> Statue by Ernst Friedrich August Rietschel in Washington, D.C., U.S.

The Luther Monument is a public artwork located in front of Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, D.C., United States. The monument to Martin Luther, the theologian and Protestant Reformer, is a bronze, full-length portrait. It is a copy of the statue created by Ernst Friedrich August Rietschel as part of the 1868 Luther Monument in Worms, Germany. The version in Washington, D.C., inspired the installation of many other castings across the U.S. The statue is a contributing property to the Luther Place Memorial Church's listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites (DCIHS). It is also a contributing property to the Greater Fourteenth Street Historic District, which is also listed on the NRHP and DCIHS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equestrian statue of George B. McClellan</span> Equestrian statue in Washington, D.C.

Major General George B. McClellan is an equestrian statue in Washington, D.C. that honors politician and Civil War general George B. McClellan. The monument is sited on a prominent location in the Kalorama Triangle neighborhood due to efforts made by area residents. The statue was sculpted by American artist Frederick William MacMonnies, a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts whose best known work is a statue of Nathan Hale in New York City. MacMonnies was chosen to design the statue following a lengthy competition organized by a statue commission, led by then Secretary of War William Howard Taft. The monument was dedicated in 1907, with prominent attendees at the ceremony including President Theodore Roosevelt, New York City mayor George B. McClellan Jr., politicians, generals and thousands of military personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dupont Circle Fountain</span> Artwork by Daniel Chester French

The Dupont Circle Fountain, formally known as the Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Dupont Memorial Fountain, is a fountain located in the center of Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. It honors Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont, a prominent American naval officer and member of the Du Pont family. The fountain replaced a statue of Du Pont that was installed in 1884. Designed by Henry Bacon and sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the fountain was dedicated in 1921. Prominent guests at the dedication ceremony included First Lady Florence Harding, Secretary of War John W. Weeks and Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of John Witherspoon</span> Statue by William Couper in Washington, D.C., U.S.

Doctor John Witherspoon is a bronze sculpture and granite pedestal which depicts John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian minister, member of Congress, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Born in Scotland, Witherspoon immigrated to the U.S. in the 1760s and later became president of the College of New Jersey. He strongly supported the Thirteen Colonies in their fight to obtain freedom from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Buchanan Memorial</span> Memorial by Hans Schuler in Washington, D.C., U.S.

The James Buchanan Memorial is a bronze, granite, and concrete memorial in the southeast corner of Meridian Hill Park, Washington, D.C., that honors U.S. President James Buchanan. It was designed by architect William Gorden Beecher, and sculpted by Maryland artist Hans Schuler. The memorial was commissioned in 1916, but not approved by the U.S. Congress until 1918. The memorial features a statue of Buchanan bookended by male and female classical figures representing law and diplomacy, engraved with text from a member of Buchanan's cabinet, Jeremiah S. Black: "The incorruptible statesman whose walk was upon the mountain ranges of the law."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Gompers Memorial</span> Memorial in Washington, D.C., U.S.

The Samuel Gompers Memorial is a bronze collection of statues in Washington, D.C., sited on a triangular park at the intersection of 11th Street, Massachusetts Avenue, and N Street NW. Samuel Gompers was an English-born American who grew up working in cigar factories, where he witnessed the long hours and dangerous conditions people experienced in factory jobs. He helped with growing the Cigar Makers' International Union, and a few years later, founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL). The number of members rose from 50,000 to 3,000,000 during his time as president of the union. He was not only successful in expanding the power of the labor movement, but also increased its prestige.

Columbian Harmony Cemetery was an African-American cemetery that formerly existed at 9th Street NE and Rhode Island Avenue NE in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Constructed in 1859, it was the successor to the smaller Harmoneon Cemetery in downtown Washington. All graves in the cemetery were moved to National Harmony Memorial Park in Landover, Maryland, in 1959. The cemetery site was sold to developers, and a portion used for the Rhode Island Avenue – Brentwood Washington Metro station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick H. Brooke</span> American architect (1876–1960)

Frederick Hiester Brooke was an American architect from Washington, D.C., who designed houses, schools, churches, and embassies during his 40-year career. A native of Pennsylvania, Brooke studied in the US and France before opening his practice in the nation's capital. He served overseas during World War I and would later design a memorial in West Potomac Park which honors local soldiers. He was an active member in several professional organizations, most notably the American Institute of Architects. Brooke's wife, Henrietta, served as president of the Girl Scouts in the 1930s. Among Brooke's notable works are Dumbarton Oaks, the District of Columbia War Memorial, the Sulgrave Club and the British Ambassador's residence, which he codesigned with Edwin Lutyens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Baptist Memorial Church</span> Church in D.C. , United States

National Baptist Memorial Church is a Baptist church in Washington, D.C. It is located at the intersection of 16th Street NW and Columbia Road, where the Mt. Pleasant, Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan neighborhoods meet. The crossroads is notable for the triple steeples of National Baptist Memorial Church, All Souls Unitarian Church and the Unification Church's cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Washington, D.C.)</span> Church in D.C., United States

St. Paul's Lutheran Church is a decorated Gothic Revival-style Lutheran church in northwest Washington, D.C. Currently located off of Connecticut Avenue NW, between Ellicott and Everett Streets, it was originally founded in 1843 as the first English-speaking Lutheran church in the District. St. Paul's is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

References

  1. Marshall, R. B.; Sutton, Frank. "Washington and Vicinity, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia" (1917 ed.). United States Geological Survey . Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Elfin, Margery L.; Williams, Paul K. (2006). Images of America: Forest Hills. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 18–20. ISBN   9780738542997. OCLC   76726903.
  3. "New Site is Chosen for Church Edifice". Evening Star . June 9, 1925. p. 18. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Elfin & Williams 2006, pp. 82.
  5. 1 2 "St. Paul's Church Is 90 Years Old". Evening Star . January 7, 1933. p. A-9. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  6. "Lutherans Unite Two D.C. Churches". Evening Star . April 29, 1926. p. 23. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  7. "Lutheran Churches Announce Merger". The Washington Post . April 30, 1926. p. 10.
  8. "Churches' Merger Now Completed". Evening Star . March 5, 1927. p. 10. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  9. 1 2 "$750,000 Lutheran Church is Planned". Evening Star . May 24, 1927. p. 2. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  10. "Lutheran Church Has Old History". Evening Star . May 1, 1926. p. 10. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  11. "St. Paul's Church Unit Dedicated". Evening Star . June 22, 1931. p. A-5. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  12. "St. Paul's To Build National Church". The Washington Post . June 14, 1930. p. 8.
  13. "Ground-Breaking Service Planned". Evening Star . June 19, 1930. p. A-9. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  14. "New St. Paul's English Lutheran Church To Be One of Washington's Show Places". The Washington Post . September 6, 1930. p. 9.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Bernhard, Marianne (October 31, 1980). "Lutherans Dedicate Muhlenberg Memorial". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  16. "Joint Resolution Authorizing the Erection in the District of Columbia of a Monument in Memory of Peter Muhlenberg" (H.J.Res. 239; 45  Stat.   483, enacted May 2, 1928).
  17. "Capital Sidelights". Evening Star . April 22, 1928. p. 8. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  18. "The Memorial City". Evening Star . December 28, 1928. p. 8. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  19. "Muhlenberg Statue Is Proposed In Bill". The Washington Post . March 16, 1928. p. 10.
  20. 1928 Congressional Record , Vol. 69, Page H6553 (April 16, 1928).
  21. "Speech of Hon. Alfred L. Bulwinkle of North Carolina in the House of Representatives, Monday, April 16, 1928". United States Government Printing Office. 1928. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Kelly, John (July 7, 2018). "A park on Connecticut Avenue NW has a statue of John Muhlenberg. Why?". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  23. "D.C. Park Report Given to Hoover". Evening Star . December 3, 1931. p. B-11. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  24. "Fund Group Is Named On Muhlenberg Statue". The Washington Post . May 2, 1959. p. D17.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "Charles Town Resident Sculptor of Statue Dedicated in Washington". Spirit of Jefferson and Farmer's Advocate . November 6, 1980. p. 5. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg, (sculpture)". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  27. Procopio, Sam (June 13, 1977). "Sculpture Viewed at Heim Dedication". Reading Eagle . p. 3. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  28. Brown, J. Carter (March 25, 1974). "Meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, 20 March, 1974 – Exhibit 5". United States Commission of Fine Arts . Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  29. Brown, J. Carter (September 26, 1975). "Meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, 17 September, 1975 – Exhibit C". United States Commission of Fine Arts . Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  30. 1976 Congressional Record , Vol. 122, Page E3685 (February 18, 1976).
  31. 1 2 3 "Monuments, Statues and Memorials – Rock Creek Park". National Park Service . Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  32. 1 2 "Memorial Honors 'Fighting Parson'". Messenger-Inquirer . November 8, 1980. p. 4B. Retrieved May 19, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  33. Sadler, Christine (October 10, 1937). "One More Mile and the District Will Have a Driveway Linking Forts". The Washington Post . p. B5.
  34. "Ideas to Achieve the Full Potential of Washington's Parks and Open Space" (PDF). National Capital Planning Commission. April 30, 2010. pp. 33–42. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  35. United States Geological Survey (2011). Washington West Quadrangle, District of Columbia–Maryland–Virginia (Map). Reston, Virginia: United States Department of the Interior. pp. 1 : 24, 000. 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic). OCLC   777027791.
  36. Ostrow, Johanne (May 23, 1980). "City-Shores". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  37. 1 2 Pohlsander, Hans A. (2010). German Monuments in the Americas: Bonds Across the Atlantic. Peter Lang. p. 42. ISBN   9783034301381. OCLC   758707717.