illl0RICIl RESUIC" SUI[I "UMBEl I 

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION 

u.s OEPIRlMENT OF lifE ImllOR * UliONAl PIRK SERVICE 
"".~ . .: 

" . f -:"_ ... . ._ ... 

Blue Ridge Parkway 

UD:lARY 

Acc. NO'-L', ... Q/,~3,--_ " • '. J , , , ,~ , ..... /". "

,:. 
FI,. I,--Pr etldent and Mra. Lyndon B. Jobn.soo au olU.1 In Loroyette Plrk, July 16, 196 . o.ceo",po.nled by repOlte .. 

and Seeret 8et"vice oleota. 
Wuhlnalon. D.C. 

b, 

Georae J. Oluewakl . Ph. D. 

HISTORIAN, NA nONAL CAPITAL REGION 

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION HISTORICAL RESEARCH SERIES, NO. I 

u.s. Dl':PARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR * NATIOOAL PARK SERVICE 

Waahinaton 1964 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Stewart L. Uda ll, Secretary 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

George B. Hartzog. Jr •• DIrector 

The National Park System, of which 

Lafayette Park is a unit, is dedicated 

to conserving the scenic scientific and historic heritage oj the United 

States for the benefit and inspira _ tion of its people. 
Contents 

Pog. 

Preface ... ....•..... ...... ...••.... .... ....••.. ... ..... ...•. ....•... .... ...... ..... .•... vii 

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS..................... .................. ................. ill; 

SECTION I. ADl4INISTRATlON OF LAFAYETTE PARK.............. I 

SECTlON U. HISTORICAL DATA.......................................... .... 3 

SECTION In. LANDSCAPING OF LAFAYETTE PARK, 1872_1933... 17 

SECnON IV. MEMORIAL STATUES OF LAFAYETTE PARK......... 29 

SECnON V. LANDSCAPING BY NA'I10NAL CAPITAL PARKS, 

1936-1937........................................................ 41 

SECTION VI. LAFAYETTE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY .. .......... 51 

APPENDlX.... ....................................................... .................. 511 

BIBLlQGRAPHY ............................. :....................... ......... ........ 64 

• 
., 

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION 

HISTORICAL RESEARCH SERIES 

No. 1. Lafayette Park 

(In Preparation) 

No.2. Franklin Park 

No.3. Dupont Cir cle 

No.4. Farragut Square 

No.5. Lincoln Park 

No.6. The Frederick Douglan House 

No.7. Memorial Stones of the Washington Monument 
Preface 

Thi. hi. torical . ",rvey of Laf"y~tte Par ~ i. a prelim;nuy ",,,,dy and the littt in 

a -e rie. ot doc",m~nted hiotorical monoarapho to be ""bli.hed on the park area. and 

hi " oric .i'e. o f Waohin (jton under the j"d.dictiOJ> of .he National Capital Reaion of 

'he Na'ional P .. ~ Service. Each . tudy "'ill COver the legal o<iiin and admini.tutive 

au.ho"ty ot .he ~ei ic pad" '" hi.torie .i'e, the developmen'al .taaeo in par~ land_ 

.caping, and .he preoent uu and value to the community, They a re ,~cific.lly de_ 

.i,ned to illu.tr.te the hi.torieal .ianiticance and value of each par~ Or hi.torie 

.ile, to aid in preurvina their natural beauty from the inroad. of non.par~ project •• 

and to ur~e ao authoritative refennce work. on the o~cific o",bjech of .he paper • . 

Under pruent development plan. for !.-abyette Par~, the Na tional Capital Region 

h .. authorhed the p,.ep.aralion of 'he plan approved by the late Preoident, John 

Fihaerald Kennedy, in 1962 . n wao completed by the wen·~nown American architect., 

John Corl Warnecke and A n oelatco, who are currently canyinll out rcotoration 

and o.her conotruction wor~ on Lahyette Par~ and Square under the ou""rvi.ion o f 

the National C apital Rellion. The pruent deoign, a copy of which io included in thi • 

• tudy ao Fillure 38, i. intended to give dignity and unity to Lafa y"tte Par~ in keeping 

with ,t. hi . t orte relationohip and .illniliunce to the White Hou"". It .ech to c~eat e 

as u' en.i~e a view .. pouible from the Executive Man.ion throuih Lafa yette ParI< 

and up Sixtunth Stuet without mOving the otat"e 01 General Andrew Jac~ on, The 

four .ta tuu to hero ... o f the Ame~ican ltevolutionaTY War ... ill b. retained in th.ir 

pretent locat'on • • Provi.ion will be made lor the .., a ting 01 vi.ito," and for th e 

p".u ge of ""deot"an. throullh the p"rk area. Colorful di . play. o f ",n onal flo we .. 

and . hrub. will continue to enhance the enjoymer,t of 'he parI< by W .. hington rcoidenlo 

and vi.ito", to the Nation'. capilal. 

Lafa yette ParI< io a reetanll"lar area of approx imately nven acreo of land 

which, oriainally. wat included in the Pruident'. Park according to the pl.n. of 

Major Pierre I..'Enlanl. Thoma. Jefferoon decided that it wao too h'en.ive an area 

to be included in the White Hou"" g,o""dl and a"thori ed it, l eparation into a par~ 

area for the uoe of r",;dent. and vi.ito .. to W .. hinglon, In 18Z4, it wat named 

Labye tte P o r k in honor of M<o.jor Gene ral Mar'lui. de Lafayette, hero of the Ameri· 

c a n R"volullon, lollowin(j hio triumpha l vi . it to the Unit"d Sta t ... , 

The earliut definitive landocape trealme n t of Lafayette ParI< "'at designed in 

1853 by the leading Americ a n la nd'cape architect of th o day, Andrew he~lon 

Downinll. Batie,ny. Lafayette Par~ ,. a compromite be tween Ihe formal I t)'le of 

European continental Ilarden. and £n(jU.h n.tunli.m. Throughout the YUTO , Down_ 

inll' o plan h n been adhered to wilh only .light modificalion. being mad. thereto 

ao the major land.ca pe wor~ wu ca rrie d out by the Army Corp. o f &.gineero from 

1872 to 1686, and durinll 1936 and 1937 by the National Capital Par , forerunner 

of .he pre unt National Ca pital Region. Under CUT rent development plan . fOT Lafayette 

Square, Downina' . plan will continue to be adhered to at the outotandina featuru of 

the acea are beinll rcotored and new fe deral buildinll' are beina conot r ucted in ouch 

a manner that the peaceful ~i",a of Lafayette Par~ will be retained. 

Sinc e thi. hi.torical s urvey of Lahye"e Park i. de . igned a. a pilot model, I 

have included all pertinent documentary material from the filet of Ihe National 

Ca pi ta l Rellion. PhotOllr aph. are from the file. of Abb i. Ro we and the lnformation 

Br.neh, Early . ketche . of Wuninaton and plan. and drawin80 of the land. c.ping 

of Lafa yette Par~ He from the !.-and Recorda , aphi~ . and Map Dlvi.ion. Cor_ 

rupondence i. from th e Ma il and Record, Branch. My Own I"","onal in tervi . .... 

a nd ground ourveyo provided coordinatinll fact. e .. ential to the ",,,dy. 

September 1~1>4 G,J ,O • 

• u 
l 

LAfAYETTE. SQUARE 

[ 

k . • 

c::::: 

Ftc, 2.-La.r.,eIU &!~ ... In reL.t1oa 10 tbe "lihUe HOllSe Nellhbofhood. 

vIII 
List of Illustrations 

Figure Page 

Lafayette Park and the White House Nellj:hborOOod COVER 

1. President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson strolUna; In LaJayettt Park, Frontispiece 

July 16, 1964, aceompanlB<i by reporters and Secrel Service 

aa;ents. 

2. Lafayette Square In relation to the White House Nellj:hborhood. vi 

3. South front Of White House and outline (In wlllte) enclosing limits :r;tl 

of Lafayette Puk to the north. Dome 015t. Matthew's Cathedral, 

scene of the State FUneral Mus on Novem~r 25, 1963, for the 

late Pre/lldent, Jolin F. Kennedy, appeau In upper l eft. 

4. OVerlay showina; orlgtnal Iloldlna;s of patentees with superimposed 2 

sketch of the future Washlnlj:ton, accordlna; to Dr. Joseph M. 

Toner. 

5. Sketch showing land holdings 01 orlgtnal patentees, 1792. 4 

6. Comparative plans of L'Entant and Ellicott lor the Federal City. 5 

7. L'Enfant plan 01 Washington sllowlng restoration 01 avenues after 6 

delellon by Washington and Jefferson. 

8. Undated manUllcrlpt sheet, £. 1800, soowtng surveyor 's notes lor 8 

laying out the streets and blocks around the President's House 

and Park. 

9. Park system of the National Capltlliunder Jurisdiction of the Na_ 9 

tlonal Capital Regton. 

10. Sketch showing dimensions of Lafayette Park and sidewalks. 10 

11. Map of Washington, published In 1818, showing survey by R. King, 11 

surveyor 01 the City of Washington. 

12. Map published t. 1837 showtng Penneylvanlil. Avenue cut through 12 

and separating the Presldent'sHouse and Grounds fNm LaJayetle 

Square. 

13. Andre .... Jackson Downing, landscape architect, WhO designed the 14 

bulc landscape plan for LaJayette Park. 

14. Earliest sketch, k' 1857, showing Downlna; plan forlandscaplng 15 

LaJayette Square. 

15. Sketch published 1872. 1813 showing Downing plan of LaJayette 16 

Square. 
Figure Page 

16. Brollze urn placed In Lafayette Park In 1872. " 

17. Park lodge, erected In Lafayette Park In 1914, to be removed under 22 

neW development plans of the NaHonal Capital Region. 

18. A particularly fine specimen of the 

appeared In 1891. Age, disease, 

constant replacement of trees and """;t,, 

u 

19. Final design of La1ayette Square after landscaping by Corps of 26 

Engineers, 1872-1886. 

20. Inventory of Lafayette Park, 1929. " 

21. Preliminary sketch plan of Lafayette Park approved by FIne Arts 28 

Commission, 1921. 

22. Rare photo of memorial to General Andrew Jael<son showing the 30 

Iron gates which formerly enclosed LatayeUe Park. 

23. General Charles de Gaulle, accompanied by President Owlght D. 32 

Eisenhower, carrying the memorial wreath to be laid at the foot 

of the statue to General Latayette on betlaltof the French nation 

on April 23, 19{iO, during the historic vtsltof the French President to the White Hoose. 

24. Statue to Gene ral Lafayette and his compatriots til Lafayette Park, 33 

showing memorial wreath laid by General de Gaulleon Apri123, 

1960. 

25. Memorial elatue to General Thaddeus Koscluszko, Polish hero of 34 

the Revolutionary War. 

26. Memorial statue to the Comte de Rochambeau, leader of the 36 

French Expeditionary Foree during the Revolutiona ry War. 

27. Memorial statue \0 Baron VOn Steuben, Prusslan diSCiplinarian 36 

and inspector General of th" Continental Army. 

28. Diagram of Lafayette Park prior to reconditioning of 1936-1937. 40 

29. Rare sketch of suggested treatment of Lafayette Park by Commls_ 42 

sian of Fine Arts, f.. 1933, according to Caemmerer. 

30. View of Jackson statue, newly installed Iron fencing and walk.!l, 43 

looking south toward the White House, September 1936. 

31. Lafayette Park, lOOking "ast toward Madison Place, showing land_ 

scape changes, March 1936, and relocation of urnslrom A to B . 

• 
Figure pog. 

32. View looking toward St. John's Church (the "Church of the Presi· 4S 

dents") and Sixteenth Sireet, showing relocated urn and workmen 

enlarging walks at east or Madison Place entrance to Lafayette 

Park, March 1936. 

33. View looking northeast from Lafayette Park Iowan:! the Dolly 4S 

Madison house, showing iandacaplng changes, March 1936. 

34. View lOOkl"ll toward Sixteenth Street, showllll workmen enlarging 46 

and regrading walks and grounds of Lafayette Park, May 1936. 

35. Workmen removing topsoil from a round trees In Lafayette Park, 46 

July 1937. 

36. Diagram of new lighting plan for Lafayette Park, January 29, 1936, 47 

showing closing of walks at former location of bronze UrnS. 

37. Diagram of Lafayette Park after reconditioning of 1936. 1937. 46 

38. Development plan of the National Capital Region for Lalayette 49 

Park. The orlglnal sketch was approved by the late PreSident, 

John F. Kennedy, In 1962. 

39. Park historian Interpreting the signl!lcance of the memorial to 

General Andrew JacksOn, during a walking IoIIr of the White 

Hoose Neighborhood. 

40. Park historian Interpretilli the slgnltlcan~ of the memorial to the 52 

Comte de Roclutmbeau during a walktlli lour In Lafayette Park. 

41. Blair House, scene of the attempted assassination of President 53 

Harry S. Truman, on November 1, 1950, being Interpreted by a 

park historian tor a .... alklng group. 

42. Mrs. FrederiC A. Groves, PreSldent· General of the National 54 

'Society of the Danghteu of the American Revolution, planting a 

memorial while oak in Lalayelte Park, March 17, 1959, as 

Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Roger C. Ernst, looks On. 

43. Dedication of the " Bernard Baruch Bench of Inspiration" by the 54 

Boy Scouts of America. 

44. Community Art FaLr held Ln Lafayette Park In IIl4t. View from 56 

Madison Place showing Lalayette statue al left. 

45. Artist demonstrating her technique during Community Art Fair, 58 

June 1942. 

46. £Jthlblt of the work of Naval personnel at the Art Fair in Lafayette 58 

Park, J\lne 1942. 

47. Planting plan of Lafayette Park, August 23, 1958. 60 

48. Tree replacement plan of Lafayette Park, revised December IS, 61 

1958. 

49. Planting details of Lalayette Park, December 30, 1958. 

50. Topography of Lafayette Park, March 1964. " " 
'" 
SECTION ONE 

ADMINISTRATION OF LAFAYETTE PARK 

Org<lllba!ioll.--The administration of Lafayette Park, as part of the system of 

Public BuUdlngs and Grounds of the Natlon'3 Capital, date3 haek to 17fH. A brief 

resume of Its legal evolution Is considered euenUalto an understanding of any discussion of the development Q[ the area. 

Congress empowe red the President by the Act of July 16, 1790,' to appoint 

three Cornmluloners to layout a dietrlet or territory for the permanent seat at the 

Government of the United Statn. It directed the Commlsslonen to provide suitable 

buildings fo r the Congren, the President and fOr P\lbllC otllcn of the Government. 

Tbe distrlet laid OIIt llJlder this authority was named the Territory of Columbia; the 

Federal City was named the City of Washington. 

The Offlee of the Commlsaloners was abollsbed by the Act of May t, 1802,2 and 

their duties devolved upon a SUperlntendenl of Publle Buildings to be avpointed by 

the PreSident of the United Stales. Seetlon 5 of the Act Of April 29, 1816, abolisbed 

the Office of Superintendent of Public SuUdlng3 and bls dulles devolved upon a 

Commts-toner of Publle Buildings. 

Wben the Department of the Interior was created by the Act 01 March 3, 1849, 

Section 9 provided: "That the supervtllOry and appellate powers now exerelsed by 

the President of the United State~ over the COmml!l8!oner of Publie Bulldlngs shall 

be exercised by the Seeretary of the Interior.'" By the Act ol March 2, 1867, the 

QUice of the Commluwner of PublLc Buildings, after functioning lor almost 51 

years, was abolished. Its duties were aulgnedto tM Office of the Cblef of Engineers, 

Unlled States Army.' On March 13, 1867, the Chief of Engtneers assigned an Engineer 

officer to be "In charge of Public Buildings and Grounds." For 58 years these duties 

were administered by that office untll by Act of February 26, 1925, Congren created 

the Independent office of Director Q[ Public Bulldlngs and Publle Parks of the National 

Capltal. 6 The Dlrector performed the duties prevtoOely anlgned to the Chief of 

Engineers, and reported direetly to the PreSident. 

In 1933 control of the National Capital Parks was returned to the Department of the 

interior and Lafayette Parkbeeame an ImpOrtant unit at the nationwide National ParI<.!! 

system . .. Today Lafayette Park Is administered by the Dlrector, National Capital Region 

(Landa cape Dlvislon). and forms one of the most Important units In the chain of 

park3 of the Nation's Capital. 

_.'. IU~). 130. 

Ca pl,a lllq\on. o of <"- Na <l" .. 1 cop!td <W .. Mngton . 1963). p. 1. 

I 
, 

• h , . 

~~ 

, •• . 

• < =. 

, 

' • . 

. 

;~ 

., " 

., 

.. 

j 

! 

, 
SECTION TWO 

HISTORICAL DATA 

lnlYoduction. --Lafayette Park, known for many years as the President's Square 

and, later, Lafayette Square, b one of the outstanding historic sites of the Nation's 

Capital. Situated on United States Reservation No. 10, It was orlgtnally one of the 

first parcels of land donated by the original patentees to the DLstrlct Commissioners 

for the formation of the Federal City 111 1791. Although the question has never been 

formally resolved because of the controversy surrounding the writings 01 various 

authors On the hiStory of the Nation's Capital and Its public buildings and parks, the 

weight of authOrity appears to Indicate that the original site of the President's House 

(the White House) and the area to the north (the present Wayelle Park) was orlglnally 

part of the land holdinge 01 DaVid Burnes (then known as BeaU's Leveb) and of 

Samuel Davidson (then known as Port Royal). l Port Royal was the area of tile future 

Lafayette Park. ~ 

Prior to acquisition of the elte, bowever, George Wuhlngton experienced dif_ 

ficulties in negotiating with ths orlgtnal. landowners, particularly "the obstinate 

Mr. Burnes. " > David Burnes owned atractoftwo hundred and twenty_five acres (225) 

near the mouth of what Wall then called Tiber Creek. The DaVidson tract 1I1cluded the 

area which subseq\lently became known as Lafayette Square. Althoua:b Burnes Wall 

one 01 the longest to hold out a(alnet selling Ills land to the Federal Government 

at £25 pe r acre, his signature was the second to appea r on the original sales agree_ 

ment of March 30, 1791. A condition of the sales agreement permitted the owner to 

uee the natural resources 01 the land after its Bale untU the government decided to 

make use of it. In addition, the pOrtion of land to be used for IItreets was not to be 

paid for by the Federal Government.' 

Evolution of the si/e. __ WhUe no definite landscape plan appears 10 have been 

Immediately laid out for Lalayelle Park, nor for any other area of the Nation's 

Capital in its embryonic stages of development, early city plans show that the aru 

bad been set aIIlde to be landscaped as the city grew. 

tract Or hOlalnp, " kina; .. hto 

March 30, 1!99. 0.. Som"el C. Buoey I. hi. _r~ 

1891), !'P. 4l-43. 

'See I'Ig\lre . 

l Loutoe PaY"'" U llmcr, Your w .. hlllilo" oro! MIno (New York. 1924), p. 19. 

4CoemmueT, cpo c!t., p. 16. 

3 
~ 

t 

~ 

= " , , ~ '

," " ~ ,- . • 

.. 

0 

!: 

" 

\ 

" 

• , r.. ~ . • • • 

>. . ,-

• 
! III ". .. 11 .. 1 jll 

~~j lIt 

i i: 'Hi ! ~ ~ ~l ~ ,! ~' 

i ". 

u 

! tl! , 

• • t 

• ! 

ii • 

" • 

, 

• 

• • " "t: fI; 

~' 

, 

, 

• • " . ,0 ,,' • 

" 

• 

• 

I' ~ i 

, 

111 1 • V 

i' • 

Ii l £ 

i Ij 

JI- III 

• 
> 

, 

>~ > 

1-

• 

, !! I : ~;$~Ih 

(;"'~!jll 

,:, ~.~~i ~. I' I 

dlil -1 q 

J! 

j' 

1 

I 

• 

! 

• • • " • • • ! 

• • • • i 

• • 

~ 

i 

5 
In 1790 George Wuhlngton defined the 10 square mile limits of the city In his 

original plan for the Nation's Capital. WhIle the site for the President's houae and 

grounds was ildopted according to the L'Enfant plan of 1791, It was the Ellicott plan 

of 1792 that wu finally adopted by the District CommlBIIloners for the city as a 

whole. Thus when the capital was u tabllr .ed In the city of WaBhlngton, the site of 

Lafayette Park was Included In the ar . .. known as the Preeldent's HOU8f! and 

President's Park. This entire area extended from 15th to 17th Streets, Northwest, 

and from H Street In the oorth to the P<>tomac River on the south.' Pennsylvania 

Avenue was not cut through and Jackson ."1(\ Madison Places did oot e.rlst.6 It was 

under the Jefferson administration that U.e eldent of Lafayette Square was defined 

and set at Its present day limits.? Toda, the dimensions of Lafayette Park and the 

immediate surrounding areas are as follows: (I) Lafayette Park, N to S, 420.67'; 

E to W, 722.7'; (2) width of Sidewalks, S. 22', E, 17' , N. IS" and W, 17'; (3) width 

of Madison Place, 40.0'; J ackson Place, 39.4' .' 

Evolution o/term "lAfoyette Park·. When Major L'Enfant prepared his plan 

for the city of Washington, the Lafayette Square area was a neglected common 

devoid of trees. In 1797 a race course wae laid out On the west side of the glVUnds 

and extended westward to Twentieth Street. As construction began on the Prn!dent's 

House, workingmen's huts occupied the grounds. When these were removed, a market 

place was eslabl1shed there. This was later removed to Pennsylvania Avenue between 

7th and 9th Streets, Northwest, eventually becomlng the city's Center Markel. Durln,g 

the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, the park area was used for a soldier's 

encampment and a center for military musters. During the CIvil War, trOOps guarding 

the White House were stationed ther e. 

As noted earlier, little thought WU given to the development of the area until Its 

limits were defined by President Jefferson. In 1824, when General Lafayette made 

his historic visit to the Nation's Capital, the grounds were Improved and wa.liallaid 

out In the square for the first lime. The square was known as the "President's Park" 

until 1834 when the term "Lafayette Square" was used for the first time. This 

deslgnatton lasted. for almost 100 years. Since 1933, when C(lntrol of the National 

Capital Parks was returned to the Department of the Interior, the term "Lafayette 

Park" has been preferred and adhered to by the National Park Servi<:e.9 

The A . .!. Oo><ming pia ... --In 1851, wilen plans were being made for the erection 

of a statue to Andrew Jackson In the center of Lafayette Square, the Commissioner 

ot Public SUUdlngs Invited one of the moet eminent landscape architects of the day, 

Andrew Jackson Downing, of Newburgh, New York, to come to Washington and to 

prepare plans tor the landscaptng ot Lafayette Square and other park areas of the 

Nation's Capital, In addition to plans forthe Mall and the BotaniC Gardens. Downtng's 

's .. Flg\Or .. 6 and '. 

'11"1'1"11 C. Root. Superlnlendenl. Nl.tlO ... 1 Capital Part.., to E. Jobn 1..<>"11 (Wul>l"ll<On. J~ne I. JOW/). 

in lILe NCR. U6(l/Lofay ..... Port. n. 

'Clem_rer. ~ •• p. I ~3 . Jeff" .... n. II> hi. not .. made on October B. \792. In whloh he refe ... to 

,!Ie LIm!" of the Pr .. l6en,'. Square .. Iter . ..... le ot 10< . .. bO~ wen pJaoe . ... t .. , .... . bo"nded on the W. 

by 17th "re«. N. by fl. Itr .... E. by I~h. S. by 0 .... Bur .... '1 Un. I".~PI ,be twO oquor .. 167. I> 221 • 

• Lr""dy .... blJaI>o<L .n<L 1a1<l otf) •. .. " Cited by So"I I(. PI<lon< Led.). Thomao J,fferoon .nd ",e NOtlOnU 

~ IW •• h1fC\Ot1. 19461. P. 304. 

Hymon<L L. Free",.n, ..... 11 .. '" RepJlIlI Director, a_"re" PI.nn1 .... NCR. to Dr. I.onle E. 

"'CO'f (W hl~n. October H. (963). In Ille NCR. l.o/1ly .. ,e Por~, 024. 1/ 1/ 63 __ • See 1'1,..,.0 10. 

"Roo •• OP t olt. In tlol. """,,r. tile 'erm' .. Lal.y ..... Sq .. r' ... n<! "Laf1lyflle Put .. ore ,.",<lI_r_ .""ng ... bly In <I1Ie"'ln:f the 1111<0.,. 01 the or .. to 1933. 

, 
P11. I.-UIIII.~ _ftUK,lpI .~ee!. s.. 1800. ,bowl", '.ne,...-·. ftotn 1ft' la11ftl ftu! 

IUtelS and bl",," .. ""Id 1he P~.ldeo!'. 11ft"'" 1l1li Par~ . 

• 
• 

• 
10 

RES NO 10 N .W . 

SHEET NO. ( SHUTS) 

Lil F. e .t 

• • • • 

.. • 

, 

• 

, . 4Uh 

La P.X-dl. 5 1ullre 

Seill., ,-. 150' 

... , 

- .1 __ 60.. PI • .,. 

• 

• • • 

• > • 

.. 

, 

, 

~ 

z 

.... , 

l.qto4: Wall ., AlP"*ll .... Cruel c. •• ! =-

Sl.l_ 0 DispI.y r .... l.;. <:> 

Oriol;j", F_"I. ICII r ..... Bed 

' ... ' 

o 

.? ...... ~U~ "" .'DCWA C_ 

H I.' 

~ F'ilx-ette 17.85· 

l'e "" .-A" e. U ' 

.. lil "n IIIl lZS ' 

All"'" ;'03+50·' 

w",n:II SUPP\.Y 

CONDITION ~hI$ I""'p,.o>,ed. 

L • ., X 

ItOAOWA' 

4' + 

40 ' 

8+.1-· 

9 .. 3 ' 

1 
• -

• < 
12 

] 

i 

, 

~ 

i 

! 

, 

., I 

., 

• " , . 

. ":; ., 

"03 ! , . , 

" < 

. 

• 

, 

15 , . or 

l 

, 

i 

• , 
beautiful Gothic revlval cottage and lovely landscaped ground8 had become famous 

as a resort for fashionable famUtes. He had also written several treatises on land· 

scape gardenlng which had become valued works in their field. 

In accepting this appointment, Downl", wrote to the Commissioner of Public 

Buildings: 

~ar Sir •• j haft the pleuure of aCknowledHinll the receipt of )'Our favo r of the 

Hth of ""arch, Inlormlna m e of the adoption of my plan for improvina the public 

Broundl and allo my appointment by the Preoldent to luperintend It. execution. 

I bell you 10 exp re .. my thankl 10 the Preoidenl {or the Honor of the appointment 

whieh I accept. I will repon mYleLf at Wuhlngton al early u pollible._probably 

by the middle 01 ne>et week: and am 

Dear Sir 

You ... Sincerely 

A. J. Downing 

On April 3, 1851, President MIl4rd FUlmore, endorsed Downi",'s appointment 

stating that hili rate of compell/llltion would be $lMlO. per annum. ' O 

Downl"" undoubtedly, arrived In Washington as he antlcl~ted shortly after 

his appointment, although little documentary material appears toe:rlilt 011 his work In 

the Nat\.on's capital. In addition to prepari", plans suhf.lequenUy used In landscaping 

the /IOUth grounds of the WhIte House and the Mall, Downing Is generally credited 

with the landscape plan for Lafayette Park shown in Figure 15. U This plan shows a 

central theme consistlng of wide gravel paths leadlngto the statue of General Andrew 

Jackson as smaller meandering walks go past beds of roses and other flowers. In 

general, the Downing plan WIlB adllered to until the e:rlstlng landscaping SCheme was 

carried out as a major project by the Works Prngress Administration during 1936. 

37, The detll\ls of these changu are fully d<:>c\Imented by plallS trom the tiles of the 

National Capital Region, and by photographs taken of the work whUe In progress. 12 

In his landscaping plan for Lafayette Park, Downing was assisted by W. D. 

Brackenridge, botanist of the WUkes Arctic ExpedUlOII of 1838 and by John Saul, 

the celebl'1lted horticulturist of WaShington, D.C. Unlortunately, before he could 

complete his landscaping plans for the city, Downing met a tragic death aboard an 

excursion · ooat, the Steamer HENRY CLAY, On the Hudson River July 28, 1852 . ., Nevertheless, even itlough little work was actually done to carry out the Downing 

plan for Lafayette Square because of the outbreak of the Civil War, Congress gave 

new Impetus to long-range plans for the beautUlcatton of the city by appropriating 

funds wblch permitted much of the basic work on the square to begin In 1872. 

'0 SOM Clogett Pl"OOtot. "Tbe Trape l)eo,h 01 Andrew J,eUon ();,,,N., .. ,,, ,lie I>\onumefll to HIO 

Memoll'," Ln l\ecor40. ol'M Col"""bU HiotOrlcaL Socle<y. xxvn (WUtILnatO", L923). 2~2. 

USee p. 16-

"See FLgur .. 31_33. 

"Proetor, op. cU. 
PII. 13.-Andr ew JachOfl Downllll. lalld.cope arcMleCt, _110 

deellned tbe bulc lalld.cape p!lOn 10' [.&I.,-etle Park. 
• .-' 

I ' 

t , . , • .. .. .. • 

• 

• 

• 

• 

, 

r 

, 0 

~ ~ .. 

= 

.. 

~ 

~ 

.. 

~ 

I • " • 

• 

• 

, 

., . 

.......... 

~ 

• 

• 

> • -, 

< 

" > • .. 

,; 

~ 

Hl's.1 

.... "V 

a I 

, - 1 

I 

J 
~"~"' .. ' 

t!j 

(70 

A~' 

171 

IL-

~ 

I s 

173 

j 

16 

~, :=' ::::; ~-~, . 
SECTION THREE 

LANDSCAPING OF LAFA YETTE PARK, 

1872·1 933 

lnJroduclion .•• TIle first major luKbellplng to be <:Ilrrled out WIl8 th3.t commenc· 

1113 in 1872 under the IlIImtnistratlon of the OUlcer_In_Chnge 01 Public Buildings 

Ilnd Grounds, Corps of Englneera. TIle mlljor futures of this work Is noted in this 

section to provide basic referen<:e material. 

During the intervening yeara, from 1872_1 933, 1"OII.tlne maintenance work was 

carried OIlt with the exception of the follOwing major <:hange In the ovenll design of 

Lafayette Park when statues were installed at the four corners of the square. 

Inltlally, the base for the statue of General Lafayette was Installed In the center of 

the park on the BOIIth side 01 the square. When \.t was realized that the nine-foot 

pedestal cut oU !be dlre<:t view from the White Hoose through the center 01 the pnk 

and the vista up Sl%teenth Street, the Secretary of War, In 1890, oNiered the ere<:tion 

of the Lafayette statue In Its present 10cIltlon and the removal of the obstructing 

pedestal. 1 This chaIlie permitted the cnrying OIlt of the present design. In 1891 the 

statue of General Lafayette was completed; in 1902, OIletoGeneral de Rochambf!llu on 

the southwest corner; and In 1910, the statue to General TIladdeus Kollclusuo and 

to General von Steuben were erected, the former on the northeast corner and the 

latter on the northwest cor ner of the &qUns. 

In 1914 a new park lodge wu ersd ed, rep1aclna: an enlier one. In 1921 the 

Commission of Fine Arts approved Ilfive-yea rplanfor the removal a!ld transplanting 

of older trees and the planting of new trees In Lafayette Park. 2 ThIs preliminary 

sketch Plan. as it wall known, was approved by the Engineer Offlce r-ln-Chal"J"e on 

J anuary 27, 1925, barely a month before the transfer of Lafayette Park to the 1lIIministration 01 the newly-appointed Director of Public SuUdlngs and Public PiU"U 

of the National Capital on February 26, 1925. J 

During this same period from 1872 to 1933, inventories were also made of the 

~~p~~~::,e~~m~lI':: irl~t l~f 1~::;s all ,!o:n:~~a:dlin~~J:,b~~::,~:;:~~~~~ was made of all features of the equare, Including contemplated changes In the land· 

scaping of the uea, as shown In Figure 14. TIlese biter changes iU"e discussed and 

documented In the followl,,&" section. 

Val .. , of lA/Oydt, P<lrll.--ln passing, It might be of Inter est to conSider the 

monetary value of Lafayette Park. AI! the cttygrew and land values rose accordingly, 

the monetary value of Lafayette Park Increased with the years. The entire area, 

embracing the 8quare, 18 apprOximately uven \'1) acres--6.96 to be exact. At the 

date of the sale of the land by the orl.gLnai owner. to the federa.l government Of\ 

MiU"ch 30, 1791, Its value was set at t. 2~, or '67.00, per acre, ' payment thus being 

' Wa r Dep .... "' .. " Annual Reponl 01. <110 Chief 01. 1!!If!'neen, 1157_1 914 (W" h1lIII'",,- 'SM-192~). 

Tbeoe , op'rta ore primo,.,. """roe ma'erlal ~r on1 lnoeI, of I.~ .... Sq\Io.r c. CUed ""r .. lt,,r .. AliCE. 

>See f"WIre 21. 

's.. p. I. 

4AIICe lor ISS6. p. 210:!. 

'W. B. 8x"yon . .. Illllmrz of <110 Na,lona, Capitol. I IN'" YOrk, ,914), u a. 

" 
PI.I. le.-Stonlt urn D\.actld III (.&r.,..nl Park [II 1872. 

" 
about $469.00 Its estimated original cost. As of July I, 1956, the estimated value ot 

Lafayette Park with Its Improvements WIlS $12,381, 835. 6 No turther changes have 

been recorded by the National Capital Region. For pllrposeB of this report, a brief 

analysis of the basic landscape work completed <hiring the period 1872_1886 by the 

Engineer Offlcer-in-ellarge Is docIimented lIerewith. 

Anjmals. __ Prlor to the elltllblisllment oJ the Nallonal Zoological Park In lIIe 

Nation's Capital, anlmall! oJvariO\lsklnd$were donated to the United States by torelg" 

representatives. These were exltlblted In varl(l\lS parks of the city where they could 

be "een by the public. Among those placed In Lafayette Sq\Iare were a pair of prairie 

dogs (Spermophilus ludevicianus) which had been presented to the office of P\lbllc 

Buildings and Grounds. They we .... placed In a wire inclosure and did well until 

removed.7 

Bro~e "rns._..!n 1872 the two bronze UrnS wlllcll now stand at the eastern and 

western entrances to Lafayette Park were Installed On granite pedestals. They were 

cast at the brass foundry ot the Wasllington Navy Yard by authority of the Secretary 

of the Navy, the Honorable George M. Robeson. They were about seven (7) feet In 

height and weigh approximately 1,300 pounds each. They are COlUlldered to be ex_ 

tremely good examples of the work of government mechanics and workshops. 

In 1879 It was decided that the urns could be made more decorative. Galvanized 

Iron pans, approximately three feet In diameter and two feet In depth, were banded 

;II!! x~~n~~::~~~ ~~;t::n!I~~st,~ the large antique vases. They were suitably 

Tile two urns remained In their original location until the redesigning of the 

walks of Lafayette Park was Cilrrled out In 1936. They were then removed to their 

present location, closer to Jackson and Madison Places, when the small crosswalks 

surrounding the original location of the url\ll was closed; more effective landscaping 

:-r~.,;:r~l:pa~"o~~ncl:::se;d =t~~:f laid down to provide wider thorouglltares 

C"rbjng, __ There was no curbing In Lafayette Park until 1892, when tunds were 

appropriated by Congress tor the project. Under contract a curbing ot dressed 

granite WitS placed around the squilre.lts total length was 1,899 linear feet of stralgtlt 

curb and 93 feet ot circular curb. Slxteen terminal piers were placed ilt the park 

entrances with the exceptton of the southeast corner ot the park wllere two granlteblock plen with wing walls were constructed. Ornamental lamp pOsts and gas lamps 

were erected on each of these two piers. The wo rk of Opening trenches and restoring 

the ground after the curb was set was performed by workmen from the office of the 

Chief Englneer. '~ 

DYairoage. __ The problem of prope r drainage was constant throughout lIIe years, 

requiring new tile drains and traps to avoid the washing away of the gravel walks 

during seasonal heavy rains. 111 1873, 11 brick traps were constructed and connected 

with the drains for lIIe JlUI1>QS8 of collecting and carrying off IlUrlace drainage of the 

'''atlo''''l Capl .. 1 Rea;lon. £",,"_rLfIII Bru"h, uoa R600TcIo.. Cr op/llca ooa Map FUM, RMtTn.Loon 

J..!!I.tW .. MfIIIlOn, L~56), p. L • 

• ... RCE lor 1116, p. 12 • 

. ... RCE lor LllI, p. 1. 

·Cf. FLiI'rea 18 an<! 37. 

iO ... RC E lor 1802, p. 3390. 

" 
park.H ln 1878, despite the Installation ot additional tile drams and water catches, 

gravel still continued to be washed Into Pennsylvania Avenue during heavy rain 

storms. U By 1890 tree roots had choied the drains on the eouth side of Lafayette 

Sq.uare necessitating Its replacement. This W3!l' done by taking lip and repl acing the 

old drains W'ith 337 teet at new lO-lnch, 210 teet at 8-lnch, and 138 feet of 6_lnch 

terra cotta pipe. PortlOJ\lj of the drain from the watchnJ.an's lod,ge were also taken 

up and relaid. Three new brick drain traps were constructed and five old OneS 

repaired. .. 

Fenci/W. __ When Lafayette Park was leveled for the first time In 1826, the are a 

waa inclosed with a wooden fence." Aside from a small appropriation made by 

Congress In 1834 for Its npalr, no changes were made until18S3 prior to the dedication ot the statue ot Andr ew Jackson In the center of the square. By Act of March 3, 

1853, Congress appropriated $5,100 to enclose Lafayette Park with ;In Iron fence, 

the four entrance gates to be surmounted by eagles. This work was completed In 

185-4. In 1867, repillrs to the ptes we r e made under a Congressional appropriation 

of $500 for the proJect. 

During the Intervening years, the question of the removal of the Iron fence, 

laying out walks and planting nower be-d$, SO that the area could be Opened for public 

use and enjoyment, became the subject of controveuy, both pro and con, by residents In the viCinity of Lafayette Park. By Act of March 3, 1877, Congress had prohibited the removal of such fences. Nevertheless, agitation by the reSidents of the ~rroundlng area for removal of the Iron fence and the opening of the square for 

public use continued lor a decade until action was taken by the Secretary of War. In 

his budget estimate lor fiscal year 1888, Colonel John M. Wilson, Englneer-InCharge of Public Buildings an<! Grounds, submitted a request lor funds to remove 

the Iron tence '·around the larger reserviltlons such as Lilfayette Squilre ... . . Congress 

finally appropriated the necesSilry funds and In 1889 the Iron fence w:;o.s removed 

from Lafayette Park and freer use of the grounds permitted the public, The fence 

WllS donated to the Gettysburg Memorial Association and It was Installed on Culp's 

Hut 011 the Battlefield at Gettysburg. '6 

Flower Bed.s. __ Bedding pl:;o.n!s Of various kinds were the first to be planted In 

the nower beds and along the borders of the walk.s. In !lOme cues the edges of the 

walks were protected by small stakes driven Into the grOlln<!, projecting a short 

distance above the grass. · 7 By 1879 clumps of English holly In the oval spaces on 

the lo .... er wal.k$ ot the square were overgrown. They were removed and planted on 

the border fronting Pennsylv;lnla Avenue. Exhausted soil WllS removed and replaced 

with good surface loam and the ovals were converted Into nower beds. Ornamental 

follilge and r10werlng plants were also placed In prep:;o.red beds and decorative 

palms were placed In open spaces On the l awns. 11 By 1886, folloW'ing the removal In 

the autumn at summer flowering and fOliage plants, chrysanthemums were being 

planted regul:;o.rly In the principal beds of Lafayette Square. They continued to bloom 

until killed by frost In November and contributed greatly to the beallty of the p:;o.rl<.." 

..... lI.e!! lor un. p. 6. 

'~ All. I; for 1171. p. n4~. 

" ... RCI; lor 18'10. p. 3M3. 

" 8 \.oIT, op. Oil .. W. 137_8. 

" ... RCa fot 1886. p. m~ 

'6 ... RCI; lot 1889, P. 2839. 

' 7 ... II.CI; lor 1876, p. 12. 

' · ... RCI! lor 1179, P. lUI. 

H ARCI! fOt ISSS . p. 27,.. 
Lighting. · · Lightlng was installed in Ute equare in 18n when eight lamp posts, 

two of whtch were combination lamp posts and drinking fountains were placed In 

position wiUt Ute necessary gas and water connections belli&" made. 10 Gu continued 

to be used for lighUII&" purposes until Congres8 provided Nnd8 for Ute Installation of 

electric lighting under Ute Act approved June 11, 1896. FollOwing months of l egal 

negotiations, Ute Potomac Electric and Power Company In8talled six electric lamps 

In the park furnlshtng Ute necessary conduits, wires and lamp POSUl without cost to 

the government. The two combination lamp polIts and drinking fountains were left 

In use for a number of years. On FebnJary 18, 1897, Ute work was COmpleted. The 

operational cosl of lighting and maintaining each electric IIghl lngOOd order by Ute 

government was limited to 28 ~ per lamp per night. 21 

Thelodge ... l n 1872 the first lodie was erected On Ute north side of Ute square 

at SixteenUt Street. It combined a watchman's lodge, toolhouse and rest rooms for 

the accom>nO<b.tlon of nurses and Children and gentlemen, Utereby IlUpplyl.ng an 

especially long· needed accommodation because of the popularity of Lafayette Square 

lor sunning chUdren. The building was appro;r,ched by circular walks and screened 

by Utlck rows of evergreens in front of wht.ch flower beds had been lald out and 

small shrubS planted. U From time to time Ute buUdlng was modernized in keeping 

with advances made In plUmbing. 

In 1913 Congress appropriated fUnds for replacing the eilrller lodge, a.!loUng 

$3,500 for Ute project. The neW lodge was to be erected on Ute same site. However, 

wilen Ute contractor stuted work on the I~, protests were recehed by the War 

Department from persons ltv1.ng in Ute vicinity against erection of Ute building On Ute 

site selected. The War Oeputment ordered work to cease Immediately and notice of 

a public hearing to be held on Ute matter was published In Ute Wasllinglon news· 

papers On November 14, 1913. The hearings were to be held in Ute office of Ute 

Assistant Secretary 01 War on November 18 anda.!1 interested putles were invited to 

attend.. 

In a letter dated December 4, 1913, Ute Secretary of War, upon completion 01 

tile lIe ilring, communicated llis declston to eacll person from wtlom a protest had 

been received.. The Secr etary explained that after much consideration Ute War De· 

partmenl was forced to conclude that under Ute provision 01 Ute l aw malrlng Ute ap. 

proprlaUon, Ute Department was COmpelled to proceed wlUt the erection of Ute build· 

Ing according to prepared plans. FUrther delay would IlUbJ ect Ute War O(opartment to 

Claims by Ute contractor for unwarranted delay of the work and would cause Ute orlg· 

Ina.! appropriation to be excet!ded wtllch was contrary to law. Accordingly, on De· 

cember 12, 1913, Ute contr actor was directed to reSUme construction of Ute 'odie. 

Under the terms 01 Ute original contract, Ute contractor was to have completed Ute 

new lodge in Lafayette Park by December 11, 1913. Owing to Ute enforced eiOppage 

of work for almost two months, from mid-October to December 12, for which Ute 

contractor was not responSible, be was granted an extension of time for completion of 

the lodge. The added expense of the delay was paid by Ute United States Utrough a 

supplemental contract entered Into on FebnJary 16, 1914. 

The present lodie in Lafayette Park was completed on May 15, 1914. It was a 

low, inconspiCUOUS building about 12 feet in height and was designed wlUt il decorative 

" 
" 

a 

j 

~ 

• --o 

, 

~ , 

I 

, 

• 

, • 

• s 

• 

• 

; 

! 

• 

~ • 

f '. -
lattice work over which a screen of vines eventually grew. The building contained 

a storeroom for the use 01 the park laborers, a locker room lor the park watchman, 

and two rest rooms." 

Seltees.--As Lafayette Park became the scene of Increased viSitation, settees 

were placed therein 10 encourage public use oJ the park's facilities. Tlut earliest 

Ilpproprlatlon for the purchase of settees was made by CongreJ!.$ on August 18, 1856, 

wben $175 was allowed for buying twelve. I< Ten more settees were put in place 

during FY 1875. " These were replaced during FY 1876 by 25 settees of unUorm pat- tern and design." By the close 01 FY 1887, there WaB a total at 172 settees in 14-

faye tte Park. ,1 

Trees. --Orlglnally the trees in Lafayette Square were planted close together 

with the Intention of removing them as they obtained their growth and oversbadowed 

each other. Experience prior to 1872 Indicated, howeve r, that they had to be thinned 

out because of the overcrowding ot more valuable speclmenll. 1bose removed were 

planted in the grounds south of the Executive Mansion." The severe winter of 188a 

materially Injured ma(llOlias, English yews and baNly evergreen trees which bad 

withstoOd the rigors of past winters. The result was that old, decayed and unsightly 

trees were removed as the occasion demanded." 

WOIIo$ . __ The first graded walkS 10 be laid In Lafayette Park In 1872 were orig- Inally made of very coarse unscreened gravel. They were very unpleasant to walk 

on, pllTlicularly by the nurses and children. Attempts were made by the Corps of 

Engineers to make the walks hard and smooth by rolling them with a 3,600 pound 

roller. The attempt was unsuccessful. The walks were thereupon taken up, the gravel 

thoroughly screened and relaid; coarse gravel was placed On the bottom and a very 

fine gravel, which possessed a good. binding quality, was mixed with the smaller 

gravel to top the walks. After tbof'01Jib r erolllng, the walks were given a hard, 

compact surface making a smooth foolway.·o 

Difficulty was elqlerlenCed In later years, however, as the walks became muddy 

in the late fall, winter and early spring. Pedestrians then walked On the lawns and 

destroyed mueh of the beauty of the park. Walks of old planking were laid down 

each autumn. These were not only dtsft.gurlng to the landscape but proved expeO$lve 

to p!.Irchase, haul and Inetall. H By 1888 some of the gravel walks were replaced 

by asphalt which also required constant maintenance." 

When the tencing surr ounding the entire park was removed In 1889, new short 

gravel walks were laid down at the centers of the east and west fronts at Lafayette 

Park, providing new entrances from Jackson and Madison Places for the convenience 

of the p!.Ibl\c. These Intersected other walks of the groul"lCb. Repairs were also made 

to brick gutters which we re taken up and relaid as neW gutters were constructed 

" ... IICE for 191., "'PI'<"ndl ~ ecc. JII'. '3:506-~7 . See F\iUr" 17, 

24'"S,a,emeOl 01 Approprlltle1lt 1M ExpeM!l1U"d from ,be NOIIe ... 1 T<ouury for ,be [)!o,rLc' 01 

eo'umh\. 'rom S~ly 16, l790 ", su",,:IO. 1376 .. • III. NCR, L..oflyme Park. 

" ... IICI; for la7S. p. li. 

' . ... IICE for Ua7, p. 2S7. 

" ... IICE for 1876, p. IS. 

' · ... IICE fOr la72, p. 7. 

oo ... IICE for l a19, p. llal. 

O"' CE for l a7l. p.6. 

" ... RCE for 183(i. p. 209~, 

""'RCE for lala . p. 277~. 

" 
;;;j 

, . -. ' . 

< 

, 

• -
Uh ••••••••• __ ._ 

8Irch·.-

_ .. - .... • ... _ ..... ,. 

01.''''''····--·- Cr.>_o·· .•••••• 

Dop<>;>d • ••• • •••• 

Eloo······· ...... ~ ..... ~~ ... n 'llg" T,....····· COr<!Onl .-·· .. • .. 

lion. C/>M """ .. H'.,._·--···· 

Iml ... _ n·_· __ ,-r .... _· __ .. 

_1 .... " •• 1. __ •· 

Lo.rch····· .. ·_·_ 

U""en···· .... __ Yop •• - •• --•• - 1l1D»& •• • _ __ •••• 

JMcnoHo·· -••••• Oolr.. ______ • ___ ._ 

Poplor······-··· s.-ch·· .. __ • ___ 

, 1<1"_·· .... ·_ .. """"'._ ...... ..... 1 .. ________ ·_ 

• ~ a:. h_. _ • 

•• _ouo 1.e 

t.."u: l.·· UST (}F TRUS IJiD S!IR[Jl6 IN IMUE'!'!l! PA,IU[ IN 1.SS6,' 

C_Uo<I by tI" .• Pul>lio Cotd.""c. Mr. _'11:' H. ~"""" 

, 

=.-= Doot.zl.· · .. •••• , , , ~"~ kil· .. · , 

• • "- ~I"" --· , , , _. c.-.qe· .. • , 

• • Pcivo< ...... · •• , 

, , 31'1_--·-.... - , , T""'PO' TlOO" .... " , 

" , •• IUla ........ , 

• , .1 ..... 1.·· .... • , 

• , 

• , tot.OU-_ ·_ , " 

, 

, 

, • ~ = 

, , • ..,...orl. ___ ·_· , 

, , ., vltu __ __ 

, , • Cod.ar __ __ ___ __ _ , 

, , Ho14"--"-"- " " • Jur.i!>'r········ W 

, • JOpoA en..,..-.. , 

• , 110&""'''0'--'·-' " • , Pl".··----.. · -· , • • .,.,ru" nr--·-- " , ->. Sib" rt,...-·-· , 

J ..... --••••••• " TOtalo· -.- lli... "-

ill!ClllOOl5 

-

TO ... I, __ • • !!! 

, , 

, , = -

-lIOr'">'------ 1khop.1&--- _. , , , 

, , 110. ······-···-- -....... 2t 

, , 10ta1O--·- 2C 

, .\we'''''' TI ( ..... I"'''''', =., " 

• • 

, • 

, 

, 

, • 

• 

" 

, • 

, 

, 

, 

, • 

, 

, 

, 

, 

"-

, • 

-' 

'I.Ot. 

on the margins of walks not heretofore provided with them. A new briCk pavement 

was also bid at the 16th and a: Sireet entrance In 1890 as new brick aprons Were 

constructed on each side of the asphalt walk!' 

Wa ter supply. - -Water pipes Were led into Lafayette Square In 1872 to provide an 

adequate water supply for the landscaping of the area. These Were attached to four 

street washers. )< During seve re drougllts additiona l pipe was required to be laid to 

assure proper care of the lawns. " By 1880 Latayelte Park wa~ receiving an esltmated 3,600 galions of Potomac River water dally from the 12·lnch main which had 

been installed on Pennsylvania Avenue. Three_Inch pipe was attached 10 the 12-lnch 

main supply with branches In the park being supplied through 2-lnch plpe. )6 

" .. RC E loT Lt90, P. 3~ 2 • 

..... ICE 10. LI72, P. 6. 

" .. aCE lor 1179, P. L8IL. 

H .. RCE lor L880. p. 235~ 
/ 

I' "Ii, 

i: . 

VI }iilm Hhl 

" 
--

, 

i 

T 
-

• -

,r 

I 

, 

I 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

" 
SECT10N FOUR 

MEMORIAL STATUES OF LAFAYETTE PARK 

lnZroducliQll. __ Beglnnlng In 1853 memorial statues Were erected in Lafayette 

Park honoring General Andrew Jackson, hero 01 the Battle of New Orleans, and to 

four foreign heroes of the American Revolution: General Lafayette, who carried the 

torch of the American tight for freedom and Independence to France; the Comte de 

Rochambeau, who led the French Expeditionary Force; General Thaddeus Kosciusz.Jco, 

the Polish engineer who designed some of the Amer ican fortillcatlons of the war, 

including tIlose of West Point; and Baron von steuben, the Prusslan disciplinarian, 

who established drill regulations and trained the American army.' 

Memorial services, accompanied by wreath laying, are held annually by the diplomatic representatives of France, Poland and Germany and by many American 

patriotic groups. Of particular note was the laying of a wreath at the foot of the 

memorIal to General Lafayette and his compatriots by General Charles de Gaulle on 

April 23, 1960, during the visit of the French President to the United Stales. 

Gene .... 1 Andrew okIckson. __ The bronze memorial equestrian statue to General 

Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans, stands on a fenced-In circular 

plot of ground In the center of Lafayette Park. It is the work of the American sculptor, 

Clark Mills, of North Carolina and was cut ' rom cannon captured by Jackson at 

Pensacola, Florld;o. Ills the first equestrian statue to be cast In Washington and the 

second In the United States. The memorial faces west. 

The statue portrays General Jackson on a rearing charger, the heads of both 

being turned sllghtly towards the White House, as Jackson acknowledges a salute with 

his cocked hat. The sculptOr achieved perfect balance In the ligures with the center 

of gravity resting on the horse's hind feet. To prevent damage from high winds Or 

other causes, the feet ar e securely anchored to the marble pedestal. TIle word 

"Ja ckson·' Is Inscribed at the tOp of the pedestal beneath whicJ\ Is his memorable 

quotatLon: 

THE FEDERAL UNION IT MUST 8E PR.ESER.VED. 

At the four corners of the memorial are bronze cannons captured by Jack&on at 

New Orleans In 1812. The muzzles were sealed In World War I. 

The cost of the memorial was $40,500. Congress appropriated a total of $28,500. 

and the balance of $12,000. wu contributed by the Jackson Democratic Association 

of Washington, D.C. Work on the memorial was begun In 1848 and \I was dedicated 

On January 8, 1853, the 38th aMlversary of the Battle of New Orleans. Senator 

Stephen A. Douglas 01 Illinois delivered the oration. 

Andrew J ackson was born On March 15, 1767, at Waxham. SOuth Carol!na. During the War of 181 2, he was commissioned a Major General In the American 

' [)xu men ... )' ", ... 11. ( "" U h yene p.n n~ It. _mol1 . I . .. 1ll ~ ~.t .... Notl"". l A""M~. 

III l\eCor<! Gt"oIt.,. ~ and <Ie . 

29 
'" 

f 

, 

} 

, 

! 

1i 

• 

! 

, 

I 

• i 

,i 

, 

" " • < 
Army. By his victory at New Orleans, Jacksonemerged as the major hero of the war 

and a national figure of the first magnitude. He was elected seventh PreSident of the 

United States and served two terms (1829- 1837). Jackson was the first presidential 

candidate of the newly-formed Democratic Party. He retired from public life to his 

home, the "Hermitage," nea r Nashville, Tennessee, where he died on June 8, 1845. 

General Andrew Jackson remains throughout the years as One of the most glamorous 

heroes 01 American history. 

General Lajayelte. __ The heroic bronz.e statue to Gener al Lafayette stands at 

the southeast cOrner of Lafayette Park. It Is the work of the noted FrenCh sculptors, 

Alexandre Falgulere and Antoine Mercle, and was designed by the Fr ench architect 

Paul Pujol. The bronze figures of the memorial were east at the foundry of Maurice 

Denonvlllius in Paris In 1890. The statue of Lafayette faces 9OUth. 

Tile statue anel marble pedestal are 45 feet In height. The figure of Lafayette 

with outstretched right a rm Is depicted pleading befor e the Freneh National Assembly for France to aid the American cause for freedom and Independence. Seated 

at the base of the south side of the memorial Is the figure of a woman, 8)'mbollzlng 

America, holding alol! a sword. Above this is the Inscription "To Gene ral Lafayette 

and his compatriots, 1717_1 783." An anchor and two bronze figur es of Lafayette's 

naval aides, the Comte d'Estalng and Comte de Grasse, are on the east side of the 

pedestal. A mortar and two bronze figures 01 his military aides, the Comte de 

ROChambeau and the Chevalier du P<:>rtati, are on the west face of the memor ial. On 

the nor th face of the pedestal are two che robs holding the dedicatory inscription: 

BY THE CONGRESS IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SERVICES RENDERED 

BY GENERAL LAFAYETTE AND HIS COMPATRlOTSDURlNG THE 

STRUGGLE FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF AMERICA 

Insc riptions honoring the work of the architee!, sculptors and founder ue at the base 

of the memorial. It was completed In 1891. 

Lafayette was born on September 6, 1757, at Auvergne, France. Following his 

military training and service In the F rench army, neWS of the American fight for 

independence Inspir ed him to come to America. He urlved at Philadelphia In 1777 

and agreed to serve the American colonies w!.tboo.It compensation and as a volunteer. 

Congress accepted his services and he waa appointed a MajOr ~neral upon Wash _ 

Ington's recommendation. 

Lafayette served with distinction upon Washington's start as a liaison olficer 

between the American and French fo rces. With Rochambeau as commander·ln-chlef 

of the French forces and de Grasse commanding the Fr ench nee!, Lafayette, upon 

orders from Washington, held the southern nank of the FranCO-American forces 

and prevented the escape of Cornwallis. 2 Lafayette returned to France following the 

victory at Yorktown and became one of the most popular figures of the day. 

In August, 1784, Lafayette returned to America and for Six months was affec1I0nately welcomed by hla old colleagues In arms and the American people. He was 

made a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. During the American Revolution he 

had refused to accept the emoluments for his rank. It has been Utimated that he spent 

'LI. Col. J.,.epll S. !>Iuollell. Oo<:IOl'<e 110"' •• '" ,he ~me<\cOn M .. olutlOn 11 ..... vo<\:. 9~2J. pp. 198_ ,~. 

" 
" 
PI •. 24.-su."'e to Gene,el Lef..,.ette end ru. c""'~I'I"'- In Lero.,eU .. Park. ebowln, ... """lel •• HIII leld bl Gen .. e.l d, OeuUe on April 23. 1960. 

" 
Fie. 2~.-M.morlal alaLue 10 Oene.al Tt.dd .. , K08<:Luazko. Pollah ""'0 01 LM R,"ohlllon", w ••• 
more tllan $200,000. at IIts prtvate funds to aid the American cOlonies. In 1794, 

Coogress voted Lafayette $24,424. tor Ills services, and In IS03, a grant at land 

ot 1l,520 acres wlllcll, eventually, was loca ted In Louisiana. In 1824, wilen President 

James Monroe invited Lafayette to the United States, he made an epocllal tour at the 

United Stales and evoked "demonstrations ot frenzied enilluslasm without precedent 

or parallel In American lIistory. ,,) Lafayette died on May 20, 1834, hls grave belng 

covered with earth from Bunker Hili. 

Cenerol ThaddeWi KosclWiJl'ko.--The bronze memorial statue to General Thaddeus KoscluS'l.ko stands In the northeast COrner of Lafayette Park. It Is the work ot the 

Polish-American sculptor, Antoni Popiel. Kosc lusuo is depicted in the uniform of a 

Gtlneral of the Continental Army and holds In his left h;uul the plan of fortifications 

designed by him for Saratoga In 177? The statue faces north. 

On the north side ot the pedestal ot Vermont granite Is Inscribed the name 

"Koscluszko" and "Saratoga," beneath which is an eagls perched on a globe of the 

world with a sword ;uuI battle nag. Thebron:r.e ligures of a wounded soldier supported 

by an older officer in PQlIsh uniform Is at the east base. On the wesl a fe the bronze 

ligures at a young officer supported by an older ofllcer pointing north. On the south 

side ot the pedestal Is anothereagleperehed atop a globe of the world, holding a snake 

In Its talons. Beneath It b the word "Raclawice," and the quotation, "And Freedom 

Shrieked as Koscluszko Fell." 

The memorial WU! erected by the Polish-American Congress as a gift ot the 

Polish-American people totheUnlledStates. The statue was unveiled On May II, 1910, 

amld appropriate dedic atory ceremonies preskled ove r by J acob M. Dl.ckinson, Secretary of War. 

Kosciuszko, Polish revolutionary and soldier, was born on Febl'\lary 12, 1746, In 

the Duchy of Lithuania, Polish Commonwealth. He received Ills military training In 

engineering and artillery at military schools In Warsaw, PQ\and, and In Parls. News 

of the American revolution brougllt 111m to America In 1716, where lie oltered his 

services to Congress. He successfully fortULed the Delaware River and was commissioned a Colonel of Engineers in the Continental Army. 

His role In erecting the fortifications at Saratoga, which contributed greatly to 

the American vtctory, resulted In his being placed In charge Of COiUltl'\lCting the 

fortifications at Wut Point trom 1778_ 1780. He partiCipated In the Battle at 

Charleston, South CarOlina, and other engagements during the Revolutionary War. In 

1783, he was one of the toundeu of the Society of the Cincinnati at Newburgh, New 

Yorl<. On October 13, 1783, Congress, In appreciation of Ills services to the American 

tight tor Independence, commissioned him a Brigadier-General. 

In 1784, lie returned 10 PQland where he led several successtul engagements 

against the Russians who, under Cather ine II, were partilloning Poland with the connivance at Prossta and Auslna. He was imprisoned In 1794 and In 1796 released by 

Tsar Paull. 

He returned to America In 1797 andCongressvoted 111m $15,000. due him for his 

military 8ervlces. He wu al&<l granted 500 aCreS of land In Ohio. In 1798 he left 

America, and returned to France. As Poland's misfortunes mounted, he continued 

'OIC<Iona ry '" America n B1<>Irap/ly. X (New York. 1933). 9. 
\ I I 

P11. 28,-II __ LaI .1&1u, 1.0 tile eo.W 1M IttJcbuobuu, Iud .. of tbe F'l' eDC~ I':l pKillo .... ' Pore, 

dud", tile ReyohPlollU, Wat. 

" 
his brave bYt fruitless efforts On bellalf of Polish Independence ... ntlt ttls death in 

Swt\J:erland In 1817. The funds wblcb arose from the sale of his lands In Ohio were 

used to found the Colored SChool at Newark, New Jersey, one of the IIrst educational 

Institutions for negroes In America. 

Comte de Rochambeau. __ The Ilerolc bronze statue of General Rochambeau stands 

at the southwest COrner of Lafayette Park. It is the \!IOrk of the French sculptor, 

F. Hamar, of Paris, Rochambeau Is depleted In the uniform of a Malor General of the 

Continental Army. He Is pointing with Ills right hand as If directing a battle the plans 

for wlllcll are draped over his Lell hand. The statue faces south. 

On the east and west faces of the granite pedestal are the coat of armS of France 

and of the family of Rochambea .... On the south Is the bronze figure of a \!lOman, 

depicting "Liberty," holding two nags In ller lefihand to Indicate the union of America 

and France, and a drawn s\!lOrd in her right hand. At her feet is an eagle with outstretched wings and talonB. Ashleld with 13 stars, symbolizing the original 13 colonies 

of America, and a palm branch Is at the Nile of the pedestal. On the north face Is 

the dedicatory Inscription: 

"We ve bun contemporariu <>-nd fellow_labore .. in the c auoe of liberty 

and we have lived togdher u broth .... hould do inharmonlou. hiend.hip. " __ Wuhinaton to 1I.0chambuu, February I , 1784. 

Congress apprOpriated $22,500. for the statue and pedestal and for transporting 

the families of Lafayette and flocbambea ... toWashlnglonfor the dedicatory ceremonies 

which were held on May 24, 1902. President Theodore Roosevelt delivered the dedi_ 

catory address. 

Rocharnbeau was born July I, 1725, at Vendome, France. Following a mlUtary 

career In the French army, Rocbambea ... , under the Influence of General Lafayette, 

organl7.ed a French £xpedillonary Force of 6,OOOmen,1ncludlng bls son, the Vlcomte 

de Rocharnbeau, wblcb arrived In America In 1780. With Wasblngton and Lafayette, 

Rochambeau and his troops took an active part In the selge of Yorktown, resulting In 

the surrender Of Cornwallts On October 19, 1781. Ro!:hambeau returned to France 

and was Imprisoned d ... rlng the Reign of Terror. In 1791, he was made a MarShal of 

France. He died on May 10, 1807, at Thor'!, France. During hie lUetime, Rochambeau 

was an active member of the SoCiety of the Cincinnati. 

Ge1Wlra/ VOII Ste .. &ell. __ The bronze memorial statue to Baron VOn Steuben stands 

at the northwest corner of Lafayette Pa rk. It Is the work of the German eculptor, 

Albert Jaeger, who has depicted von Steuben in the unUorm of a Major General of 

the American Continental army. He is wearing a heavy cloak and cocked hat as he 

appea rs to be looking over a battlefield, 

On the $OU.thwest face of the pedestal Is the figure of a woman and a kneeling 

youth holding bandages and laurels signifying "Commemoration, " Tablets in reller 

on the 1IO\Itheast face depict VOn Steuben's aides, Colonel William North and Major 

Benjamin Walker. A bronze figure of Man and a youth holding a sword Is 011 the 

northeast side of the memorial to depict "Mtlltary Instruction." Beneath a spreading 

eagle 011 the northwest lace of the pedestal 18 the dedicatory Inscrljltlon: 

ER.ECT£D BY THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO FREDERICK 

wtLLIAM AUGUSTUS HENR.Y FEII.DINAND BARON VON STEUBEN IN 

GRA TE!"UL RECOGNITION OF HIS SEll. VICES TO THE AMERICAN 

PEOPLE IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY 
Fi,. :r7.-Meooorl&\ ltat ... to IIalQa .aa ltauNa. prlllitan dlscIIIU_i*a ,..:IllIIpecto. Oeae.al of 

tN Continental A • ...,.. 

38 
The balance of the inscription Indicates von Steuben's services to tile United Sutes. 

Congress appropriated $50,000. for the memorial which was dedicated by Presldenl 

Howard Taft on December 7, 1910. 

Baron vOn Steuben was born in Pruula, November 15, 1730. He served as aldede - camp to Frederick tile Great. Coming to America in 1778, he offered his services 

to the American Congress, was accepted, commissioned a Major General, and ordered 

to instruct and drill the raw recruits of the Continental Army. DJring the darkest 

days at Valley Forge he drilled and molded the Americ:ln troops Into :l well_trained 

and disciplined force which achieved final victory at Yorktown In which von Steuben 

look an active role. Upon tile cessation of IIostlhlies, he became an Amer4can eltlzen 

in 1783. In 1786, the State of New York granted him 16,000 acr es of land Mar Remsen, 

nortil of utica. In 1700, instead of granting him a lump 5Ilm payment for his sernces 

during tile Revolutionary War, Congress granted him a yearly pension of $2,500, In 

additton to a gold- hilted sword. Von Steuben look an active part In forming the Society 

of the CinCinnati and became PreSident of the New York Branch. He retired to Steuben 

township, New York, where he died on November 28, 1794. 

" 
• " • 

•• 

-

• 

• • 

• • • 

, • • • • 

) • • • 0 

i ... • • 

• I 

• • 

-0 g 

~ ---- III I (jooj) ) ~ 

• ,--' I 

• • , • 

• • Ii} • ~ • 

• • • • • • ' . • " 0 • £ 

, 

• 

• 

• • 

.~. • • · ., UOOu .!---• 

.. 
SECTION FlVE 

LANDSCAPING BY NATIONAL CAPITAL PARKS, 

\936-I 937 

Major CM""es oj 1936-1937.--The second major cballie to take place In the land~ caplng of Lafayette Park was undertaken by National Capital Park~ In 1936 and 

1937. II will be recalled thaI wben the Roo~evell admlnlslratlon entered office In 

1933, It p1"Ovided funds to relieve unemployment through the Inauguration of broad 

public works programs. Theoverallprogram was administered by the WorkB ProgreM 

Administration througb projects allotted, in many cases, to private contractors. 

The major ch<lnges completed In the landscaping of Lafayette Park at this time 

are documented he rein by photographs showing the work accompll~bed by private 

contract with Corson and Company, paving contractors of Washington, D.C. This 

was carried out under Federal Public Works Project No. 641. An analysis of the 

drawings shown In Figures 28 and,31lrdlcate the overall chan&:es made In the r emoval 

of the bro=e urns to their present-day locatlon~, the redesigning and, widenln( of 

the walks, the relocation of trees UId shrobbery, the closrng of the small gravel paths 

and the relocatlonoffiowerbeds. Theoverall effect enhanced the beauty of the orLglnat 

Downing plan and made the park mors accesslbieto visitors and Waflhlngton residents. 

Tbe general changes made In the landscaping design at that time remain, In essence, 

the same tod.ll.y as routine &dmlnlstratlon and, maintenance work continues to be 

carried out by the Landscape DIvision, National Capital Region. 1 

Of historical interest Is the drawing shown in Figure 29 which, according to 

Caemmerer, was a lJIlitested treatment of Lafayette Park by the Commission of 

Fine Arts in 1933. Fortunately, the planwasnot carried out, the historical surroundings being preserved unW architectural UId histOrical pnuience could overcome 

contemporary passions for change . Ftgures 47-50, Included In the present study 

as appendices, provide the latest reference material from Land Records, Gr;tphlcs 

and Map flies of th6 National Capital Region. These Include the u;:lstlng planting 

plan of August 1958; the tree replacement plan of November 1958; planting details 

of December 1958; UId the topography of Lafayette Park as of March 1964. ' 

The 1962 Plan. __ When the Kennedy administration took oUice in 1961, renewed 

interest was given to the preservllt\on of the historical and architectural aspects 

of Lafayette Park and Square. After much Investigation and planning, the so- called 

Warnecke plan of the National Capital Region was approved by President Kennedy In 

1962. Ae shown In Figure 38, the fln.al develOpment plan of Lafayette Square .... 111 

retain the basic aspects of the D::>wnlng plan as modlfied by the landscaping changes 

of 1936-1937.' Tile publication the U.s. Government Printing Office In May 1964 

of the study entitled confirms the fact that the D::> .... ning plan 

will be adhered to, overall plans fOf the development of 

Lafayette Square.' 
, 

1 

• 1 

i 

l 

1 

I 

; 

• • , 

: 
.. 
.. 

• o · 

i 

} 

o 

I 

r. 

i~ " . 

•• H ., 

" ., 

. ' . , 

H 

s: .-

i 

• ] 

I 

, -

• 
F11. 32.-YIew IcoUPI toward 51. Joltm'a ChurCb (llIe "Cbu.cb d. U .. 

p ... Ide",.") Ind Siu .. nlh 8U~I!1. sho"I ••• elotaled nIp Ind .o.k .. ~n 

,nia"lo' " IlkS II eaSI Of MadlAOn Pia« ,nlJanee to Laf»lllle ""'k. 

Wucb 19Jd. 

PI,. 33.-Yle" Lookln, ..:>rtbeUI f • .,., LaI"tUe ""'k toward II., Doll, 

Madison lIou ... ,lIowl .. I'ndacaplnl eb.a"l"' ... al1:h 1m. 

.. 
46 

PI,. 34.--Vlewlootl .. _ardSh,"nlbSlteet •• t.o-lll& wort_~enl&lll ... 

&ftC! . epadl ... .... lh aDd ptlund. of tAf'J'tlte Park. *'1 19H. 

PI,. 35.-Wo<\ ... n .e .... "lnc IOP40Ll fro .. around I,ees In La1 ". PlU t . JuiJ'I037. 
-- L. j 

, 

- • • • 

, • 0 • • , 

! I 

• I 

• " II !! • • 

, , 

I II • 

, 

I ij .. I II ill N 

I , I 

• . I ' 

.. 

I N 

, . •• , ,. '-~ I ., 

" ~. c, .' ' I .. 

.. . - • • -. • 

------.., 

-, .-

" 

.' I 

_. 

o • 0' 

S 

• 

, ~ 

, 

• • 

j • .~~ , 

, 

, 

i 

~ 

, 

• 

, -...-

- Q , 

I "' ,/ II' N r 

, i.' 
3:JV1d N OSIO'ttW 

• 

• • i 

U • 

w 

8 • 0 

• 0 0 

< •• , • " 

• • - • " • • '" • • • OJ c. • • • • • ::> . w • • ". • z • • • ~ 0 • • • w ' 0 • 

• > 

' w ~ • <{ ~ • ;; 7 • • O Z 

• ! 0 z· 0 • ~~ co:.it • 

I-' • 

(~ 1iI 1 0 2 '"1'1 ~ 0 [ I I 1 " '" 1;.':oJ " SSV1:t!) SSIof'tt!) " , o ~ 

• ~ 01 .- • :J: .. • 

"_. J':,O ~ 

• • , ~ -< ., 0 

• 0 " , 0 0 ,9 • Z 3 0 • • • ., •• • • 

0 • 

• 

• > 

~ 

~~ wO • I • • • > , " 

• • • • on ~ " • • ~ • • z .-

" , z 

w • " • • • " 

• ~ , 

0 • < • 

0 • • 0 • , 

• • 0 • • • • • '- • • • -- " ~ • • o • 

• 

• • 

• ) -~ • ~ . ~ . ~ •• Q 

• > 

~:l• 'Q"

• rl • N • rl• c:: ",-.., . ... r -- .. 
:} 

~ T 

J - , 

• 

• 

_..I' 

, 

• 

: ~; · .. I ":' · . . : :, · '. 

; : : · . . • • · .' , · .: . · . , : 1.1 'I : : . . . ! :! 

, ! ~ ~ ; ; : , 

i 

• 
50 
SECTION SIX 

LAFAYETTE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY 

llltrod"dhm.--Lafayelle Park, thr"OU(hout the years, has become the center of 

the community life of not only Washington but also of the Nation. In addition to the 

yearly wreath laying ceremonies, various patrlotlc groups are granted spedal 

permission by the National. Park Semce to hold meetings o! a civic and patriotic 

nature, 10 plant memorial trees and to engage In otller civic activities stre$lling 

the role of the "Willie H0lI8e Neighborhood" In the lite of the community. Known as 

"Special Events." the National Capital Region 18SUeB special authority for the holding 

ot these affairs. Historians and park naturalists are also especially trained In the 

history of the area and Its fiora and tauna and conduct walking groups On tours. 

Wollrirw TOI4rs 0/ the "White HOWIe Neighborhood". --To famlllarize visitors with 

the signUtcance of the White H0lI8e Neighborhood, specially trained park historians 

ot the National Capital Region coOOu.ct regular free walking tours thr"OU(h Lafayette 

Park and the surrounding area. The historians Inform the visitors ot the background. 

and history of Lafayette Park, the role of the Individuals memorialized by statues In 

the IIblory of the United States, biographical details of the famous residents of the 

hlslorlc houses of Lafayette Square and paint out the nora and luana of the Park. 

In the spring of 1004, the National Capital Region began to extend personal. Invitations 

to visitors to the White House, to go on this personally conducted walkl", tour after 

their visit to the Execullve Mansion. The Invitations are handed out by a Park 

Historian to the visitor as they leave the White House grounds. A copy of this Invita_ 

tion Is shown below. VIPS and other special groups are conducted throu&h the area 

al their pleasure and convenience.' 

THE NATIONAL PAliK SERVICE INVtTES YOU 

TO PAIITICIPATE IN A FIIEE (45 MIN1.1TB) 

WALKING TOOII 

·"THE WHITE HOUSE NBIGHBORHOOD·' 

FOLLOWING YOUR VISIT TO ruE EXECU1lVE 

MANSION TODAY, MEET A PARK HISTORIAN 

IN LAfAYETTE PARK ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA 

AVBNUE 

9. 10. Ha.m.andJ. Z. 3p.m. 

Memorial Tree Plantillg$. __ ThrOUghout the yeau memorial trees have been 

planted In commemorative ceremonlealn Lafayette ParkhooorlngVl1rtOl.l ~ Indivldua1a. 

' Ceo<ll" A. H,m. A .. ,OUfI, Chld, l-IotlC<lo' Memorial. Branch, NCR. to 01 . ..... k1, Se~mbo' 15. 

196t . M..:h I.TOnw. ,uetl"" bas be.., re00r60d d tbo . _ Ial offo", d tbo Notl"".1 Capitol RoJ!o<l to 

mol<! !be U,~ to<I, d Lafoyettfl Put hlltor!eOUr In<ere" Ini. Ale' lf o.·" .. "ztoy. Tool K .. ol1. Odd 

Goo<"lle S. Taylor to 01 . .. .-.1<1. Lot.yen. Put.. o.: ...... ~. 196t . 

" 
FIC. 0.-P&f~ bI'torL..., Inle 'P"Un. th. ,LpINear><:. Of Ih ..... Klrllll to IIIe Co .. t<I d. 

Bocbambeau durL", a .alllin. lOut Ln Lat.,.e~ Park. 

" 
" • --

• 

• ;: 

" 
". 

FlC. 42.- WI. ptod et lc A. Grov"". ?esldenl-Gen. f&t 01 the Nati o nal 

Soclet, 01 ,lie 0&"1111.'. of the Amerlcan Revolution. pl.lllln,,, mem<>-

rto.l_blte oak InL&'ayette Park, March Ii, 1959 ..... An lotant S..,,,,tary 

01 the lnterlor, Roce. C, Ernst, look. on. 

n ... 43.-Do;j!caUoD 01 ,lilt " Be ........ 6alwell BellCb of In.plf&Uon" by th@ 

80, Scoul' of Amerln. 
Among some of the ,.tllI existing memorial trees Is an American elm (Ulmus ameri _ 

cana), planted by the American Peace Society On May 2, 1934 ; a Cambridge Elm 

(Ulmus campeslri s) planted by the American Institute of Pa rkExecutives on November 16, 1932; and a While Oak (QuercltS alba) and an American Beech (FaguS grandi -

/olw.) planted by . the National Society of the Daughters ot the American Revolution on 

, March 17, 1959, All memorW trees are lagged to Indicate their memor lallzation. 

Unfortunately, In many cases, memorial trees llave been supplanted, llavlng fallen 

prey to :age, disease and the weather.~ 

SPecial £ventS. - -Lalayette Park Is alSO the scene Of special ceremonies, 

generally Classified as "Special EVents", requiring advance preparallon by the Na- Ilonal Capital Region. Yearly memorial ce remonies by dlsllngulshed visitors to 

the area and the laying of memorial wr eaths by members of the diplomatic corps 

and patrlollc groups are among the most outstanding events which stren the rol e of 

the parks of the Nation's Capllalln the life of lis residents. Of Significance alSO was 

the dedication of the "Bernard Baruch Bench of Inspirations" by the Boy Scouts of 

America 00 August U, 1960; the plantlngofmemor lal trees all already noted; and the 

holding of community art fairs. This latter event Ia now held annually On the Ellipse, 

south of the White House, by the Rec reation Department, Government of the District 

of Columbia. 

Unscheduled £vents .--Of recent years, unscheduled events which OCCur In the 

White House and In the White House Neighborhood bring large croWds to the .vlclnlty 

of Lafayette ParI<, the majority ot which require advance preparation. Among some 

ot these may be mentioned the vlslls of Heads of state, which received a great 

Impehls during the Kennedy admlnlstratloo; Inaugural parades; parade! of patriotic 

and nationwide groups; the CIvil Rights march of 1962 which saw the greatest rnass 

of visitors descend upon Washington for one occasion; and the most tra.glc event 

of recent American Mstory. the auasslnatlon oJ the late President, Jolm Fitzgerald 

Kennedy. In effect, Lafayette Park has become fOr all practical purposes the gatherIng place of the community during events which sUect the lite and history of the 

Nation. 

Conclus;ons. __ When the city of Washington was established by the Founding 

Fathers as the site ot the Nation's capllal, their foresight provided, In both the 

VEntsnt and the Ellicott plans, for park areas which, In the future, would be used 

not only to beautt.ty the seat of the Republic but also as areas of recreation and rest 

tor the city's reSidents. Although the site of Lafayette Square was llrat Included 3./j 

part of the grounds of the President's House, later becoming known as the PresI_ 

dent's Park, Thomas J efferson determined that It should be separated trom the White 

House grounds to be made Into a separate recreational area for the people ot the 

Nallon. 

In IIomage to the great service rendered by the French nation, during America's 

fight for freedom and Independence from England, the area was named Lalayette 

Square In honor of General Lafayette durlngthe second visit of the French hero to the 

United States In 1824. Although comparatively little work WaB done to beautify and 
50 

l 

• • 

~ • ! 

• 

• • 

• < 
to 10000scape Lafayette Square prior toUte middle of Ute nineleenUt century, due to Ute 

exigencies of growlng America, Ute famous equestrian statue to General Andrew 

Jackson, was Ute flut to ~ erecte<! In 1853 as Ute central Uteme of Ute park. That 

s ame year, President MUiard Filmore authorized Ute appointment of Andrew J ackson 

Downing one of Ute most prominent American landscape architects of Ute day, to 

carry out his plans for Ute landscaping and beautification of Lafayette Park. 

Downing's plan WllS not Initially executed because Ute Nation WllS rent asunder 

by Ute furious anaUtema between North and South which culmlnaled In Ute outbreak of 

the Civil War. Once peace returned to the country, and the Nation's debt was lessened, Congress appropr iated funds which permitted the firsl major landscaping 

scheme to be carried out in Lafayette Square based On Downing's plan. Thl" InlUal 

work was executed mainly during the years 1872 to Hila, when the last of the four 

statues erected In Ute squar" WllS dedicated. The OIltbreak of World War I curtailed 

furUter work until the postwar years and the outbreak of Ute Great Depression. 

Under Ute Works PrO(!:ress Administration of the Rooseveltadmlnlstratlon, when 

Congress voted enormous sums for Ute relief of unemployment which had swept 

the coontry and the Inauguration of a nationwide public works prO(!:ram, Lafayette 

Square underwent a second ""'Jor landscaplng development. This Increased the area 

for public use and resulted In changes of a permanent nature which, In general, 

without radically changing the original Downing plan, eldst to this day. 

Following the Second World War and the Korean conflict, when Interest was 

aroused In the restoration of the entire area, Including Ute possibility of restoring 

Ute homes of former famous reSidents, many of whom were prominent in Ute history 

of the United States, varioos plans evolved. The majority of these proved unsatisfactory not only from an esthetic vieWpOint !;oJt also an'hitecturally and historically. 

Impetus to Ute project was given wlth the Inauguration of the Ide President 

John Fitzge rald KeJUledy In 1961. Within a year, a definite plan tor the preservation 

ot the architectural beauty and historical role of Lafayette Park WllS developed by 

the National Capital Regton. In 1962 this plan wu approved by President Kennedy 

with congressional authorization tor the commencement of the work being provided 

shortly thereafter. In Ute approved plan, the general OIltlines of the Downing plan, 

as modified by the landJ;leaping changes of 1936-31, are being adhered to. With Ute 

publication ot the final report of the Pr esident's COIlncll On Pennsylvania Avenue, 

Lafayette Park Is destined to remain the Nation's number One park area forthe 

e njoyment of the thousands ot residents and vlsitore who, yearly, pay homage to 

America's heritage In the Nation'. capital. 

" 
" 

FI,. 4~._AfU.1 dt"",u1nIJ", be. lecho!,,"' durin, CO .... unll.1 ,4.11 !'aIr. 

June 11142. 

PI" 46.-£llllblt or tile wotk 

P.,k, 

OrN .... 

.line 

L P ...... 

lU2 

oMl aI IIteAn PaIr ill ~ 
APPENDIX 
... " .. 

• • 

· " • 

• ! 

• ~ 

i 

! 

0 3 

, 

• • • 

~ , 

f 

• , 

• " 

• • • 

• 

" 
l , I 

I ,. "n

_.w • • -

" -

j 

• • 

• • 

; 

• • ! 

• 

, " 

i 

2 

~ , 

• 

, 

• • • 

, 

! 

, 

! 

• • • , 

.. 

• 

• .. 

< 

" 
" 

-o 

~ • j 

• , 

'" • • < 
• j 

.. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 

PRIMARY SOURCES; OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS 

Department of the interior. 

Nallonal Capital Region. Correspondence Files 1460/ LaIayette Park 

(Reservallon No. 10), No.1, No.2. 

A. Tolson 

Saul K. Padover (~~!;~,l Washl!l8ton: U.S.' 

Department of State. Washington: U.S, Government 

Printing Office, 

House Do<::ument No. 35, 71et Congress, 1st Session. 

States CaplW. Washington: U.S. Government 

President's Counell on PeTUlsylvania Avenue. 

Washington: U.S. Gover nment Printing """.;-

Senate Oo<:umenl No. • 71&1 Congress, 3d Session. Dr. H. Paul Caemmerer. 

Washington: U.S. GovernmentPrlntingOfllce, 

3d Session, Dr. H. Paul Caemmere r . 

Wuhlngton: U,S, Gov_ 

Wu Department. . 2 vols. 

Washington: 

Waslllngton: 

17Vols. WalIhlngton: 

.. 
... 0 I.'.'" 

SECONDARY WORKS 

Bryan, W. B. A History of the National Capital. 2 vols. New York: The Macmillan 

Company, 1916. 

Caemrnerer, Washington: 

Columbia HI.';""",,, 

Columbia Historical Society. Recor ds of the Columbia Historical Society. 50 vols. 

Washington, 1899_1960. 

Green, Mrs. C~~~:::::,::" Princeton: 

Hutchins, S., and Moore, J. W. The National Capital, Past and Present. Washington: 

The Post Publishing Co., 1885. 

King, Mrs. Leland. Wasbtngton: John Carl 

Warnecke &; 

Leupp, Frances E. Walks About Washington. New York: Little Brown &; Co., 1916. 

Mitchell, Lt. COl. Joseph B. Decisive Battles Of theA me ric an Revolution. New York: 

C. P. Putnam's Sons, 1962. 

Moore, Chllrles. WashingtOn. Past and Present. New York: The Century Co., 1929. 

Niceby, Helen. Our Capital on the Potomac. New York: The Century Co., 1924. 

Rainey, Ada. The Charm of Old Washington. New York, 1932. 

Samuels, Ernest. Henry Adams: The Middle Years. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1958. 

Smith, Mrs. Samuel Harrison. The First Forty Years of WashlngtonSodety. Wash_ 

ington, 1906. 

Thomas aoo Hyman. Staunton, L~oln's Secretary of War. New York: Alfred A. 

Knopf, 1962. 

.. 
RECEIVED 

_ .. ,11 

H B .' - 1565 

....... ft,OGI< " .. _., .. 

No\l KJ/II Al HHII. SERVICE