May 5th - DC World War I Memorial

D.C. World War I Memorial

While walking through West Potomac Park today, I was, as usual, trailing behind everyone, taking pictures of everything I saw. I noticed this little duck lying in the grass in a shaded clearing. There was a path along the side of the clearing, and I started to walk down it. Once I stepped out of the sun and into the shade, I noticed this little domed building at the end of the path. I called to the rest of the gang to come have a look, and we went down to the little monument.
It was definitely lonely, and in a state of disrepair! We saw that it was some kind of memorial to the First World War, but didn't realize exactly what it was, until I got home and searched it out on the internet.
Conceived by Washington architect Frederick H. Brooke in association with architects Horace W. Peaslee and Nathan C. Wyeth, the World War I Memorial commemorates the 26,000 citizens of Washington, D.C. who served in World War I. The domed peristyle Doric temple is located on the National Mall in West Potomac Park and intended to be used as a bandstand large enough to accommodate the 80-member U.S. Marine Corps Band. The memorial rises about 43 ft above its 4 ft marble base while twelve 22 ft Doric columns gracefully support the memorial's dome. Inscribed in the base are 499 names of Washingtonians who lost their life in the war. Authorized by Congress in 1924, the memorial was appropriately dedicated in 1931 on Armistice Day-the official end of WWI. It serves as the first war memorial to be built in West Potomac Park and stands as the only local memorial on the National Mall.

Obviously, it has NOT been used for a long, long time.....perhaps not since it was dedicated!!!!

It has been listed under the Most Endangered Places in 2003. They have listed the threat to the little monument as follows:

"WHAT IS THE THREAT?

The historic integrity of the Mall as envisioned by Pierre L’Enfant in 1791 and the McMillan Plan of 1901-1902 is threatened by continuing pressures from Congress and special interest groups to approve new memorials and museums on its dwindling open space and alter landmarks for security purposes. This is taking place as existing, lesser known memorials are not maintained. Though the D.C. World War Memorial continues to stand gracefully in a shady grove of trees, it has been neglected for decades. The memorial needs attention—both public attention and physical attention. It has been thirty years since it major work has been done on the memorial. It is in critical need of a complete structural evaluation. This year, the National Park Service (NPS) is testing new lighting in the interior dome, which it has connected to the original timer in the floor—the clock is still working. The neglect is due in part to the fact that its history had been forgotten by most, both by the federal government and local D.C. citizens. The memorial has no signage or explanation except for that carved in the white marble. Part of the problem was that until recently, it seemed unclear who was responsible for maintaining the structure—the local D.C. government or the federal government. The NPS felt they had responsibility for the grounds but not the structure. A National Park Service Cultural Resource Specialist examined the records and determined that the memorial is the responsibility of the NPS. "
Such a shame to let this lovely monument decay in this fashion. When you think that they spent $1.3 million dollars just to build a bronze statue of FDR in his wheelchair???