Thomas Jefferson: Fun Facts, Quotes & Trivia


Thomas Jefferson Memorial

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is located in Washington D.C. West Potomac Park, on the shore of the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River. It is part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The Jefferson Memorial was dedicated to the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birth.

 

The memorial was designed by John Russell Pope using Jefferson’s personal architectural tastes. Jefferson first introduced the circular, colonnaded style of the memorial to our country. The design consists of circular marble steps, a portico, a circular colonnade of Ionic order columns, and a shallow dome. The memorial was actually built by a contractor named Tyler Nichols. Construction of the memorial was started in 1939 and completed in 1943. The bronze statue of Jefferson, created by Rudolph Evans, wasn’t added until 1947.

 

Being open to the elements, the inside of the memorial contains the 19-foot tall bronze statue while the walls are engraved with passages from many of Thomas Jefferson’s writings. Most prominent are the words “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man” which are inscribed near the roof of the monument.

 

All 3 major airports in the area offer transportation services to the National Mall. The area also has numerous bicycle trails and public transportation throughout Washington D.C. Visitor parking is located on Ohio Drive between the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials.

 

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is open 24 hours a day, with free admission at all times. It is only during the hours of 9:30 A.M. and 11:30 P.M., however, that Rangers are available to answer questions. Individuals are permitted to host planned events at the memorial with the required permit.

 

Many events and ceremonies, such as the Easter Sunrise Service and the National Cherry Blossom Festival, are held at the Jefferson Memorial every year.

 

Nearby attractions include such famous memorials as the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the FDR Memorial. Tours are available in the area to enable one to receive a wealth of knowledge about these famous memorials and the people they are dedicated to.



Tags: Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Rate This Article:

Add to Yahoo MyWeb Add to Yahoo Buzz Add to Yahoo Bookmarks Stumble on StumbleUpon Add to Reddit Add to Google Bookmarks Add to Newsvine Add to MySpace Add to Windows Live Add to Furl Add to Fark Add to Facebook Submit to Digg Add to Delicious Add to Blinklist

Comment on "Thomas Jefferson Memorial"

Your Name

Your Comments

Verification Code: ABD7D
Enter Code:


Bookmark and Share

Privacy Policy | Copyright/Trademark Notification