Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
National Register of Historic Places

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Washington DC, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
Listed
May 1, 1997
Type
Object
Period
Modern
Ref No.
01000271

About this property

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is a presidential memorial in Washington, D.C., dedicated to the memory of the 32nd president of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Dedicated on May 2, 1997, by President Bill Clinton, the national memorial is spread over 7.5 acres (3.0 ha) adjacent to the southwest side of the Tidal Basin along the Cherry Tree Walk in West Potomac Park. It traces 12 years of the history of the United States through a sequence of four outdoor rooms, one for each of FDR's terms of office. The memorial is one of two in Washington honoring Roosevelt. Sculptures inspired by photographs depict the 32nd president alongside his dog Fala. Other sculptures depict scenes from the Great Depression, such as listening to a fireside chat on the radio and waiting in a bread line. A bronze statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt standing before the United Nations emblem honors her work with the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is the only presidential memorial to depict a First Lady. Considering Roosevelt's disability, the memorial's designers intended to create a memorial that would be accessible to those with various physical impairments. Among other features, the memorial includes an area with tactile reliefs with braille writing for people who are blind. However, the memorial faced criticism from disabled activists. Vision-impaired visitors complained that the braille dots were improperly spaced and that some of the braille and reliefs were mounted eight feet off the ground, placing it above the reach of most people.

Location

Washington DC, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
38.89318, -77.02361
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

National Archives
Modern
0 mi
Temperance Fountain
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0.1 mi
National Bank of Washington, Washington Branch
Industrial
0.2 mi
Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site
Listed
0.2 mi
National Mall
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0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial listed on the National Register?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 1, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is classified as a object in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial?

The period of significance for Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1997.

Can I research the history near Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial?

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