National Register of Historic Places

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
66000029

About this property

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C., built in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the nation's third president. Built between 1939 and 1943, the memorial features multiple quotes from Jefferson intended to capture his ideology and philosophy, known as Jeffersonian democracy. Jefferson was widely considered among the most influential political minds of his era and one of the most consequential intellectual forces behind both the American Revolution and the American Enlightenment. The Jefferson Memorial is built in neoclassical style and is situated in West Potomac Park on the shore of the Potomac River. It was designed by John Russell Pope, a New York City architect, and built by Philadelphia contractor John McShain. Construction on the memorial began in 1939 and was completed in 1943, though the bronze statue of Jefferson was not completed and added until four years after its dedication and opening, in 1947. Pope made references to the Roman Pantheon, whose designer was Apollodorus of Damascus, and to Jefferson's own design for the rotunda at the University of Virginia as inspirations for the memorial's aesthetics. The Jefferson Memorial and the White House form anchor points to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.. The Jefferson Memorial is a designated national memorial and is managed by the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Mall and Memorial Parks division. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and ranked fourth on the American Institute of Architects' "list of America's favorite architecture".

Location

Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
38.88145, -77.03709

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
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

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Early Republic
0.1 mi
US Department of Agriculture South Building
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East and West Potomac Parks
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Auditor's Building Complex
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

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2001Modern
1.2 mi
September 11 Attacks — Pentagon
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Questions about this property

When was Thomas Jefferson Memorial listed on the National Register?

Thomas Jefferson Memorial was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Thomas Jefferson Memorial?

Thomas Jefferson Memorial is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Thomas Jefferson Memorial?

The period of significance for Thomas Jefferson Memorial is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Thomas Jefferson Memorial?

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