The Jefferson Memorial
Jefferson Memorial Credit Josh Hettinger
Located on the National Mall in the heart of Washington, D.C. is the memorial dedicated to the founding father, statesman, architect, author of the Declaration of Independence, and third president, Thomas Jefferson. President Jefferson was a pivotal figure in the revolution and the founding of the United States. Here in the nation’s capital, his legacy is remembered with this noble monument.
Modeled after the Roman Pantheon, the memorial’s circular colonnade style was taken from Jefferson’s own Neoclassical architectural tastes. In November of 1939, President Roosevelt laid the ceremonial cornerstone and four years later, the memorial was dedicated in 1943. The most iconic of the museum’s features has to be the 19 foot tall, five-ton statue of President Jefferson holding the Declaration of Independence and overlooking the Mall. Originally cast as a bronze statue, it was replaced with a plaster model during the WWII metal restrictions. Inside the memorial, you will see notable quotes taken directly from Jefferson’s writings that highlight his philosophies and morals on the responsibility of guiding the country through its infancy and more.
As it is located on the Mall, the Jefferson Memorial is located within walking distance to several other memorials, monuments, and national museums. Festivals such as the Cherry Blossom Festival are scheduled annually and take place nearby. The Memorial is open daily from 8 am-11:45 pm and closed only on Christmas Day. National Parks Service rangers offer historical interpretive programs hourly between 10 am and 11 pm daily.
