Equestrian statue of George Washington (Washington Circle)

About

Lieutenant General George Washington is an 1860 equestrian statue of George Washington, at Washington Circle, at the edge of the George Washington University's campus, in Washington, D.C. The statue was sculpted by Clark Mills, who also created the equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson in front of the White House. The traffic circle where the statue is located was one of the original city designs by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. The statue and surrounding park are in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood at the intersection of 23rd Street, New Hampshire Avenue, and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The K Street NW underpass runs beneath the circle.

The idea of honoring George Washington, one of the Founding Fathers, the military leader of the American Revolutionary War, and the first U.S. president, was first authorized by the Congress of the Confederation in 1783. Despite periodic calls for the erection of a statue honoring Washington, nothing happened until future President James Buchanan made inquiries into why the statue was never installed. Congress authorized the statue and its installation in 1853 at a cost of $50,000, which was later increased to $60,000. Mills' original design included a three-tier pedestal with intricate designs. Due to a lack of funding, that was never built. The final product was a marble pedestal that is somewhat simple. The horse's design was praised, but Washington's portrayal was frowned upon by critics.