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An Extended Guide To D.C.'s Hidden and Obscure Memorials

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Since publishing February's guide to D.C.'s lesser known monuments, Curbed has delved further into the city's hidden memorials. Some of these overlooked homages are war memorials and others are actually hidden in plain sight, near D.C.'s more distinguished landmarks. However, there are also homages in places like Park View, Woodley Park and Rock Creek Park where tourists are less likely to wander. Take a look at the updated map of all of these Hidden Memorials after the jump.


· All Hidden Memorials [CDC]

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Albert Einstein Memorial

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This bronze statue of the famous scientist sits on the campus of the National Academy of Sciences. It was dedicated in 1979, 100 years after Einstein's birth. Photo by Adam Fagen.

USS Maine Memorial - Cuban American Friendship Urn / Monumento A Las Victims Del "Maine"

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This memorial has a very strange history. The monument to fallen American sailors off the coast of Cuba was gifted to President Coolidge in 1928 but mysteriously disappeared for several decades during the height of U.S./Cuba tensions. Photo by Flickr user cliff1066™.

Titanic Memorial

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The outstretched arms may recall a famous scene from the 1997 film, but this 1931 monument looking over the water memorializes the male passengers of the ship who gave up their lives so that the women and children could use the lifeboats. Photo by Tim Evanson

Samuel Hahnemann Memorial

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This massive memorial in the center of Scott Circle is a dedication to the father of homeopathic medicine. Photo by Adam Fagen.

Van Ness Mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery

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This large Greek Revival structure holds the former mayor of D.C. and his wife. Before its move to Oak Hill Cemetery, it stood in front of an orphanage in Penn Quarter. Photo by NCinDC.

Sonny Bono Memorial Park

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The deceased singer/politician had a good friend in developer Geary Simon. This little 800 square foot triangle south of Dupont Circle has a chest carrying some of Bono's treasured artifacts buried underneath. Photo by Andy Buschap

Temperance Fountain

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This statue near the National Mall was meant to be an inspiration to drink water instead of liquor, but the water fountain has long since stopped working. Photo by Flickr user NCinDC.

"Motherland," The Armenian Earthquake Statue

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This statue stands on the North Lawn of the American Red Cross Headquarters. It was a gift to the organization after their assistance during a 1988 earthquake in Armenia. Photo by David King.

Bartholdi Fountain

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This work of art in the Botanic Garden was named "The Fountain of Light and Water" but it is more commonly called the Bartholdi fountain, after its creator. Fun fact: he also designed the Statue of Liberty! Photo courtesy of the U.S. Capitol.

Boy Scouts of America Memorial

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The coolest thing about this statue on the Ellipse is that the Boy Scouts of America paid for the memorial themselves. Photo by Robert Goodwin.

Victims of Communism Memorial

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This may surpass the still-unbuilt Eisenhower Memorial the most controversial monument in the city. The Ukrainians even built a Museum of American Imperialism in agitated protest. Photo by Cesar Harada.

Bridge Tender's House

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The watchtower on the 14th Street Bridge became a kaleidoscopic work of colorful public art in 2009. Photo by Flickr user art around.

(Here I Stand) In the Spirit of Paul Robeson

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This glass and steel statue in Petworth by Allen Uzikee Nelson is in homage to the internationally renowned singer, athlete and activist. Photo by Valerie Paschall.

Zero Milestone

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This granite block topped with a compass is the symbolic center of the city's and the country's system of roads. It's also hidden in plain site, right in front of the White House. Photo by Charles Smith.

Nuns of the Battlefield Monument

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Just because it's south of Dupont Circle doesn't mean it isn't obscure. This bronze relief is dedicated to the nuns who assisted soldiers during the Civil War. Photo by Ron Cogswell.

African American Civil War Memorial

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It's in the title of a Green Line metro station and, in fact, immediately visible upon exiting onto 10th Street. Still, not everyone spends ample time (or any time) looking at this dedication to the United States Colored Troops of the Civil War. Photo courtesy of DC Tourism.

District of Columbia World War I Memorial

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Just because it's in West Potomac Park near the Lincoln Memorial, doesn't mean it isn't overlooked. This dome dedicated to D.C. residents who died in World War I. It was also the first War Memorial to go up behind the Washington Monument. Photo by Adam Fagen.

The Extra Mile

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This memorial is a series of bronze medallions honoring people that have dedicated their lives to service and the betterment of others. There's actually still room on this relatively new trail for future commemoration. Photo by Wally Gobetz.

The Court of Neptune

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Not so much memorial as really interesting public art, this statue showing the mythological God of the Sea sits in front of the Library of Congress. Photo by Flickr user Anne G.

Dante Alighieri Statue - Meridian Hill Park

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There are a couple of statues in the beautifully landscaped Meridian Hill Park and this sculpture of the Divine Comedy poet isn't far from that of American President James Buchanan.

Jean Jules Jusserand Memorial

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This bench dedicated to French ambassador and Teddy Roosevelt confidant is well-hidden in Rock Creek Park. Photo by Daniel Lobo.

Emancipation Monument

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In theory, a monument that pays tribute to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation is a great one but the positions of the figures made it a controversial memorial even during its dedication. Photo by Flickr user yeowatzup.

National Capitol Columns

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These columns in the middle of the National Arboretum look like a Greek or Roman ruin, but in fact, they used to be a part of the Capitol Building. Photo by Paulo Ordoveza.

Kahlil Gibran Memorial Garden

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There aren't too many memorials by the Observatory, but there is this trippy one (and the accompanying garden) dedicated to the author of The Prophet. Photo by Flickr user J.

Soldiers Home

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This entire home, where President Lincoln spent his summers and wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, is more of a museum than a memorial. That said, it's still been deemed a National Monument. Photo by Ron Cogswell.

Guglielmo Marconi Memorial

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This gilded statue in front of a Mt Pleasant apartment complex is an homage to a pioneer of radio technology. Photo by Flickr user NCinDC.

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Albert Einstein Memorial

This bronze statue of the famous scientist sits on the campus of the National Academy of Sciences. It was dedicated in 1979, 100 years after Einstein's birth. Photo by Adam Fagen.

USS Maine Memorial - Cuban American Friendship Urn / Monumento A Las Victims Del "Maine"

This memorial has a very strange history. The monument to fallen American sailors off the coast of Cuba was gifted to President Coolidge in 1928 but mysteriously disappeared for several decades during the height of U.S./Cuba tensions. Photo by Flickr user cliff1066™.

Titanic Memorial

The outstretched arms may recall a famous scene from the 1997 film, but this 1931 monument looking over the water memorializes the male passengers of the ship who gave up their lives so that the women and children could use the lifeboats. Photo by Tim Evanson

Samuel Hahnemann Memorial

This massive memorial in the center of Scott Circle is a dedication to the father of homeopathic medicine. Photo by Adam Fagen.

Van Ness Mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery

This large Greek Revival structure holds the former mayor of D.C. and his wife. Before its move to Oak Hill Cemetery, it stood in front of an orphanage in Penn Quarter. Photo by NCinDC.

Sonny Bono Memorial Park

The deceased singer/politician had a good friend in developer Geary Simon. This little 800 square foot triangle south of Dupont Circle has a chest carrying some of Bono's treasured artifacts buried underneath. Photo by Andy Buschap

Temperance Fountain

This statue near the National Mall was meant to be an inspiration to drink water instead of liquor, but the water fountain has long since stopped working. Photo by Flickr user NCinDC.

"Motherland," The Armenian Earthquake Statue

This statue stands on the North Lawn of the American Red Cross Headquarters. It was a gift to the organization after their assistance during a 1988 earthquake in Armenia. Photo by David King.

Bartholdi Fountain

This work of art in the Botanic Garden was named "The Fountain of Light and Water" but it is more commonly called the Bartholdi fountain, after its creator. Fun fact: he also designed the Statue of Liberty! Photo courtesy of the U.S. Capitol.

Boy Scouts of America Memorial

The coolest thing about this statue on the Ellipse is that the Boy Scouts of America paid for the memorial themselves. Photo by Robert Goodwin.

Victims of Communism Memorial

This may surpass the still-unbuilt Eisenhower Memorial the most controversial monument in the city. The Ukrainians even built a Museum of American Imperialism in agitated protest. Photo by Cesar Harada.

Bridge Tender's House

The watchtower on the 14th Street Bridge became a kaleidoscopic work of colorful public art in 2009. Photo by Flickr user art around.

(Here I Stand) In the Spirit of Paul Robeson

This glass and steel statue in Petworth by Allen Uzikee Nelson is in homage to the internationally renowned singer, athlete and activist. Photo by Valerie Paschall.

Zero Milestone

This granite block topped with a compass is the symbolic center of the city's and the country's system of roads. It's also hidden in plain site, right in front of the White House. Photo by Charles Smith.

Nuns of the Battlefield Monument

Just because it's south of Dupont Circle doesn't mean it isn't obscure. This bronze relief is dedicated to the nuns who assisted soldiers during the Civil War. Photo by Ron Cogswell.

African American Civil War Memorial

It's in the title of a Green Line metro station and, in fact, immediately visible upon exiting onto 10th Street. Still, not everyone spends ample time (or any time) looking at this dedication to the United States Colored Troops of the Civil War. Photo courtesy of DC Tourism.

District of Columbia World War I Memorial

Just because it's in West Potomac Park near the Lincoln Memorial, doesn't mean it isn't overlooked. This dome dedicated to D.C. residents who died in World War I. It was also the first War Memorial to go up behind the Washington Monument. Photo by Adam Fagen.

The Extra Mile

This memorial is a series of bronze medallions honoring people that have dedicated their lives to service and the betterment of others. There's actually still room on this relatively new trail for future commemoration. Photo by Wally Gobetz.

The Court of Neptune

Not so much memorial as really interesting public art, this statue showing the mythological God of the Sea sits in front of the Library of Congress. Photo by Flickr user Anne G.

Dante Alighieri Statue - Meridian Hill Park

There are a couple of statues in the beautifully landscaped Meridian Hill Park and this sculpture of the Divine Comedy poet isn't far from that of American President James Buchanan.

Jean Jules Jusserand Memorial

This bench dedicated to French ambassador and Teddy Roosevelt confidant is well-hidden in Rock Creek Park. Photo by Daniel Lobo.

Emancipation Monument

In theory, a monument that pays tribute to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation is a great one but the positions of the figures made it a controversial memorial even during its dedication. Photo by Flickr user yeowatzup.

National Capitol Columns

These columns in the middle of the National Arboretum look like a Greek or Roman ruin, but in fact, they used to be a part of the Capitol Building. Photo by Paulo Ordoveza.

Kahlil Gibran Memorial Garden

There aren't too many memorials by the Observatory, but there is this trippy one (and the accompanying garden) dedicated to the author of The Prophet. Photo by Flickr user J.

Soldiers Home

This entire home, where President Lincoln spent his summers and wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, is more of a museum than a memorial. That said, it's still been deemed a National Monument. Photo by Ron Cogswell.

Guglielmo Marconi Memorial

This gilded statue in front of a Mt Pleasant apartment complex is an homage to a pioneer of radio technology. Photo by Flickr user NCinDC.