Washington D.C. WWI Memorials

Washington D.C.’s District of Columbia World War I Memorial is probably one of the least known memorials. According to the dcphotoguide website, “it is the only city-centric monument and it dedicates its monumentality of a structure to 26,000 Washington veterans who died during the First World War.” The names of veterans from Washington D.C. are engraved within the plaque and it is a reminder to society how many lives were taken in honor to their nation and veterans around the world. The architecture is classically constructed with its dome shaped stand reminiscing on Greek and Roman structures like Doric columns and Roman shaped rotunda to signal a longstanding powerful nation unity. The eagle emblem on top of a globe is a constant symbol throughout the piece to represent United States’ triumph thanks to the heroes risked their life for their country. This memorial was abandoned for some time until a “$7.3 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” pitched in to expose this monumental memorial. Even through this snowy portrayal, the marble-like color stands out to impose its heroic presence upon the snowy ground.

The 1938 “Winged Victory Monument” portrayed here as called in the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services commemorates the participation of veterans during World War I. The honored included “soldiers, sailors and marines.” Sculptor Alonzo Victor Lewis constructed this bronzed granite sculpture that captivated anyone who witnessed its spirit. The sculptor’s addition of “12-foot tall figure of the famous Greek statue of Nike of Samothrace, the goddess of victory of war.” This allegorical figure stands over a marine, sailor and soldier to recall “the three main forces of America’s World War I machine.” The statue stands in stark opposition to the Capitol Building appearing to look “toward the distant horizon in the east.” This monument like the previous ones mentioned are sacred relics made for the historic value it represents in a public historical setting.