Background In 1871, the
United States Army Corps of Engineers began constructing
Dupont Circle, which at the time was called Pacific Circle since it was the western boundary of the city's residential areas. On February 25, 1882, Congress renamed the circle and authorized a memorial to
Samuel Francis Du Pont (1803–1865) to honor his services during the
Mexican–American War and
Civil War. He played a large role in the modernization of the
Navy, and during the Civil War he was responsible for making the
Union blockade effective against the
Confederacy, though his failed attempt to attack
Charleston in 1863 tarnished his career record. The bronze statue was sculpted by
Launt Thompson and dedicated on December 20, 1884, at a cost of $20,500. Attendees at the ceremony included President
Chester A. Arthur, Senator
Thomas F. Bayard, Admiral
David Dixon Porter and General
Philip Sheridan. The circle was landscaped with exotic plants and hundreds of trees. Senator
Willard Saulsbury, Jr.'s wife, who was a niece of Du Pont, led efforts to replace the statue. The family asked that no government funds be used for the new memorial and that the
Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) approve the design. On February 26, 1917, Congress approved the replacement of the statue and insisted on construction beginning within three years. The Du Pont family chose architect
Henry Bacon and sculptor
Daniel Chester French to design a fountain that reflected the
Beaux-Arts and
neoclassical styles that were popular in the neighborhood at the time, such as the
Patterson Mansion, located on the northeast edge of the circle. Bacon is best known for designing the
Lincoln Memorial while French's best known work is the
statue of Abraham Lincoln inside the memorial. The CFA approved the design in 1917 and work began on the fountain shortly thereafter. In 1920, the statue was moved to
Rockford Park in
Wilmington,
Delaware, the hometown of the Du Pont family.
Dedication The fountain was formally dedicated the afternoon of May 17, 1921. The ceremony, which was supervised by Lieutenant Colonel
Clarence O. Sherrill, was described as "simple, yet impressive." A temporary stand decorated with flags and shields was built for prominent guests including First Lady
Florence Harding, Secretary of War
John W. Weeks and Secretary of the Navy
Edwin Denby. Chairs were placed along the walkways surrounding the fountain and sailors served as ushers for the event. While invited guests were being seated, the
Navy Band performed music. Following the concert, members of the public were allowed to enter the area and soon filled the surrounding park. In 1948, the fountain was temporarily removed when a
streetcar underpass was built beneath Dupont Circle. When it was moved back to its original location two years later, the fountain's pumping system was replaced. When the new system was installed, workers forgot to connect the pipes to the fountain. The issue was corrected the following year and the fountain became operational. The fountain is one of eighteen
Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C. that were collectively listed on the
National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on September 20, 1978, and the
District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on March 3, 1979. The fountain and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the
National Park Service, a federal agency of the
Interior Department. ==Design and location==