19th-century The area that now encompasses Sheridan Circle, and much of the present-day Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood, were originally large estates built outside the city's boundary. Local government officials announced in 1886 that development would be expanded beyond Boundary Street (renamed
Florida Avenue in 1890). The plan was to extend Massachusetts Avenue NW northward past
Rock Creek. Two traffic circles were also planned in the extension and most of the surrounding area was to be plotted and have streets laid out within a year. . The land that was previously the Lovett estate and the Barlow-Bomford mausoleum is where present-day Sheridan Circle is located. The earliest developments in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood took place near Decatur Circle, the original name of Sheridan Circle. It was named in honor of
United States Navy Commodore
Stephen Decatur, but renamed in 1890, in honor of
Civil War General
Philip Sheridan.
Dupont Circle, a neighborhood to the east, became a fashionable residential area in the 1880s. Development past the Dupont Circle boundaries began that same decade, and by 1887, the lots along Massachusetts Avenue had been plotted. Soon, there were large residences being built along the avenue towards Decatur Circle. In the 1890s, the city's boundary was extended past Rock Creek, but city officials had to build a new bridge over the creek and pave Massachusetts Avenue before further development could occur. The large residences built along Massachusetts Avenue were designed by prominent architects from Washington, D.C., as well as ones from other major cities. Most of the residences built around Sheridan Circle were free-standing mansions, occupied by prominent members of society. The first house to be constructed that faced the circle was the
Alice Pike Barney Studio House, an eclectic example of
Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, which
Alice Pike Barney used as an art studio and residence. Foreign governments also became interested in building stylish, large embassies around the circle.
Sheridan statue stands in the middle of the traffic circle. A
statue to honor General Sheridan was originally proposed to stand on the north side of
Pennsylvania Avenue NW near 13th Street NW, at what is now
Freedom Plaza. Sheridan's widow advocated to erect the statue at Sheridan Circle instead, with which the statue commission agreed.
John Quincy Adams Ward was selected to sculpt the statue. Mrs. Sheridan rejected his original model, saying it was not a good likeness of her husband, and the statue commission rejected Ward's model. The commission and Mrs. Sheridan both approved of a model created by
Gutzon Borglum, one that was modeled after Philip Sheridan Jr. The statue and the surrounding park were dedicated on November 27, 1908, and is one of 18
Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C., listed on the NRHP on September 20, 1978, and the DCIHS on March 3, 1979. In the years following
World War I, there was an explosion in growth of new buildings in the area. Many prominent local and national architects designed palatial residences around Sheridan Circle. During the
Great Depression, many of the local residences were sold to foreign nations or various groups. After
World War II ended, many of the area residences were renovated into embassies, ambassadorial residences, and attachés. According to news reports,
Luis Posada Carriles was at the meeting that decided on Letelier's death and also about the
Cubana bombing two weeks later.
21st-century Clashes On May 16, 2017, dozens of
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) supporters and
Kurdish separatists clashed with Turkish security officials at Sheridan Circle. Turkish security personnel beat journalists and protesters during the skirmish. During a civil suit by some of the PKK supporters against the Turkish government, a U.S. judge denied Turkey's citing the
Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act as to why the case should be dismissed. ==Gallery==