Locate
How Place Commemorates DC Culture and History
Image: The tile mosaic of Marvin Gaye marks the entrance to Marvin Gaye Park, named for the American R&B and soul singer and songwriter.
The Office of Planning (OP) published Locate in Summer 2022 to identify potential locations for commemorative works in DC.
Explore this story map to learn the importance of connections between subjects and sites, what to consider when locating commemorative works, and different types of commemorative sites.
What is a commemorative work?
A commemorative work is something that keeps alive a shared memory of an individual, group, or event. Examples of commemorative works include monuments, memorials, gardens, markers, and other similar permanent or temporary installations.
Why is commemoration important?
As symbols of our shared past and values, commemorative works create distinct identities for neighborhoods, inspire us to live better lives, and remind us of significant events that shaped the world we live in. Residents told OP they valued the sense of community pride created by commemorative works, as well as how they educate new residents or children in their neighborhoods. 88 percent of residents said they were interested in having a commemorative work in their neighborhood.
How is Locate part of DC’s Commemorative Works Program?
Locate helps identify commemorative work sites, the Commemorative Works Committee and District agencies review proposals, and the Mayor and District Council when considering their approval. The review process for DC commemorative works is defined in the Commemorative Works Act of 2000 . The Act requires a commemorative work’s location be assessed as part of its review.
What commemorative works are in DC and where are they located?
Washington, DC has monuments and memorials to subjects associated with our nation’s history – some with a controversial past. The National Capital Planning Commission has mapped official commemorative works in DC . They are concentrated around the National Mall, within the boundaries of the historic L’Enfant Plan, and in neighborhoods to the north and west of downtown. There is one existing memorial in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. Locate promotes locations in areas where commemorative works are traditionally not found, such as neighborhood commercial areas or parks.
Image: The statue of Winfield Scott Hancock at 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW honors an US Army general in the American Civil War who led his troops to victory at Gettysburg.
How does DC partner with the community to support commemoration?
DC’s Commemorative Works Program supports a review process defined in the Commemorative Works Act of 2000. This Act requires sponsors be responsible for funding and maintenance of commemorative works they propose. Applications are submitted to OP and reviewed by the Commemorative Works Committee that makes a recommendation to the Mayor and District Council, who have final approval.
Between 2004 and 2021 seven commemorative works were approved through this process. Most applications were sponsored by a District of Columbia agency. Local groups have expressed interest in commemorating Washingtonians and local subjects, but lack resources to fund design, construction, and maintenance.
In March 2023, OP announced the Commemorative Works Technical Assistance Program (TAP) that is working with local partners to identify commemorative subjects and sites and to develop of concept plans.
Image: Legacy Metro Memorial Park is dedicated to nine people who lost their lives in the deadly Metro crash of June 2009 and located where Rhode Island Avenue NE crosses Metro's Red Line near the site of the accident. Photo by Hunt Laudi Studio
What can a commemorative work’s location tell us about the subject?
Commemorative work subjects are usually tied to a specific place, such as the home or neighborhood of an individual or location of an event. After a commemorative subject is identified, Locate can help identify sites most effective in telling its story.
Click on the points on the map to learn more about DC commemorative works and how their locations relate to their subjects.
Howard Theatre Walk of Fame
Bronze medallions in the sidewalk at 7 and T streets NW recognize 15 Black American musicians or music groups that performed at the adjacent Howard Theatre, a venue open to Black Americans at a time when DC was segregated.
District of Columbia War Memorial
The DC War Memorial, located south of the Reflecting Pool and along Constitution Avenue, is the only DC memorial on the National Mall, symbolizing the distinction of DC as a local entity even though it is the federal city. Photo by MusikAnimal
Ward 3 - 9/11 Memorial Grove
Tree groves planted to mark the 5th anniversary of 9/11 are in triangle parks centrally located in Ward 3 at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Fulton Street NW and part of an initiative to create a memorial grove in each District ward.
Hoff Memorial Fountain
The Hoff Memorial Fountain in front of what had been the central hospital building on the Walter Reed medical campus is dedicated to Colonel John Van Rensselaer Hoff, a military surgeon who dedicated his life to the Medical Corps. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith
Benjamin Grenup Monument
The Benjamin Grenup Monument in Glenwood Cemetery marks the grave of firefighter Benjamin Grenup, one of the District’s first firefighters killed in the line of duty, and is considered a monument to all firefighters who died while serving the District. Photo by Elliott Carter
The Maine Lobsterman
The sculpture of a Maine lobsterman does not commemorate a Washingtonian, but it's location along the District's waterfront is appropriate for the subject.
Marvin Gaye Park and Mosaic
The tile mosaic of Marvin Gaye marks the entrance to Marvin Gaye Park, named for the American R&B and soul singer and songwriter who spent part of his childhood in the nearby Capitol View neighborhood.
Dorothy Height Mural
A mural of Dorothy Height, an influential women in the civil rights movement, is located at 3211 Martin Luther King Avenue SE and in the middle of Congress Heights, a neighborhood developed for Whites that is today predominantly Black. Photo Dee Dwyer/WAMU
Howard Theatre Walk of Fame
Bronze medallions in the sidewalk at 7 and T streets NW recognize 15 Black American musicians or music groups that performed at the adjacent Howard Theatre, a venue open to Black Americans at a time when DC was segregated.
District of Columbia War Memorial
The DC War Memorial , located south of the Reflecting Pool and along Constitution Avenue, is the only DC memorial on the National Mall, symbolizing the distinction of DC as a local entity even though it is the federal city. Photo by MusikAnimal
Ward 3 - 9/11 Memorial Grove
Tree groves planted to mark the 5 th anniversary of 9/11 are in triangle parks centrally located in Ward 3 at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Fulton Street NW and part of an initiative to create a memorial grove in each District ward.
Hoff Memorial Fountain
The Hoff Memorial Fountain in front of what had been the central hospital building on the Walter Reed medical campus is dedicated to Colonel John Van Rensselaer Hoff, a military surgeon who dedicated his life to the Medical Corps. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith
Benjamin Grenup Monument
The Benjamin Grenup Monument in Glenwood Cemetery marks the grave of firefighter Benjamin Grenup, one of the District’s first firefighters killed in the line of duty, and is considered a monument to all firefighters who died while serving the District. Photo by Elliott Carter
The Maine Lobsterman
The sculpture of a Maine lobsterman does not commemorate a Washingtonian, but it's location along the District's waterfront is appropriate for the subject.
Marvin Gaye Park and Mosaic
The tile mosaic of Marvin Gaye marks the entrance to Marvin Gaye Park, named for the American R&B and soul singer and songwriter who spent part of his childhood in the nearby Capitol View neighborhood.
Dorothy Height Mural
A mural of Dorothy Height , an influential women in the civil rights movement, is located at 3211 Martin Luther King Avenue SE and in the middle of Congress Heights, a neighborhood developed for Whites that is today predominantly Black. Photo Dee Dwyer/WAMU
What does a commemorative work's location tell us about a subject's significance?
Locate identifies 40 potential sites – five in each Ward - and organizes them by type of interest in the subject.
DC and the Nation
Sites for subjects important within a national context (i.e. World War II, 9/11, or the COVID-19 pandemic) are along streets and avenues carrying lots of vehicles and are highly visible, like Connecticut Avenue, 16th Street NW, or East Capitol Street.
DC Experience
Sites for subjects with significance to residents in all eight Wards of the District (i.e. sports teams or city-wide political leaders) are in spaces where a broad cross-section of residents come together, like plazas at Metro stations or regional parks.
DC Faces and Places
Sites for subjects with a strong connection to a place (i.e. Jewish history in Petworth or Central American culture in Adams Morgan) are in spaces at the center of neighborhood life, like local commercial areas, libraries and recreation centers.
What type of site is most appropriate for a commemorative work?
Six types of sites are identified in Locate. Their size and relationship to streets, commercial or residential areas, and amenities like playgrounds or hiking trails make them more or less appropriate for different subjects.
Triangle Parks and Open Spaces
These spaces are typically along heavily traveled roadways and highly visible. Commemorative works can be part of triangle park with seating, public art, and spaces for gathering and passive recreation.
Image: Unity Park is a triangle park in Adams Morgan. Photo by Holt Jordon
Medians
These landscaped spaces are in the center of streets leading into the District, avenues of the L’Enfant Plan, or at entrances to large parks. They are good for small to medium size sculptures viewed by pedestrians or passengers in vehicles.
Image: The New York Avenue Sculpture Project in the median between 12th and 13th streets NW incorporates medium-scale sculptures. Photo by Lee Stalsworth
Wide Sidewalks
These areas of public right-of-way are between the curb and property line and more than 20 feet wide. They are ideal for memorials like medallions in sidewalks or sculptural figures in landscaped areas.
Image: "Pillar of Fire" is a glass sculpture next to the former Whitman-Walker Clinic at the corner of 14th and S streets NW honoring healthcare workers who assisted people living with HIV/AIDS.
Civic Buildings and Spaces
These sites include spaces at public buildings, like entrances to schools, fire stations, police stations, recreation centers, and libraries. They vary in size and scale and appropriate memorials could include traditional statues or sculptures.
Image: Sculptures at the entrance to 300 Indiana Avenue NW (Henry J. Daly Building) are monumental public art that could be a commemorative work. Photo by Washington Business Journal
Large Parks
Large multi-use parks draw residents from across the District and have sites appropriate for commemorative works. They can be incorporated into a recreational area or passive open space.
Image: The Chuck Brown Memorial in Langdon Park is dedicated to “The Godfather of Go-Go”. Photo by Michael Marshall Design
Plazas
These paved sites include wide sidewalks active with pedestrians in a commercial area or entrances to metro stations. They vary in size and can include memorials defining spaces that can be used for other activities like markets or special events.
Image: Sculptures in Paul R. Connolly Plaza, named for a noted DC trial lawyer, define the entrance to the Metro Center station at G and 12th streets NW.
Where are the sites in Locate and what is important to know about each one?
Markers on this map indicate a site included in Locate. Red markers are sites for subjects related to DC and the Nation, green markers are sites for the DC Experience, and blue markers are sites for DC Faces and Places.
Continue scrolling down and then click on each marker to learn more about a site.
Mayor Bowser established and charged the Task Force on Facilities and Commemorative Expressions (DCFACES) with evaluating local commemorative works to ensure they align with DC values. The Task Force recommended fortifying DC values by identifying diverse subjects that honor women, people of color, and LGBTQ Washingtonians. It also recommended establishing a community engagement process to ensure commemorative subjects are culturally diverse and located in neighborhoods.
Image: Black Lives Matter plaza is located on 16th Street, between H and K streets NW, and recognizes DC's fight against racial injustice.
OP is also supporting commemorative works in other ways by: providing current information about the program on our website ; releasing Locate to inform review of proposals and promote commemoration in DC neighborhoods; documenting the history of DC's LGBTQ community , African Americans , Civil Rights , neighborhoods , Women’s Suffrage, and Asian community; and, developing Ward Heritage Guides that raise awareness of places, people, organizations, and events worthy of commemoration.
How can I participate in the Commemorative Works Technical Assistance Program?
Attend public meetings and check out the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) project page to find out about public meetings and other ways to suggest and weigh in on potential commemorative subjects, sites, and concept designs. The TAP provides designers and public artists who will develop concept plans after subjects and sites are identified, and is supported by OP and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities .
During Spring and Summer of 2023, partners are convening residents in Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8 to identify commemorative subjects and sites, and to discuss concept designs. Future efforts will promote commemoration in Wards 1, 2, 3, and 6.
Image: The Carter G. Woodson Memorial at 9th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW is around the corner from the Carter G. Woodson National Historic Site .
To learn more about the 40 preferred commemorative sites, check out Locate: A Strategy for Locating Commemorative Works in District of Columbia Neighborhoods.
