John Paul Jones Memorial
Encyclopedia
The John Paul Jones Memorial is a monument in West Potomac Park
in Washington, D.C.
. The memorial honors John Paul Jones
, the United States
' first naval war hero, father of the United States Navy
, the only naval officer to receive a Congressional Gold Medal during the American Revolutionary War
, and whose famous quote "I have not yet begun to fight!" was uttered during the Battle of Flamborough Head
.
Dedicated on April 17, 1912, the John Paul Jones Memorial was the first monument raised in Potomac Park. The memorial is located near the National Mall
at the terminus of 17th Street Southwest near Independence Avenue on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. A nearby marker contains a biographical sketch of John Paul Jones, and describes the memorial's history and features.
The memorial consists of a 10-foot (3 m) bronze statue that was sculpted by Charles H. Niehaus and a 15-foot (4.6 m) marble pylon. On each side of the monument, water flows out of ducts into a small pool. On the reverse side of the monument is a bas-relief of Jones raising the United States flag on his ship, the Bonhomme Richard
. The event is believed to be the first time the United States flag was flown on an American warship.
The statue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as part of the American Revolution Statuary
group in Washington, D.C.
West Potomac Park
West Potomac Park is a U.S. national park in Washington, D.C., adjacent to the National Mall. It includes the parkland that extends south of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, from the Lincoln Memorial to the grounds of the Washington Monument...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. The memorial honors John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' first naval war hero, father of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, the only naval officer to receive a Congressional Gold Medal during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, and whose famous quote "I have not yet begun to fight!" was uttered during the Battle of Flamborough Head
Battle of Flamborough Head
The Battle of Flamborough Head was a naval battle that took place on 23 September 1779, in the North Sea off the coast of Yorkshire between an American Continental Navy squadron led by John Paul Jones and the two British escort vessels protecting a large merchant convoy...
.
Dedicated on April 17, 1912, the John Paul Jones Memorial was the first monument raised in Potomac Park. The memorial is located near the National Mall
National Mall
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
at the terminus of 17th Street Southwest near Independence Avenue on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. A nearby marker contains a biographical sketch of John Paul Jones, and describes the memorial's history and features.
The memorial consists of a 10-foot (3 m) bronze statue that was sculpted by Charles H. Niehaus and a 15-foot (4.6 m) marble pylon. On each side of the monument, water flows out of ducts into a small pool. On the reverse side of the monument is a bas-relief of Jones raising the United States flag on his ship, the Bonhomme Richard
USS Bonhomme Richard (1765)
|-External links:** Clive Cussler recounts his elusive search for the Bonhomme Richard....
. The event is believed to be the first time the United States flag was flown on an American warship.
The statue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as part of the American Revolution Statuary
American Revolution Statuary
American Revolution Statuary is a group of fourteen statues in Washington, D.C., listed with the National Register of Historic Places. The statues are scattered across Washington, mainly in squares and traffic circles, with four statues of European officers displayed in Lafayette Square, across...
group in Washington, D.C.