John Ericsson Monument

John Ericsson Monument

NPS / Kelsey Graczyk

Quick Facts

Location:

Washington, DC - Intersection of Ohio Drive SW and Independence Ave. SW.

Designation:

Memorial

Amenities

2 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto

 "I love this country. I love its people and its laws; and I would give my life for it just as soon as not." - John Ericsson

Swedish-born John Ericsson (1803-1889) was an innovator who developed the first ironclad warships and the screw propeller for propulsion. Both inventions revolutionized naval warfare.

During the early stages of the Civil War, concern over the Confederate ironclad vessel Virginia gripped American seaports. Wooden-hulled ships remained no match for those sheathed in armor. On March 9, 1862, the USS Monitor - an ironclad of Ericsson's design - fought the Virginia to a draw at Hampton Roads near Norfolk, Virginia. Its success initiated construction of more Ericsson-designed ironclads for President Abraham Lincoln's increasingly formidable arsenal. Following the war Ericsson continued his groundbreaking work in the fields of naval engineering and solar power development. His successful career provided a shining example to immigrants who journeyed to American shores in search of a better way of life.

In the memorial's sculpture, Ericsson is depicted seated with figures representing "Vision," "Labor," and "Adventure" behind him. The sculptor, James Earle Fraser, also designed and sculpted the Arts of Peace monuments on the far side of the Lincoln memorial: Aspiration and Literature and Music and Harvest.

Sculptor: James Earle Fraser

Inscriptions

John Ericsson
AD 1803
AD 1883
Inventor and Builder of the Monitor
He Revolutionized Navigation by His Invention of the Screw Propeller