John Witherspoon Memorial

John Witherspoon Memorial

NPS / Kelsey Graczyk

Quick Facts

Location:

Washington, DC

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

The John Witherspoon Memorial occupies a modest triangular site at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue, 18th Street, and N Street NW in the Dupont Circle area, a place of quiet reflection dedicated to a man whose influence shaped the moral and intellectual foundations of the early United States.

John Witherspoon was born in Scotland in 1722 and emerged as a leading Presbyterian minister and intellectual of his generation before crossing the Atlantic in 1768 to lead the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. There he combined rigorous scholarship with spiritual leadership, guiding the campus and its students through a period of political turbulence. Witherspoon became deeply involved in the currents of revolutionary thought, helping shape the moral case for independence and bringing his sharp theological and philosophical mind to bear on public questions. He was the only active clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776, lent his voice to debates on the Articles of Confederation, and supported the adoption of the Constitution. Beyond politics, his extensive influence as an educator helped mold a generation of American leaders, including future jurists, lawmakers, and statesmen.

Plans for a memorial to honor Witherspoon began in the early 20th century, when members of the Presbyterian community and the newly formed Witherspoon Memorial Association sought to secure recognition for the clergyman-statesman in the nation’s capital. At the behest of Witherspoon’s advocates, in 1908 Congress passed a joint resolution appropriating funds to support the pedestal, and members of the association raised the balance for the statue itself. The memorial was dedicated on May 20, 1909, in a ceremony attended by Vice President James Sherman, future president Woodrow Wilson, and church leaders, clergy, members of the diplomatic corps, and descendants of Witherspoon.

The memorial’s design reflects Witherspoon’s dual identities as a man of faith and a participant in the political life of his adopted country. The bronze sculpture, created by artist William Couper, stands roughly eight feet tall atop a substantial nine-foot pedestal of Stoney Creek granite. Witherspoon is depicted in Colonial attire, stepping forward with his right leg advanced, his right hand clutching a Bible, and his gaze set with determined resolve. On the front and back of the memorial’s base are inscriptions that enumerate his life’s milestones – his birthplace in Scotland, his presidency at Princeton, and most importantly, his status as a signer of the Declaration of Independence. A powerful quotation from Witherspoon on the pedestal conveys his unwavering commitment to the revolutionary cause and the moral stakes he perceived in America’s struggle for liberty.