Statue of John Barry
Memorial in Washington, D.C., U.S. / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The statue of John Barry commemorates the "Father of the United States Navy", Commodore John Barry (1745-1806). Barry was an Irish-born sailor who joined the American colonists in fighting for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Barry became the first commission by the Second Continental Congress. He captained several ships during the war, and not only fought in the Continental Navy, but also the Continental Army. He was the first American to capture an enemy ship and was promoted to commodore by President George Washington in 1794. Barry's last ship, the United States, fought in the Quasi-War. He retired in 1801, but remained head of the United States Navy until his death in 1806.
Commodore John Barry | |
Location | Franklin Square, Washington, D.C. |
---|---|
Coordinates | 38°54′7″N 77°1′54″W |
Built | 1914 |
Architect | John Boyle (sculptor) Edward Pearce Casey (architect) Roman Bronze Works (founder) |
NRHP reference No. | 78000256[1] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | July 14, 1978 (American Revolution Statuary) |
Designated CP | April 24, 1997 (L'Enfant Plan) |
Designated DCIHS | March 3, 1979 |
Plans to erect a memorial to Barry began in 1902. With assistance from members of Congress, a bill to install the memorial and the allocation of $50,000 to pay for it occurred in 1906. The National Commodore John Barry Statue Commission included government officials, veterans, and many Irish American groups. The person who won the commission to create the sculpture was John J. Boyle. Work on the sculpture and pedestal took place from 1911 to 1913.
A dedication ceremony for the memorial took place in 1914, which included a large parade through Washington, D.C. Over 10,000 people, including President Woodrow Wilson, members of Congress, military leaders, and Supreme Court justices, attended the ceremony. The unveiling of the statue was done by one of Barry's descendants. The bronze statue of Barry is located on the western edge of Franklin Square in downtown Washington, D.C. Barry is portrayed wearing a military uniform while his right hand is holding scrolls and resting on a sword. The female allegorical statue on the front of the pedestal represents Victory. She is holding a laurel wreath as an eagle rests below her right arm.
The memorial is one of 14 American Revolution Statuary listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites in 1978 and 1979, respectively. The memorial is also a contributing property to the L'Enfant Plan, listed on the NRHP in 1997.