Titanic Memorial (Washington, D.C.): Difference between revisions

External videos
External videos
	Titanic Memorial, C-SPAN

	Titanic Memorial
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites
	Titanic Memorial in 2019
Location	Near 4th and P Street, SW, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates	38°52′19″N 77°01′09.5″W / 38.87194°N 77.019306°W
Built	1931
Architect	Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (designer); John Horrigan and Piccirilli Brothers (sculptors); Henry Bacon (architect); Meeker Brothers (stonework); R. B. Phelps Stone Company (fabricator, current location)
Architectural style	Neoclassical
NRHP reference No.	07001060
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 12, 2007
Designated DCIHS	February 22, 2007

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The Titanic Memorial is a granite statue in Washington, D.C., that honors the men who gave their lives so that women and children might be saved during the sinking of the Titanic. The idea for a memorial to honor the victims of the sinking was mentioned shortly afterward. A group of women formed a committee to raise money for a memorial, with a limit of $1 per person. After sending thousands of cards to women throughout the U.S., the committee had raised almost enough funds to complete the project, with the federal government paying the remaining amount. A competition was announced for a memorial design and several were submitted. The winning design by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, who later opened the Whitney Museum of American Art, became her first major commission.

After planning and seeking approval from different agencies, the memorial was installed in 1930 and dedicated in May 1931. Among those at the dedication were President Herbert Hoover, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover, former First Lady Helen Herron Taft, and other government officials. Before the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was built, the memorial was removed and placed in storage for two years. It was reinstalled at its current location at Southwest Waterfront Park in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood. It is sited near 4th and P Street SW near Fort Lesley J. McNair and across the Washington Channel from East Potomac Park. The Wharf mixed-use development is just north of the memorial.

The centerpiece of the memorial depicts a partly clad male figure with arms outstretched standing on a square base. The base is flanked by a square exedra, created by architect Henry Bacon, which encloses a small, raised platform. The memorial was added to the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites and the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The statue is one of a small number of prominent outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. designed by women.

Memorial

Planning

In 1912, the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg. Among the 2,223 people on board the ship, 706 survived. Around 70 percent of those that perished were men, who were told the life rafts were for women and children. Shortly after the sinking, an association of prominent women created a committee to erect a memorial to honor the men who gave up their spot on a lifeboat. The Committee of One Hundred was organized on April 25, 1912, whose members first included U.S. congresswoman Florence Prag Kahn, philanthropist Laura Spelman Rockefeller, wife of the 26th U.S. vice president, Cornelia Cole Fairbanks, wife of senator Oscar W. Underwood, Bertha Woodward, wife of the FDA commissioner Harvey Washington Wiley, Anna Kelton, and the wife of jurist Theodore Marburg.^[1]^[2]

The women began a fundraising campaign for a memorial they pictured to include a large arch in a prominent place. The first woman to donate $1, the limit for each person, was First Lady Helen Taft.^[1]^[3] Thousands of letters were sent to women across the country who were involved with various groups and societies, asking for donations to help erect the memorial. The committee has raised $43,000 by January 1914, and the remaining costs to erect the memorial was paid for by the U.S. government.^[1] In addition to wanting an arch as the memorial, the committee wanted it to be made of white marble and feature Lombardy poplar planted in a semi-circle.^[4]

There was a competition to design the memorial where eight sculptors submitted entries. The winner of the competition, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, was selected in 1914 to design the memorial. Her design dropped the plans for an arch in favor of a 15 foot (4.6 m) tall statue of a nude man with his arms outstretched. Changes were made to the statue's final design so the man's genitals were not visible.^[4] She had worked on the project since 1912, drawing various designs, including one seen by the committee's secretary.^[5] The Titanic design became her first large commission and one of her most notable.^[4] Sculptors John Horrigan and the Piccirilli Brothers created the statue with input from Henry Moreschi, another sculptor who had lost the commission to Whitney.^[6]^[7] The architect for the memorial was Henry Bacon, who previously designed the Lincoln Memorial, and the fabricator was R. B. Phelps Stone Company.^[6] The statue, which Whitney described as having "a [facial] expression of sublime sacrifice", was completed in 1916.^[4]^[8] The statue and pedestal were carved from a 20-ton slab of granite.^[1] The entire project was completed in 1918, but it would be years before it was dedicated.^[8]

Congress had approved the erection of the memorial in Washington, D.C. on March 3, 1917, but there were many delays: the site near the Potomac River needed to be improved and approval from various parties was needed.^[1] The United States Commission of Fine Arts approved the plan in 1919, but it took another six years before other agencies approved the final design and site. The statue was displayed in a New York City art gallery for more than ten years before it was finally installed in 1930. The memorial's dedication took place the following year in 1931, the same year Whitney opened their Whitney Museum in New York City.^[4]

Dedication

The dedication of the memorial took place on May 26, 1931.^[4] Whitney was unable to attend due to an illness. Amongst those in attendance of the dedication were President Herbert Hoover and his wife, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover, Helen Herron Taft, members of the president's cabinet, and other guests of honor. Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson led the ceremony with a comment that Whitney's design of a man with his arms outstretched was reminiscent of Jesus' sacrifice by crucifixion. U.S. Representative Robert Luce praised the design and told the audience the memorial was "an enduring symbol of a characteristic of human nature that should be an inspiration for generations to come."^[9] He noted the heroism shown by many during the sinking of the Titanic and feared a future decline of such traits.^[9]

His speech was followed by the wife of Senator James W. Wadsworth Jr. officially handing over ownership of the memorial to the United States. Bishop James E. Freeman led the invocation and Taft, who was the first donator to the memorial, then unveiled the statue. As it was unveiled, the United States Marine Band played the national anthem and a sailor hoisted a flag above the statue. The crowd then sang My Country, 'Tis of Thee and a wreath was placed at the memorial by the wife of United States Department of State clerk, Robert S. Chew.^[9]

Later history

During the 1936 Northeastern United States flood, the memorial was damaged when the Potomac River overflowed.^[10] In 1966, the memorial was moved from its original location near the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway due to the construction of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.^[11]^[12] The memorial sat in a warehouse in Fort Washington, Maryland, for the next two years until a new site was found.^[10] It was moved to its current location in 1968 without another dedication ceremony.^[5] R. B. Phelps Stone Company served as the fabricator for the new site.^[6]

Beginning in 1978, a group of men mostly involved in local news operations began meeting at the memorial on each anniversary of the sinking. The group, known as the Men's Titanic Society, now annually holds a black-tie event to remember the men's sacrifice during the sinking.^[13]^[14] The memorial was added to the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on February 22, 2007, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 12, 2007.^[15]^[11] It is one of five prominent outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. made by women, and is a rare religious-themed work representing a non-religious subject. It is also one of four outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. that are a form of representational art.^[4]

Location and design

The Titanic Memorial is located on Reservation 717 in the Southwest Waterfront Park, a public park near the intersection of 4th and P Streets SW, in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood of Washington, D.C.^[4]^[16] The memorial is near Fort Lesley J. McNair, which is southeast of the park, across the Washington Channel from East Potomac Park, and is three blocks southwest from Waterfront station on the Washington Metro. The large Wharf mixed-use development lies just north of the park.^[1]^[10]^[17]

The sculpture, base, and platform are all pink granite while the foundation is concrete. There are three granite steps leading to the platform.^[4]^[6] The statue, which depicts a nude man draped with a robe, represents "Self Sacrifice". His arms are outstretched in the shape of a cross and his eyes are closed.^[6] He is standing on an uneven block above a relief of waves on the pedestal.^[4] It is possible the statue is the inspiration for Kate Winslet's character in Titanic, when she says "I'm flying, Jack!", but director James Cameron has never confirmed this.^[13] The statue is 12-feet (3.7 m) tall, 8-feet (2.4 m) wide, and 2-feet (0.6 m) long. It rests on a base which measures 5.5-feet (1.7 m) tall, and 4-feet (1.2 m) wide and long. The platform is 50-feet (15.2 m) long with a diameter of 13-feet (4 m). It includes an exedra, decorated on each end with a dolphin that features a bench.^[6]

Inscriptions

The following inscriptions are on the memorial:^[18]

Front:

TO THE BRAVE MEN WHO PERISHED IN THE TITANIC
APRIL 15 1912
THEY GAVE THEIR
LIVES THAT WOMEN
AND CHILDREN
MIGHT BE SAVED

ERECTED BY THE
WOMEN OF AMERICA

Side:

GERTRUDE VANDERBILT WHITNEY 1931

Back:

TO THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
THE RICH AND THE POOR
THE IGNORANT AND THE LEARNED
ALL
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES NOBLY
TO SAVE WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Front of the pedestal
Side of the pedestal
Back of the pedestal
Aerial view of the memorial

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Titanic Memorial". National Park Service. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "Titanic Memorial". The Sentinel-Record. May 4, 1912. p. 5. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "For Titanic Memorial". The Blackfoot Optimist. May 9, 1912. p. 2. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Barsoum, Eve L. (May 2006). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Titanic Memorial". National Park Service.
^ ^a ^b Josefson, Jayna (April 11, 2012). "Titanic, an Unsinkable Legacy: Part I, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney's Titanic Memorial and Francis Davis Millet in the Archives of American Art". Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Titanic Memorial, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Burchard, Hank (March 27, 1998). "In the Shadow of the Titanic". The Washington Post. pp. N06. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Shapiro, T Rees (April 14, 2012). "A Toast to Chivalry". The Washington Post. pp. B1. ProQuest 1000164962. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Titanic Memorial Exorcises Held". The Evening Star. May 27, 1931. pp. A-4. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Samela, Hayley; Rist, Matt (April 12, 2012). "DC Titanic Memorial: Silent Tribute in Southwest". WRC-TV. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Titanic Memorial". DC Preservation League. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "New Site Still Sought for Titanic Memorial". The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 10, 1966. p. 6. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Brockell, Gillian (April 15, 2019). "The Titanic's heroic men — and the people who still honor them 107 years later". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Rogers, Jenny (January 24, 2014). "What's up with D.C.'s Titanic memorial?". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites: Alphabetical Version" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning. September 30, 2009. p. 156. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "Titanic Memorial". United States Commission of Fine Arts. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Goode, James M. (1974). The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 391.
^ "Titanic Memorial". National Park Service. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

External links

Media related to Titanic Memorial (Washington, D.C.) at Wikimedia Commons

[nps-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Titanic Memorial". National Park Service. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[sentinel-2] "Titanic Memorial". The Sentinel-Record. May 4, 1912. p. 5. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[blackfoot-3] "For Titanic Memorial". The Blackfoot Optimist. May 9, 1912. p. 2. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[nom-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Barsoum, Eve L. (May 2006). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Titanic Memorial". National Park Service.

[archives-5] Josefson, Jayna (April 11, 2012). "Titanic, an Unsinkable Legacy: Part I, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney's Titanic Memorial and Francis Davis Millet in the Archives of American Art". Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[saam-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Titanic Memorial, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[moreschi-7] Burchard, Hank (March 27, 1998). "In the Shadow of the Titanic". The Washington Post. pp. N06. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[toast-8] Shapiro, T Rees (April 14, 2012). "A Toast to Chivalry". The Washington Post. pp. B1. ProQuest 1000164962. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[ceremony-9] "Titanic Memorial Exorcises Held". The Evening Star. May 27, 1931. pp. A-4. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[wrc-10] Samela, Hayley; Rist, Matt (April 12, 2012). "DC Titanic Memorial: Silent Tribute in Southwest". WRC-TV. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[inventory-11] "Titanic Memorial". DC Preservation League. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[newsite-12] "New Site Still Sought for Titanic Memorial". The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 10, 1966. p. 6. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[society-13] Brockell, Gillian (April 15, 2019). "The Titanic's heroic men — and the people who still honor them 107 years later". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[wcp-14] Rogers, Jenny (January 24, 2014). "What's up with D.C.'s Titanic memorial?". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[15] "District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites: Alphabetical Version" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning. September 30, 2009. p. 156. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[cfa-16] "Titanic Memorial". United States Commission of Fine Arts. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[goode-17] Goode, James M. (1974). The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 391.

[inscription-18] "Titanic Memorial". National Park Service. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

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@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 ===Planning===
 [[File:Women's Titanic Memorial NYTimes - 1914crop.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Newspaper photo of the winning design|In 1914, ''[[The New York Times]]'' printed a photograph of [[Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney]]'s winning design for the memorial.]]
-In 1912, the ''[[Titanic]]'' sank in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] after hitting an iceberg. Among the 2,223 people on board the ship, 706 survived. Around 70 percent of those that perished were men, who were told the life rafts were for women and children. Shortly after the sinking, an association of prominent women created a committee to erect a memorial to honor the men who gave up their spot on a lifeboat. The Committee of One Hundred was organized on April 25, 1912, whose members first included U.S. congresswoman [[Florence Prag Kahn]], philanthropist [[Laura Spelman Rockefeller]], wife of the 26th U.S. vice president, [[Cornelia Cole Fairbanks]], wife of senator [[Oscar W. Underwood]], Bertha Woodward, wife of the FDA commissioner [[Harvey Washington Wile]]y, Anna Kelton, and the wife of jurist [[Theodore Marburg]].<ref name=nps>{{cite web | url=https://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/titanic.htm | title=Titanic Memorial | publisher=National Park Service | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | archive-date=January 17, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117050643/https://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/titanic.htm | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=sentinel>{{cite news | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89051285/1912-05-04/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1770&index=0&rows=20&words=MEMORIAL+TITANIC+Washington&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=titanic+memorial+washington&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 | title=Titanic Memorial | work=The Sentinel-Record | date=May 4, 1912 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | pages=5}}</ref>
+In 1912, the ''[[Titanic]]'' sank in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] after hitting an iceberg. Among the 2,223 people on board the ship, 706 survived. Around 70 percent of those that perished were men, who were told the life rafts were for women and children. Shortly after the sinking, an association of prominent women created a committee to erect a memorial to honor the men who gave up their spot on a lifeboat. The Committee of One Hundred was organized on April 25, 1912, whose members first included U.S. congresswoman [[Florence Prag Kahn]], philanthropist [[Laura Spelman Rockefeller]], wife of the 26th U.S. vice president, [[Cornelia Cole Fairbanks]], wife of senator [[Oscar W. Underwood]], Bertha Woodward, wife of the FDA commissioner [[Harvey Washington Wiley]], Anna Kelton, and the wife of jurist [[Theodore Marburg]].<ref name=nps>{{cite web | url=https://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/titanic.htm | title=Titanic Memorial | publisher=National Park Service | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | archive-date=January 17, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117050643/https://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/titanic.htm | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=sentinel>{{cite news | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89051285/1912-05-04/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1770&index=0&rows=20&words=MEMORIAL+TITANIC+Washington&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=titanic+memorial+washington&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 | title=Titanic Memorial | work=The Sentinel-Record | date=May 4, 1912 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | pages=5}}</ref>
 The women began a fundraising campaign for a memorial they pictured to include a large arch in a prominent place. The first woman to donate $1, the limit for each person, was First Lady [[Helen Taft]].<ref name=nps/><ref name=blackfoot>{{cite news | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86091195/1912-05-09/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1770&index=1&rows=20&words=Memorial+memorial+Titanic+Washington&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=titanic+memorial+washington&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 | title=For Titanic Memorial | work=The Blackfoot Optimist | date=May 9, 1912 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | pages=2}}</ref> Thousands of letters were sent to women across the country who were involved with various groups and societies, asking for donations to help erect the memorial. The committee has raised $43,000 by January 1914, and the remaining costs to erect the memorial was paid for by the U.S. government.<ref name=nps/> In addition to wanting an arch as the memorial, the committee wanted it to be made of white marble and feature [[Populus nigra|Lombardy poplar]] planted in a semi-circle.<ref name=nom>{{cite news | title=National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Titanic Memorial | publisher=National Park Service | date=May 2006 | author=Barsoum, Eve L. }}</ref>
@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 ===Dedication===
-The dedication of the Titanic memorial took place on May 26, 1931.<ref name=nom/> Whitney was unable to attend due to an illness. Among those in attendance at the dedication ceremony were President [[Herbert Hoover]] and his wife, First Lady [[Lou Henry Hoover]], Helen Herron Taft, members of the president's [[Cabinet of the United States|cabinet]], and other guests of honor. Secretary of State [[Henry L. Stimson]] led the ceremony with a comment that Whitney's design in the shape of a cross was a reminder of [[Jesus]]' sacrifice. U.S. Representative [[Robert Luce]] praised the design and told the audience the memorial was "an enduring symbol of a characteristic of human nature that should be an inspiration for generations to come."<ref name=ceremony>{{cite news | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1931-05-27/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1931&index=3&rows=20&words=MEMORIAL+Memorial+titanic+Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=District+of+Columbia&date2=1931&proxtext=titanic+memorial&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 | title=Titanic Memorial Exorcises Held | work=The Evening Star | date=May 27, 1931 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | pages=A-4 | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193257/https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1931-05-27/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1931&index=3&rows=20&words=MEMORIAL+Memorial+titanic+Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=District+of+Columbia&date2=1931&proxtext=titanic+memorial&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 | url-status=live }}</ref> He noted the heroism shown by many during the [[Sinking of the Titanic|sinking of the ''Titanic'']] and worried such gallantry would soon disappear.<ref name=ceremony/>
+The dedication of the memorial took place on May 26, 1931.<ref name=nom/> Whitney was unable to attend due to an illness. Amongst those in attendance of the dedication were President [[Herbert Hoover]] and his wife, First Lady [[Lou Henry Hoover]], Helen Herron Taft, members of the president's [[Cabinet of the United States|cabinet]], and other guests of honor. Secretary of State [[Henry L. Stimson]] led the ceremony with a comment that Whitney's design of a man with his arms outstretched was reminiscent of [[Jesus]]' sacrifice by crucifixion. U.S. Representative [[Robert Luce]] praised the design and told the audience the memorial was "an enduring symbol of a characteristic of human nature that should be an inspiration for generations to come."<ref name=ceremony>{{cite news | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1931-05-27/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1931&index=3&rows=20&words=MEMORIAL+Memorial+titanic+Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=District+of+Columbia&date2=1931&proxtext=titanic+memorial&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 | title=Titanic Memorial Exorcises Held | work=The Evening Star | date=May 27, 1931 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | pages=A-4 | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193257/https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1931-05-27/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1931&index=3&rows=20&words=MEMORIAL+Memorial+titanic+Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=District+of+Columbia&date2=1931&proxtext=titanic+memorial&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 | url-status=live }}</ref> He noted the heroism shown by many during the [[Sinking of the Titanic|sinking of the ''Titanic'']] and feared a future decline of such traits.<ref name=ceremony/>
-His speech was followed by the wife of Senator [[James W. Wadsworth Jr.]] officially handing over the memorial to the U.S. Bishop [[James E. Freeman]] led the invocation and Taft, who was the first donator to the memorial, then unveiled the statue. As it was unveiled, the [[United States Marine Band]] played the national anthem and a sailor hoisted a flag above the statue. The crowd then sang ''[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]'' and a wreath was placed at the memorial by the wife of [[United States Department of State]] clerk, Robert S. Chew.<ref name=ceremony/>
+His speech was followed by the wife of Senator [[James W. Wadsworth Jr.]] officially handing over ownership of the memorial to the United States. Bishop [[James E. Freeman]] led the invocation and Taft, who was the first donator to the memorial, then unveiled the statue. As it was unveiled, the [[United States Marine Band]] played the national anthem and a sailor hoisted a flag above the statue. The crowd then sang ''[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]'' and a wreath was placed at the memorial by the wife of [[United States Department of State]] clerk, Robert S. Chew.<ref name=ceremony/>
 ===Later history===
-During the [[1936 Northeastern United States flood]], the memorial was damaged when the Potomac River overflowed.<ref name=wrc>{{cite news | url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/local/titanic-memorial/1944202/ | title=DC Titanic Memorial: Silent Tribute in Southwest | work=WRC-TV | date=April 12, 2012 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | author=Samela, Hayley; Rist, Matt | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193258/https://www.nbcwashington.com/local/titanic-memorial/1944202/ | url-status=live }}</ref> The original location of the memorial was near the intersection of [[New Hampshire Avenue]] and [[Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway]], but was removed in 1966 due to construction of the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]].<ref name=inventory>{{cite web | url=https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/598 | title=Titanic Memorial | publisher=DC Preservation League | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193413/https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/598 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=newsite>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/179833211/?terms=Titanic%20Memorial%20Washington&match=1 | title=New Site Still Sought for Titanic Memorial | work=The Philadelphia Inquirer | date=January 10, 1966 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | pages=6 | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193417/https://www.newspapers.com/image/179833211/?terms=Titanic%20Memorial%20Washington&match=1 | url-status=live }}</ref> The memorial sat in a warehouse in [[Fort Washington, Maryland]], for the next two years until a new site was found.<ref name=wrc/> It was moved to its current location in 1968 without another dedication ceremony.<ref name=archives/> R. B. Phelps Stone Company served as the fabricator for the new site.<ref name=saam/>
+During the [[1936 Northeastern United States flood]], the memorial was damaged when the Potomac River overflowed.<ref name=wrc>{{cite news | url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/local/titanic-memorial/1944202/ | title=DC Titanic Memorial: Silent Tribute in Southwest | work=WRC-TV | date=April 12, 2012 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | last1=Samela | first1=Hayley | last2=Rist | first2=Matt | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193258/https://www.nbcwashington.com/local/titanic-memorial/1944202/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In 1966, the memorial was moved from its original location near the intersection of [[New Hampshire Avenue]] and [[Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway]] due to the construction of the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]].<ref name=inventory>{{cite web | url=https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/598 | title=Titanic Memorial | publisher=DC Preservation League | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193413/https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/598 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=newsite>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/179833211/?terms=Titanic%20Memorial%20Washington&match=1 | title=New Site Still Sought for Titanic Memorial | work=The Philadelphia Inquirer | date=January 10, 1966 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | pages=6 | archive-date=January 21, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121193417/https://www.newspapers.com/image/179833211/?terms=Titanic%20Memorial%20Washington&match=1 | url-status=live }}</ref> The memorial sat in a warehouse in [[Fort Washington, Maryland]], for the next two years until a new site was found.<ref name=wrc/> It was moved to its current location in 1968 without another dedication ceremony.<ref name=archives/> R. B. Phelps Stone Company served as the fabricator for the new site.<ref name=saam/>
-Beginning in 1978, on the anniversary of the sinking, a group of men that were mostly involved in local news operations began meeting at the memorial. The group, Men's Titanic Society, gradually increased in numbers and now meets every year at a black-tie event to remember the loss of men during the sinking.<ref name=society>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/04/15/titanics-heroic-men-people-who-still-honor-them-years-later/ | title=The Titanic's heroic men — and the people who still honor them 107 years later | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=April 15, 2019 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | author=Brockell, Gillian | archive-date=August 1, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801183225/https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/04/15/titanics-heroic-men-people-who-still-honor-them-years-later/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=wcp>{{cite news | url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/205748/whats-up-with-dcs-titanic-memorial/ | title=What's up with D.C.'s Titanic memorial? | work=Washington City Paper | date=January 24, 2014 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | author=Rogers, Jenny | archive-date=April 15, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040240/https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/205748/whats-up-with-dcs-titanic-memorial/ | url-status=live }}</ref> The memorial was added to the [[District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites]] on February 22, 2007, and listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on October 12, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2009 |title=District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites: Alphabetical Version |url=https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/Inventory%202009%200%20Alpha%20Version%2003%2011.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121160702/https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/Inventory%202009%200%20Alpha%20Version%2003%2011.pdf |archive-date=January 21, 2024 |access-date=January 21, 2024 |publisher=District of Columbia Office of Planning |page=156}}</ref><ref name=inventory/> It is only one of five prominent outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. that were made by women, and is a rare religious-themed work representing a non-religious subject. It is also one of four outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. that are a form of representational art.<ref name=nom/>
+Beginning in 1978, a group of men mostly involved in local news operations began meeting at the memorial on each anniversary of the sinking. The group, known as the Men's Titanic Society, now annually holds a black-tie event to remember the men's sacrifice during the sinking.<ref name=society>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/04/15/titanics-heroic-men-people-who-still-honor-them-years-later/ | title=The Titanic's heroic men — and the people who still honor them 107 years later | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=April 15, 2019 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | author=Brockell, Gillian | archive-date=August 1, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801183225/https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/04/15/titanics-heroic-men-people-who-still-honor-them-years-later/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=wcp>{{cite news | url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/205748/whats-up-with-dcs-titanic-memorial/ | title=What's up with D.C.'s Titanic memorial? | work=Washington City Paper | date=January 24, 2014 | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | author=Rogers, Jenny | archive-date=April 15, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040240/https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/205748/whats-up-with-dcs-titanic-memorial/ | url-status=live }}</ref> The memorial was added to the [[District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites]] on February 22, 2007, and listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on October 12, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2009 |title=District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites: Alphabetical Version |url=https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/Inventory%202009%200%20Alpha%20Version%2003%2011.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121160702/https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/Inventory%202009%200%20Alpha%20Version%2003%2011.pdf |archive-date=January 21, 2024 |access-date=January 21, 2024 |publisher=District of Columbia Office of Planning |page=156}}</ref><ref name=inventory/> It is one of five prominent outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. made by women, and is a rare religious-themed work representing a non-religious subject. It is also one of four outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. that are a form of representational art.<ref name=nom/>
 ==Location and design==
-[[File:TitanicMemorial-DC.jpg|thumb|alt=Aerial view of the Titanic Memorial|Aerial view of the memorial]]
+[[File:Washington, D.C. Bicycling on Sunday in East Potomac Park 8c36440v.jpg|thumb|alt=Photograph of the Titanic memorial|The memorial at its original location]]
 The Titanic Memorial is located on Reservation 717 in the Southwest Waterfront Park, a public park near the intersection of 4th and P Streets SW, in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood of Washington, D.C.<ref name=nom/><ref name=cfa>{{cite web | url=https://www.cfa.gov/about-cfa/design-topics/public-art/titanic-memorial | title=Titanic Memorial | publisher=United States Commission of Fine Arts | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | archive-date=September 27, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927115122/https://cfa.gov/about-cfa/design-topics/public-art/titanic-memorial | url-status=live }}</ref> The memorial is near Fort Lesley J. McNair, which is southeast of the park, across the [[Washington Channel]] from [[East Potomac Park]], and is three blocks southwest from [[Waterfront station (Washington Metro)|Waterfront station]] on the [[Washington Metro]]. The large [[The Wharf (Washington, D.C.)|Wharf]] mixed-use development lies just north of the park.<ref name=nps/><ref name=wrc/><ref name=goode>{{cite book | title=The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C. | publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press | author=Goode, James M. | year=1974 | pages=391}}</ref>
-The sculpture, base, and platform are all pink granite while the foundation is concrete. There are three granite steps leading to the platform.<ref name=nom/><ref name=saam/> The statue, which depicts a nude man draped with a robe, represents "Self Sacrifice". His arms are outstretched in the shape of a cross and his eyes are closed.<ref name=saam/> He is standing on an uneven block above a [[relief]] of waves on the pedestal.<ref name=nom/> It is possible the statue is the inspiration for [[Kate Winslet]]'s character in ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'', when she says "I'm flying, Jack!", but director [[James Cameron]] has never confirmed this.<ref name="society"/> The statue is 12-feet (3.7 m) tall, 8-feet (2.4 m) wide, and 2-feet (0.6 m) long. It rests on a base which measures 5.5-feet (1.7 m) tall, and 4-feet (1.2 m) wide and long. The platform is 50-feet (15.2 m) long with a diameter of 13-feet (4 m). It includes an [[exedra]], decorated on each end with a [[dolphin]], that features a bench.<ref name=saam/>
+The sculpture, base, and platform are all pink granite while the foundation is concrete. There are three granite steps leading to the platform.<ref name=nom/><ref name=saam/> The statue, which depicts a nude man draped with a robe, represents "Self Sacrifice". His arms are outstretched in the shape of a cross and his eyes are closed.<ref name=saam/> He is standing on an uneven block above a [[relief]] of waves on the pedestal.<ref name=nom/> It is possible the statue is the inspiration for [[Kate Winslet]]'s character in ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'', when she says "I'm flying, Jack!", but director [[James Cameron]] has never confirmed this.<ref name="society"/> The statue is 12-feet (3.7 m) tall, 8-feet (2.4 m) wide, and 2-feet (0.6 m) long. It rests on a base which measures 5.5-feet (1.7 m) tall, and 4-feet (1.2 m) wide and long. The platform is 50-feet (15.2 m) long with a diameter of 13-feet (4 m). It includes an [[exedra]], decorated on each end with a [[dolphin]] that features a bench.<ref name=saam/>
 ===Inscriptions===
 The following inscriptions are on the memorial:<ref name=inscription>{{cite web | url=https://www.nps.gov/places/000/titanic-memorial.htm | title=Titanic Memorial | publisher=National Park Service | accessdate=January 21, 2024 | archive-date=November 21, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121182335/https://www.nps.gov/places/000/titanic-memorial.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>
+{{clr}}
 Front:<br />
 <div style="text-align:center;">
@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 File:Titanic Memorial (Washington, D.C.) - inscription 2.jpg|Side of the pedestal
 File:Titanic Memorial (Washington, D.C.) - inscription 3.jpg|Back of the pedestal
+File:TitanicMemorial-DC.jpg|Aerial view of the memorial
-File:Washington, D.C. Bicycling on Sunday in East Potomac Park 8c36440v.jpg|Original location (1942)
 </gallery>

v t e Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
Sculptures	Washington Heights-Inwood War Memorial (1922) Buffalo Bill – The Scout (1924) American Expeditionary Forces Memorial (1926) Monument to Columbus (Huelva, Spain, 1929) The Founders of the Daughters of the American Revolution (1929) The Three Graces (1931)
Designed	Titanic Memorial (1931)
Founded	Whitney Museum of American Art (original building) Whitney Museum of American Art
Portrayals	Little Gloria... Happy at Last (1982 miniseries)
Family	Harry Payne Whitney (husband) Flora Whitney Miller (daughter) Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (son) Whitney Tower (grandson) Flora Miller Biddle (granddaughter) Cornelius Vanderbilt II (father) Alice Claypoole Gwynne (mother) Cornelius Vanderbilt III (brother) Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (brother) Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (brother) Gladys Moore Vanderbilt (sister)

v t e Landmarks of Washington, D.C.
Memorials	Adams African American Civil War American Veterans Disabled for Life Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument Mary McLeod Bethune Boy Scout James Buchanan John Carroll D.C. War Albert Einstein Emancipation Dwight D. Eisenhower John Ericsson David Farragut First Division Thomas Gallaudet James A. Garfield Kahlil Gibran Samuel Gompers Ulysses S. Grant Holocaust Museum Holodomor Genocide Andrew Jackson Japanese American Patriotism During World War II Jefferson Memorial Lyndon Baines Johnson Grove John Paul Jones Marquis de Lafayette Law Enforcement Officers Lincoln Memorial statue Martin Luther King, Jr. Korean War Veterans George Mason George B. McClellan George Meade Peter Muhlenberg National Statuary Hall Collection Navy – Merchant Marine Nuns of the Battlefield Peace Monument John J. Pershing Second Division Signers of the Declaration of Independence The Extra Mile Three Soldiers Jean de Rochambeau Franklin Delano Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Island Taras Shevchenko Statues of the Liberators Oscar Straus Robert A. Taft Titanic United States Navy Victims of Communism Vietnam Veterans Vietnam Women's Washington Monument Daniel Webster World War I World War II Rainbow Pool
Other	Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Blair House Capitol Reflecting Pool Congressional Cemetery DAR Constitution Hall Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Exorcist steps Ford's Theatre Petersen House Healy Hall Islamic Center Jefferson Pier John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Library of Congress Jefferson Adams Madison National Arboretum National Capitol Columns National Building Museum National Gallery of Art Lincoln's Cottage at Soldiers' Home Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool National Archives National Cathedral National Mall Octagon House Old Post Office Old Stone House Smithsonian Institution St. John's Episcopal Church The Arts of War and The Arts of Peace Tidal Basin Treasury Building Freedman's Bank Building Tudor Place Union Station United States Capitol Capitol Hill Dome Rotunda United States Supreme Court Building Watergate complex White House Willard Hotel
Parks and plazas	Constitution Gardens Dupont Circle East Potomac Park Farragut Square Freedom Plaza Lafayette Square L'Enfant Plaza Meridian Hill Park National Arboretum Pershing Park Rock Creek Park The Ellipse Union Square United States Botanic Garden West Potomac Park
Boundaries	Anacostia River Arlington Memorial Bridge Boundary markers of the original District of Columbia Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Constitution Avenue Francis Scott Key Bridge Pennsylvania Avenue Potomac River Zero Milestone
Nearby landmarks	Arlington National Cemetery Tomb of the Unknown Soldier John F. Kennedy gravesite Arlington House Marine Corps War Memorial Mount Vernon Netherlands Carillon Pentagon Pentagon Memorial United States Air Force Memorial Women in Military Service for America Memorial
Planned	Adams Memorial National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial National Liberty Memorial Peace Corps Commemorative
Canceled	George Washington Memorial Building Gold Star Mothers National Monument Mammy memorial National Slave Memorial
Related	National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission National Mall and Memorial Parks List of National Historic Landmarks in Washington, D.C. National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
Public art in Washington, D.C. (American Revolution Statuary, Civil War Monuments, Commemorating African-Americans, Outdoor sculpture)