The Samuel F. DuPont Memorial Fountain, known as the DuPont Circle Fountain presently, also has the name “Sea, Wind, and Sky Fountain”. This fountain was created by Daniel Chester French. He was commissioned by the DuPont family in 1917, and was installed in 1920. The beautiful fountain was dedicated and opened on May 17th, 1921. The fountain can be found in DuPont Circle in Washington, D.C, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, New Hampshire Avenue, P Street and 19th Street. The DuPont Fountain is on the National Register of Historic Places, and play a huge contribution to the Civil War Monuments within Washington, D.C.
DuPont was honored for his serviced during the Civil War, for his capture of Fort Royal in South Carolina in 1861. This was the first union victory during the Civil War. He would later resign from his commission when he failed to capture Charleston in 1863, which was actually the Union worst naval defeat.
The inscription on the fountain reads as follows:
Samuel Francis DuPont - Rear Admiral, United States Navy, 1803-1865
This Memorial Fountain Replaces a Statue Erected by the Congress of the United States in Recognition of His Distinguished Services.
The circle, known as the Pacific Circle, in Washington D.C. began its construction in 1871. This layout, along with most of Washington, D.C. was designed by Pierre Charles L’Enfant. In 1882, the circle was actually renamed to DuPont Circle, and Congress ordered a statue to be erected as a memorial to Samuel Francis DuPont. This sculpture was designed by Launt Thompson in 1884, with the landscape being designed with exotic flowers and ornamental trees. In 1921, the statue was moved to Rockford Park in Wilmington, Delaware. In its place, in Washington, D.C., the stunning white marble double tiered fountain was erected. The DuPont family felt that the fountain was a more fitting tribute to the rear Admiral. This request was approved by Congress. The fountain was designed by Daniel Chester French and the architect Henry Bacon; both of these men actually were responsible for the Lincoln Memorial as well.
The fountain they designed was a powerful water feature, with three classical nudes that symbolized the sea, stars, and wind on the pedestal of the fountain. This amazing carving was carried out by the Piccirilli Brothers. These allegorical figures are to represent the serenity of the Sky, the beauty of the Sea, and the power of the Wind. French chose this design because he wanted to capture the sailor who interacted, daily, with all of these forces. Over the pedestal is a wide and shallow basin, where water flowing into the large basin below through several spillways.
The fountain has faced general wear and tear over the years, as well as water stains, graffiti, and bird droppings. The fountain as renovated and restored to its beauty in the late 1990’s by Constantine Seferlis, a master sculptor, best known for his work on the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. The fountain remains a dramatic and beautiful contradiction to the immensely urban setting in which it sits.
