Dupont Circle

You are standing at the heart of the Dupont Circle Neighborhood, roughly bounded by 16th St., M St., Florida Ave. and Swann St. Early on, as the westernmost circle on L'Enfant's 1792 plan, the large park was called Pacific Circle. Like other circles or squares not already named for a Revolutionary War hero, it was renamed in the 1880s for a Civil War officer, Rear Adm. Samuel DuPont. In 1921 the DuPont family replaced the admiral's statue with the present fountain dedicated to the Navy. The figures that make up the memorial represent the three elements necessary to navigation: Wind, Sea, and the Stars.Of the mansions built around the Circle from 1895 to 1905, only two remain: the Patterson house (above) at 15 Dupont Circle (1901-03), and the Wadsworth house at 1801 Massachusetts Ave. (1903), both private women's clubs.At 1400 New Hampshire Ave. stood the home of Senator George and Mrs. Phoebe Hearst. He made millions from mining; she gave funds and time to DC education, including the National Cathedral Girls' School. Their son, publisher William Randolph, was a frequent visitor. Seer Jean Dixon lived at 1312 19th St. until her death in 1997.Fire Fact | December 12, 1955A fire swept through a converted stable at 1730 New Hampshire Ave., NW, badly burning seven people including five firefighters. Fire
fighters saved two women, a young child, and a firefighter who became trapped trying to save yet another woman.Fire Department information and images courtesy of Capitol Fire MuseumArtist | Nicolas F. ShiThe Dupont Circle fountain is a favorite subject for neighborhood artist Nicolas F. Shi, whose bright and colorful style has become his trademark.

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Dupont Circle Mural Key
Samuel Francis Du Pont
The Brewmaster's Castle
The mansion at 1801 Massachusetts Ave. Historical
Andrew Mellon Building
Development in the neighborhood Historical
James G. Blaine Mansion Historical
Lajos (Louis) Kossuth
Henry Martyn Robert
Theodore Roosevelt

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