Dupont Circle: Cultural Landscape Inventory, National Mall & Memorial Parks, National Park Service

Commisso, Michael

Dupont Circle is situated in the northwest quadrant of Washington, DC, and is set within a ten-point traffic circle, where Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire Avenues converge. As part of National Mall & Memorial Parks (formerly National Capital Parks-Central), the Dupont Circle landscape encompasses Reservation 59 (.14 acres) and Reservation 60 (2.29 acres). As one of the original open spaces on Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s 1791 Plan for Washington, DC, Reservation 60, today is marked by a large centrally located elevated fountain basin encircled by a paved concrete plaza lined with hedges and benches. Radiating out from the fountain is a series of axial walks—that cut through open lawn dotted by specimen trees—and align with the adjacent avenues and streets; all of which are connected by a concrete circular walk lined with benches along the perimeter of the park. Beyond the walk, an outer ring of elm trees define the space. Reservation 59 is limited to the historic Dupont Lodge House, which now serves as a community center. Significance Summary: Dupont Circle (Res.59 and 60; Res. 61 excluded from this CLI) is significant as part of National Mall and Memorial Parks and also as a contributing resource within the L’Enfant Plan of the City of Washington, DC. National Register Nomination (1997) and Massachusetts Avenue (1974) and Dupont Circle Historic Districts (1978, amended 1985, and boundary increase in 2005). The Rear Admiral Francis Dupont Memorial Fountain is also listed as a contributing resource in the Civil War Monuments in Washington, DC National Register Nomination (1978).The Dupont Circle landscape derives significance under Criterion A in the areas of community planning and development (urban planning) and under Criterion C in the areas of landscape architecture, and art. In the area of community planning and development, Dupont Circle is significant as a major element in L’Enfant’s plan for the development of the capital and as the focal point for one of the more elegant architecturally rich residential neighborhoods in Washington, DC. In the area of landscape architecture, the Dupont Circle landscape is significant as a contributing element within the portion of the city laid out by Pierre Charles L’Enfant using Baroque design principles. Dupont Circle derives additional significance in the area of landscape architecture as an independent work of Neoclassical/Beaux-Arts landscape design that reflects the City Beautiful ideals espoused by the McMillan Commission. The Dupont Circle landscape is also significant in the area of art for the Rear Admiral Francis Dupont Memorial Fountain. This CLI proposes two periods of significance for Dupont Circle: 1791 to 1792 and 1868 to 1951. The earlier dates encompass Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s (1755-1825) design of the city of Washington and Andrew Ellicott’s (1754-1820) map of Washington. Dupont Circle appears on both the L’Enfant and Ellicott’s plans. The later period of significance date for the Dupont Circle landscape begins in 1868 with the initial site improvements of Dupont Circle and extends to 1951, the year the last design for the circle was completed following the construction of the Connecticut Avenue underpass.

Dupont Circle: Cultural Landscape Inventory, National Mall & Memorial Parks, National Park Service

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