Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Washington DC

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Washington DC

Out of all of the memorials we visited on our Washington DC road trip, I think this one was our favorite.  We had a good time at Roosevelt’s Memorial.  It had so many interesting parts to it.

We appreciated that many of the memorials, like this one, had a museum so we could go and refresh our memories of what we learned about that person or that time. Learning new things is always a fun part of our trips and we never fail to learn something new.

My son thought it was super cool to pose in the different parts of this memorial.  I did not tell him what to do for each photo either.  I just took snapshots of what he was doing as he did, it was funny to see my son interacting with the memorial.  He’s a character.

Being the last memorial of the day for us, we probably spent the most time at this one too.  It was bigger than most of the other memorials and had different parts to it.  But we were also fascinated by it.

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About Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Washington DC

Our 32nd President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, emerged as a true leader despite being paralyzed from the waist down after being stricken with Polio.  He guided our nation through some of its darkest times through the Great Depression and World War II.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” ~FDR

Before his death, he joked about Congress making a monument for him across from the National Archives but no bigger than his desk.  Today, there is a desk-sized stone plaque honoring FDR outside of the National Archives, per his request.  Congress obliged.

But they decided it was a sufficient way to honor one of our most beloved presidents.    So, in August 1955, Congress formed a commission to oversee the creation of his memorial.  The design by Lawrence Halprin was chosen in 1978.

The monument is divided into four rooms to represent FDR’s four terms as President.  Made of South Dakota granite, it was the first monument in DC that was designed to be completely wheelchair accessible.  The memorial is 7.5 acres in West Potomac Park, halfway between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.

President William J. Clinton dedicated the memorial on May 2, 1997.

Located near the National Mall at 1850 West Basin Drive SW, the memorial is free to visit 24/7/365.

Summary

Even though it wasn’t on our Roadtrippers itinerary, it was a definite must see on our day of walking the National Mall.  This memorial is absolutely beautiful and gives a fascinating glimpse into our nation’s history.

I definitely recommend you walk the Tidal Basin and visit this memorial when you visit the National Mall.  Personally, I think these memorials do a great job of turning our former presidents into people that we can relate to on a personal level.  They bring life to our history books and make them more real for us.

Have you been there?  I’d love to hear what you thought of it.  Which memorial was your favorite?

Please drop a few lines in the comments box below and let me know how your visit went.

In the meantime, safe travels!

~Kris M.

P.S.  If you happen to use travel journals, be sure to check out the travel journal I created for my future Washington DC Road Trips.

Written by Kris M.