Major General von Steuben

The story

Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben is a bronze statue of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a Prussian soldier who assisted the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolutionary War. Steuben had fought in previous wars, earning promotions until he assisted in the courts of Frederick the Great and later Josef Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. After meeting with Benjamin Franklin, and fearing for his safety in Europe after alleged homosexual behavior, Steuben and his associates arrived to help the Continental Army. He met General George Washington at Valley Forge, where he helped turn the army there into one that was capable to fight. Steuben assisted with the Southern Campaign and Siege of Yorktown, after which the American forces were successful in winning the war. Steuben was given land and later retired in New York, where he died in 1794. In the late 1890s, plans were made to erect statues in Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C., honoring foreign heroes. An Act of Congress passed in 1903 led to the eventual erection of the statue honoring Steuben in 1910. It was sculpted by Albert Jaegers with assistance in the design of the base by Cass Gilbert and T. R. Johnson. The unveiling ceremony was attended by around 10,000 people, including President William Howard Taft. A large parade took place after the ceremony. A replica of the statue was given to Germany and erected in Potsdam the following year. The statue rests on a tall base adorned with two sets of figures. Steuben's statue is one of 14 American Revolution Statuary in Washington, D.C., that were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites the following year. In addition, the statue is a contributing property to the L'Enfant Plan and the Lafayette Square Historic District, a National Historic Landmark.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Dates from 1910.

Wikidata Q6738071, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

What the record says

Built

1910

Height

4;7

Elevation

19 m

How to reach it

Named places within 25 miles

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Major General von Steuben. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

When to go

Light through the year

Local time (America/New_York).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct.

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Washington Reagan Natl AP, 4 mi away.

Where this comes from

OpenStreetMap element way/257934460