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Robert A. Taft Memorial

Robert A. Taft Memorial is a historic site, at a modelled elevation of 11 m. Gantt Hill stands 156 m to the west, 12 miles off. The nearest named place is Robert A. Taft, a artwork less than a tenth of a mile away. George Washington Memorial Parkway passes 2.2 miles off. 32 named summits stand within 25 miles.

The story

The Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon is a carillon in Washington, D.C. dedicated as a memorial to U.S. Senator Robert Alphonso Taft, son of President William Howard Taft. The memorial is located north of the Capitol, on Constitution Avenue between New Jersey Avenue and First Street, N.W. Designed by architect Douglas W. Orr, the memorial consists of a Tennessee marble tower and a 10-foot (3.0 m) bronze statue of Senator Taft sculpted by Wheeler Williams. The shaft of the tower measures 100 feet (30 m) high, 11 feet (3.4 m) deep, and 32 feet (9.8 m) wide. Above the statue is inscribed, "This Memorial to Robert A. Taft, presented by the people to the Congress of the United States, stands as a tribute to the honesty, indomitable courage, and high principles of free government symbolized by his life." The base of the memorial measures 55 by 45 feet (14 m) and stands approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) high. Jets of water flow into a basin that rings the base. The twenty-seven bells in the upper part of the tower were cast in the Paccard Foundry in Annecy-le-Vieux, France. The largest, or bourdon bell, weighs 7 tons (6350 kg). At the dedication ceremony on April 14, 1959, former President Herbert Hoover stated, "When these great bells ring out, it will be a summons to integrity and courage." The large central bell strikes on the hour, while the smaller fixed bells chime on the quarter-hour. By resolution of Congress, they play "The Star-Spangled Banner" at 2 p.m. on the Fourth of July. Construction of the memorial was authorized by S.Con.Res. 44, which was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives in July 1955. It was funded by popular subscription from every state in the nation. More than a million dollars were collected.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Dates from 1958.

Wikidata Q7341304, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

How to reach it

Coordinates38.89273, -77.01102

Named places within 25 miles

Parks
Historic sites
Gardens
  • East Gallery: 0.3 mi
  • Garden Court: 0.3 mi
  • Plant Adaptations: 0.3 mi
  • West Gallery: 0.3 mi
  • Garden Primeval: 0.3 mi
Picnic sites
Nature reserves
Peaks: 32
Springs: 5
  • Takoma Spring: 5.6 mi
  • Silver Spring: 6.8 mi
  • Clean Drinking Manor Spring: 7.9 mi
  • Indian Springs: 9.7 mi
  • Sandy Spring: 17.1 mi
Beaches: 4
  • Fishing Shore: 4.8 mi
  • Lake Barcroft Beach: 8.0 mi
  • Purplehorse Beach: 13.7 mi
  • Sycamore Beach: 13.8 mi
Waterfalls: 4
  • Stubblefield Falls: 11.2 mi
  • Scott's Run Falls: 11.5 mi
  • Great Falls: 14.9 mi
  • Coe Creek: 22.2 mi
Ghost towns: 1

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Robert A. Taft Memorial. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Gantt HillW 281°156 m12.1 mi
Hunting HillNW 323°156 m16.6 mi
Mount DanielW 272°144 m9.2 mi
Minor's HillW 275°140 m8.0 mi
Freedom HillW 280°140 m12.7 mi
Prout HillW 265°137 m9.8 mi
Upton HillW 260°125 m7.4 mi
Point RenoNW 319°123 m5.4 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:1218:4519:20
June solstice05:4419:5820:37
September equinox06:5618:3219:07
December solstice07:2416:0816:50

Local time (America/New_York).

Climate normals

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

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F363946576776807972594941
Precip in3.02.84.03.44.34.64.63.74.14.23.23.7

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Natl Arboretum DC, 3 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element way/66418763

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