The National Mall in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Andrew Jackson Downing Urn

Designed in memory of Andrew Jackson Downing by Calvert Vaux, Downing’s architectural partner, 1856

— Carrera marble urn & American marble base and pedestal —

Andrew Jackson Downing Urn Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 26, 2022

1. Andrew Jackson Downing Urn Marker

Inscription.
In 1850, Andrew Jackson Downing transformed the Mall into the nation’s first landscaped public park using informal, romantic arrangements of circular carriage drives and plantings of rare American trees. Downing’s design endured until 1934, when the mall was restored to Pierre L’Enfant’s 1791 plan. Downing (1815-1852), the father of American landscape architecture, also designed the White House and Capitol grounds.

The memorial urn stood on the Mall near the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History for 109 years (1856-1965). In 1972, it was restored and placed on the lawn east of the Smithsonian Building (“Castle”) flag tower. In 1987, it was relocated to the rose garden at the Castle’s east door. The urn was moved to its location in the Enid A. Haupt Garden in 1989.

Erected 1989.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 38° 53.305′ N, 77° 1.525′ W. Marker is in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in The National Mall. Marker can be reached from Independence Avenue Southwest west of 9th Street Southwest, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 950 Independence Ave SW, Washington DC 20560, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least

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8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Andrew Jackson Downing (here, next to this marker); The Fountain Garden (a few steps from this marker); Spencer Fullerton Baird (within shouting distance of this marker); Enid A. Haupt Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Before the National Air and Space Museum opened (within shouting distance of this marker); Threats to Coral Reefs (within shouting distance of this marker); Built above an underground museum complex (within shouting distance of this marker); Voyage (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 26, 2022

2. Andrew Jackson Downing Urn Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on April 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 26, 2022, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 90 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 26, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.