Penrose in Arlington in Arlington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Echo
Artist Richard Deutsch
Title, Date Echo, 2012
Materials granite
Info
As a member of Penrose Square's landscape design team, Richard Deutsch created this interactive sculpture inspired by the Three Sisters Radio Towers, formerly located near Columbia Pike and Courthouse Road. Built in 1913 by the Navy as cutting edge technology, the Towers broadcasted the first trans-Atlantic radio signal in 1915, connecting Arlington with the Eiffel Tower. They also introduced regular broadcasts of time signalsimportant navigational aids for ships at sea. When National Airport opened in 1941 the Towers posed an aviation hazard and were taken down.
Echo provided a modern interpretation of Arlington's significant contribution to the history of communication. The concave elliptical parabolas carved into each monolith reflect and project sound, allowing words spoken into one stone to be heard by listeners at the other.
Deutsch designs sculpture and environments using stone, water, bronze, and stainless steel. Like Echo, much of his work is marked by an understanding of the unique spatial and environmental qualities of a given
this page online
Erected by Arlington County, Virginia; Richard Deutsch, sculptor.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 2012.
Location. 38° 51.808′ N, 77° 5.078′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Penrose. It is on South Barton Street just north of Columbia Pike (Virginia Route 244), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2597 Columbia Pike, Arlington VA 22204, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Arlington Village (approx. Ό mile away); The Arlington Radio Towers (approx. 0.3 miles away); Hunter's Crossroads (approx. 0.4 miles away); St. John's Baptist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Selina Gray (approx. half a mile away); History of Bocce Ball (approx. half a mile away); Alcova (approx. half a mile away); Fort Craig (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arlington.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 49 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
