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Dupont Circle is a destination neighborhood renowned as Washington, DC’s welcoming, cosmopolitan gathering place.  Did you know that “Dupont Circle” also refers to a historic district and a circular park managed by the National Park Service?

The Army Corps of Engineers began construction of Dupont Circle in 1871, and it was formerly called Pacific Circle. To honor Rear Admiral Samuel Francis duPont for his Civil War service, a bronze statue was installed in the center of the circle in 1884.

In 1921, the statue was replaced by a double-tiered white marble fountain designed by sculptor Daniel Chester French and architect Henry Bacon. The three figures encircling the fountain’s central shaft symbolize the Sea, the Stars, and the Wind.

The Circle itself is managed by the National Park Service and is widely regarded as one of DC’s most iconic public spaces, where all manner of gatherings, celebrations, and events are held.