District of Columbia War Memorial

The District of Columbia War Memorial recognizes the World War I service of citizens from the District of Columbia. It is located just north of Independence Avenue, roughly opposite of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.

In the cornerstone of the Memorial is a list of all 26,000 District veterans who served in World War I. On the base of the memorial are the names the 499 city residents who died during the war. Dedicated in 1931, it is an example of a “living memorial”, a structure which combines symbolic commemoration with a practical purpose. The DC War Memorial was constructed as a bandstand and carefully designed to accommodate the entire U.S. Marine Corps Band. (The Marine Band did play weekly summer concerts at the memorial until World War II).

This is the only memorial on the Mall dedicated exclusively to the District of Columbia and the first memorial to list the names of women and African Americans along with white men.

ROUTE RECON

The District of Columbia War Memorial is located on the National Mall between the Korean War Memorial and the World War II Memorial. It is a 15-20 minute Walk west from the Smithsonian Station on Metro’s Blue Line, Orange and Silver Lines.