The next morning I went down the street and explored statues of prominent Americans. I ran into Ike, who was president when I was born. My dad served in the Pacific during World War II, and mom voted for Adlai Stevenson, so Ike was not such a hero in our household.
Near his statue was a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, a hero to mom, but not to dad.
I suppose that the consumer is a key part of our history, and she was standing on one of the street corners looking fairly mistrustful and annoyed.
Louis Armstrong took up a whole corner of The American Way.
And there was a kissing couple celebrating a military victory!
Rosie the Riveter was getting it done.
Franklin Roosevelt looked welcoming and vulnerable.
Next to him was the only non-American in the statue set, Winston Churchill.
At the very start of the display were three “Great Americans,” two of whom had a lot to do with each other, and one who seemed out of place. Abe Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were next to each other across from a popular pub and oyster house. In my observations, Lincoln was the most photographed statue of the dozen or so on display. Lincoln’s right hand is shiny because so many tourists shake his hand!
Both statues are very lifelike and engaging enough that tourists seemed fascinated by the duo. Apart from plaques giving their names and identifying them as “American Visionaries,” there was no historical interpretation. Hopefully National Harbor will do more to expand the value of these works.
Frederick Douglass is depicted as he looked during the Civil War and Reconstruction. He is vigorous and full-bodied, with a look of thoughtfulness and insight.
His face is a fairly accurate depiction of “the most photographed American of the 19th Century.”
Douglass was photographed so often because of his courage, his radical views on racial equality, and his handsome features.
The frontal view shows a fierce determination in Douglass’s eyes, which made this the second-most popular statue for tourists to interact with.
The placement of the statues led me to wonder at Douglass standing to the right and slightly behind Lincoln looking over at the president, and Lincoln looking straight ahead, not seeming to be aware of Douglass at all.
Lincoln looks very serious.
He is extending his had to greet someone, but his gaze is rock solid, and not welcoming.
The facial depiction is very accurate and many visitors stared at it for several minutes, although others laughed and took a “handshake photo” with Abe.
I also noted that while Douglass carries books, Lincoln carries nothing.
I also liked the way Lincoln’s body is depicted. Tall, but not odd.
The work the sculptor did around Lincoln’s eyes also caught my attention. These are worried eyes of a man presiding over a war in which his countrymen are dying.
Overall, I liked the depictions of Douglass and Lincoln. Not worth making the focus of trip, but if you are in the area, well worth a visit.
After seeing the other statues, I was surprised by the statue of George Washington next to the two Civil War leaders. Washington looked like he was appearing onstage in Hamilton! I honestly don’t know what this was all about.
Here you can see how Washington, on the left, Lincoln and Douglass appear at the very start of The American Way.
In the park across the street, where the electronic Christmas Tree stands, are fibreglass statues of modern armed forces-Coast Guard, Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy.
Here is the tree and park in daylight.
And the final shot is of Marilyn Monroe. Perhaps she and George Washington could go on a date?
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