First conceived by Union Admiral David D. Porter in 1865, the 44-foot-high, ornately detailed Navy-Peace Monument stands as a memorial to the naval deaths at sea during the Civil War. It was completed in 1878 and stands in the circle to the west of the U.S. Capitol at Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street NW.
Two classically robed figures representing History and Grief stand atop the monument, facing west. History holds a tablet that reads, “They died that their country might live,” while Grief weeps in mourning against her shoulder. Below them, Victory holds a laurel wreath high above her head with one hand while carrying an oak branch in the other, signifying strength. At Victory’s feet are the infant Mars, the god of war, and the infant Neptune, the god of the sea. Peace is depicted on the east side of the monument, facing the Capitol, with an olive branch in her right hand. Below her are symbols of industry, which signify the progress of civilization that peace makes possible.
Porter raised funds from private contributors, including many Navy veterans, and, in 1871, commissioned Franklin Simmons to create the monument. The Carrara marble from which the monument is sculpted was carved in Rome, Italy. Admiral Porter worked directly with Simmons on many changes to the designs, including the addition of other figures. The marble pieces were shipped to Washington in 1876 and erected over a two-year period between 1877 and 1878. The monument sits on a base made of Maine Blue Granite.
DC Inventory: March 3, 1979
National Register: September 20, 1978
Within Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site
Part of Civil War Monuments
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