County of statue: District of Columbia
Location of statue: 17th St. SW & Independence Ave. SW, Washington
Artist: Henry Charles Niehaus, 1855-1935, Sculptor
Architect: Thomas Hastings
Carver: John Grignola
Contractors: Harrison Granite Company, Clark and Winston Company & Ross and Republic Marble Company
Dedicated April 17, 1912
Monument Text:
(Base Front):
1747 1792
FIRST
TO COMPEL FOREIGN
MAN-OF-WAR
TO STRIKE COLORS
TO THE/STARS AND STRIPES
(Pylon-Rear about Relief):
SURRENDER?
I HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!
(Pylon-Beneath Relief):
IN LIFE HE HONORED
THE FLAG. IN DEATH THE
FLAG SHALL HONOR HIM
Proper Description: Monument consists of a bronze sculpture of John Paul Jones installed on a low base in front of a large marble pylon with fountain basins on either side. The figure of John Paul Jones is standing, dressed in his military uniform, with his head turned slightly to the proper left as he watches a naval engagement from the deck of the Bon Homme Richard. Both hands are in fists and his proper left hand rests on his sword. A carved helmet amid foliage and a relief panel depicting axes, swords, and spears flank the small square base of the sculpture. On the pylon above the sculpture is a relief of an American eagle with a wreath on each side. On back of the pylon is a relief of John Paul Jones raising a flag on a British ship. All around the base and the pylon is a wider base which has three steps on both the north and south sides. A fountain basin is installed on the east and west sides. A dolphin spout pours water into each of the fountain basins. Above each dolphin is a relief panel depicting axes, spears, arrows, and other military equipment." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
Remarks: John Paul Jones (1747-1792) was born in Scotland as John Paul; the Jones was added later. In 1775, he joined the American navy where he had a distinguished career. Later he made a name for himself in the Russian navy. In 1905, his grave was discovered in Paris and his body was found to have been preserved in a barrel of rum. His body was sent to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland where it was buried. Congress authorized a memorial to the naval hero on June 8, 1909 and 50,000 dollars was appropriated. The original installation site was Union Station, but it was thought too crowded and Franklin Park was selected, but turned down. The John Paul Jones Commission then approved Niehaus' selection of the current site near the Tidal Basin despite the need to drive piles for the installation. Clark and Winston Company was responsible for driving the piles necessary for the installation. Niehaus designed not only the sculpture, but also the pedestal base. John Grignolai assisted with the carving of the eagle and wreath, the two dolphins, and the relief on the base. Ross and Republic Marble Company did the stonework." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
"Since its completion, a number of memorials have been sited near the Tidal Basin, the earliest of which
was the Commodore John Paul Jones Statue (Contributing Object). It was constructed at Seventeenth
Street and Independence Avenue, SW, to honor the Revolutionary War hero, who was born in Scotland in
1747, and died in poverty in Paris in 1792. Jones joined the United States Navy in 1775, and after an
extraordinary naval career here, he joined the Russian Navy as a Rear Admiral. His grave had been
discovered in an obscure cemetery in Paris in 1905, and his remains, which had been preserved in a barrel
of rum, were returned to the United States for reinterment at the United States Naval Academy, in
Annapolis, Maryland. Immediately thereafter, in 1906, Congress appropriated $50,000 for a memorial to
Jones,42 and the resulting statue was built from 1911-12, and dedicated on April 17, 1912. The
memorial's bronze statue and marble pedestal were designed by sculptor Charles Henry Niehaus. Thomas
Hastings, of the New York City architectural firm of Carrere and Hastings, served as project architect.
Carver John Grignolai was responsible for the ornamentation on the statue's base, and the statue was cast
by the Gorham Company.
"The memorial's bronze statue of Jones is mounted against a large, marble pylon. The statue and pylon are
both placed on a pedestal containing spouts shaped like dolphins, through which water flows into the
basin below. Jones is depicted in the statue in period naval officer dress, with his left hand on the pommel
of his sword, and his right hand clenched in a fist. The marble pylon features a series of military symbols,
and the rear of the pylon has a relief that depicts Jones raising the American flag on a United States man-of-war
ship. This relief illustrates the long-held belief that he was the first man to raise the new American
flag on a war ship. Over this relief, the words "Surrender? I have not yet begun to fight!"
are carved. A plaque, presented by the Navy Department, was placed on the statue on October 30, 1920,
the 145th anniversary of the founding of the United States Navy. This plaque was inscribed with a quote
from a speech Jones delivered on September 14, 1775, in which he outlined the desired attributes of a
good naval officer. In 1949, the Department of the Navy requested that this plaque be removed and replaced with one with an authentic recounting of the facts of Jones' life, as the quote by Jones on the
original plaque was not correctly attributed. A 1997 site visit revealed no plaque present on the statue.
"The Commodore John Paul Jones Statue contributes to the East and West Potomac Parks Historic District
based on National Register Criterion A in the areas of Art and Commemoration. Despite the fact that it is
primarily commemorative in intent (thus in the category of properties not usually qualifying for the
National Register), its design, age, tradition, and symbolic value has invested it with its own historical
significance, thus it falls within the exception to National Register Criteria Consideration F. The statue
was also the first memorial to be placed in either of the two parks." ~ NRHP Nomination Form