No. 3 On The Map:
George Washington Equestrian Statue
Below the Pilgrim Steps, across Pilgrim Road, stands the bronze statue of George Washington on horseback. The statue, sculpted by Herbert Haseltine in 1959, is mounted on a pink granite pedestal and marks the upper entrance to the Olmsted Woods.
Haseltine, most known for his equestrian sculptures, executed the design for the Washington statue in his studio in Paris and had it cast in Brussels. The pedestal was designed by Walter Peter. Distinguished landscape architect, Perry Wheeler, sited the statue in its gracefully curved setting paved with Salisbury granite durax blocks and the two front walls flanked by boxwood. Mr. James Sheldon, friend and benefactor of the Cathedral Close, donated the statue and the pedestal. It was Mr. James Sheldon’s belief “that the Cathedral Close was the logical place for the finest of all equestrian statues of the first president since it was he who conceived the idea of a great church for national purposes.”
Walking to the back side of the statue’s pedestal you will find the stone walk, known as the Pilgrim Way, that traverses the Olmsted Woods.
Help Us Keep The Gardens Growing
Partner with us to ensure that the 57 acres of gardens and grounds surrounding Washington National Cathedral continue to be a haven of peace and refreshment in the midst of the Nation’s Capital.
