DC -- Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle):
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- Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
- SICAS_970708_01.JPG: Smithsonian Castle; Joseph Henry statue
For years, I thought the statue in front of the Smithsonian Castle was actually James Smithson. Nope! Turns out to be the first US head of the Smithsonian--Joseph Henry. Smithson's crypt is off the entrance behind the statue but not his statue. Sigh.
James Smithson, who had never visited the United States, died in England in 1826. His will specified that his estate was to go to the offspring of his nephew (his only kin). If there were no offspring, then the money went to the United States "...to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The nephew died in 1835 without heirs so the US got the money.
The US Congress wasn't real thrilled with this initially and debated how to implement the will. Joseph Henry was appointed by Congress to be the first Secretary of the Smithsonian and he got to finalize how the money would be used. James Renwick designed the Smithsonian Castle and it was completed in 1855, the first of the Smithsonian buildings. Henry moved into the Smithsonian Castle before it was even finished (he moved in in 1847) and lived there until his death in 1878.
The US sent for Smithson's body, finding it in Scotland and bringing it back to be placed in the crypt in this Castle. Over the years, the Castle acquired a variety of goods to make it "America's Attic". Unfortunately, a fire in 1865 swept the building and wiped out most of the collection. The building was renovated and then opened to the public.
Originally, the Henry statue faced the Castle itself. It wasn't until the 1960's that it was turned to face the Mall, in a realignment to make the Smithsonian more a part of the people.
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