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Commemoration and Preservation
In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy created the White House Fine Arts Committee and the White House Historical Association to restore the White House and preserve its collection of historic furniture, decorative arts, and objects. The following year, she intervened after learning that the historic homes of Lafayette Square were scheduled for demolition.
She worked with architect John Carl Warnecke to design a square that preserved the 19th-century buildings and historical character of the park, while also making room for modern office buildings. In 1970, Lafayette Square Historic District was placed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Lafayette Square still features historic buildings such as St. John's Church, Decatur House, the Cutts-Madison House, and Blair House, as well as five commemorative statues. At the center of the park stands a statue depicting President Andrew Jackson on horseback, which was designed by Clark Mills and dedicated in 1853. Four additional statues were installed between 1891 and 1910 at each of the square's four corners, honoring important international figures who fought in the American Revolution-- General Marquis, Gilbert de Lafayette, Major General Comte Jean de Rochambeau, General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, and Major General Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. The park was also named in honor of Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution, after his visit to the United States in 1824-1825. |