Roosevelt Memorial
April 29th, 2008 . by Emily
Our last big stop was the the Roosevelt Memorial. Located about opposite the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin, it’s a massive, open-air memorial that is comprised of four outdoor “rooms.” It is dedicated to the memory of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and to the era he represents. Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead by the time we made it here, so I couldn’t get nearly as many pictures as I was hoping to. This can only mean one thing, a reason for a trip back!
Dedicated in 1997, the monument traces the 12 years of Roosevelt’s Presidency. The outdoor rooms each represent one of his terms of office. Sculptures inspired by photographs depict the 32nd president alongside his dog Fala. Other sculptures depict scenes from the Great Depression, such as listening to a fireside chat on the radio and waiting in a bread line. A bronze statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt standing before the United Nations emblem honors her dedication to the UN.
Considering Roosevelt’s disability, the memorial’s designers intended to create a memorial that would be accessible to those with various physical impairments. Among other features, the memorial includes an area with tactile reliefs with braille writing for people who are blind. However, the memorial faced serious criticism from disabled activists. Some of the braille and reliefs were placed well above the reach of even a very tall person, rendering the braille pointless because no blind person could reach high enough to read it. The statue of FDR also stirred controversy over the issue of his disability. Designers decided against plans to have FDR shown in a wheelchair. Instead, the statue depicts the president in a chair with a cloak obscuring the chair. In deference to the disability advocates, the sculptor added casters to the back of the chair, making it a symbolic “wheelchair.” These casters can only be seen if one looks behind the statue.
Many disability advocates remained upset with the FDR statue. A group spearheaded by the National Organization on Disability raised $1.65 million over two years to fund the addition of another statue that clearly showed the president in a wheelchair. In January 2001, the additional statue was placed near the memorial entrance showing FDR seated in a wheelchair much like the one he actually used.
Running water is an important physical and metaphoric component of the memorial. Each of the four “rooms” representing Roosevelt’s respective terms in office contains a waterfall. As one moves from room to room, the waterfalls become larger and more complex, reflecting the increasing complexity of a presidency marked by the vast upheavals of economic depression and world war. When the memorial first opened, people were encouraged to wade into the fountains and waterfalls. Within a matter of days, the National Park Service prohibited people from entering the water because they were unable to get insurance.
Tour guides describe the symbolism of the five main water areas as:
- A single large drop - The crash of the economy that led to the Great Depression
- Multiple stairstep drops - The Tennessee Valley Authority dam-building project
- Chaotic falls at varying angles - World War II
- A still pool - Roosevelt’s death
- A wide array combining the earlier waterfalls - A retrospective of Roosevelt’s presidency
Smaller waterfalls and a reflecting pool located between the “rooms” lend continuity to the water theme. (source)
