FDR Memorial in Washington D.C.

Although several design competitions were held over the years, it wasn't until 1978 that a design was chosen. The commission chose Lawrence Halprin's memorial design, a 7.5-acre memorial that includes images and history representing both the man himself and the era he lived in. With only a few changes, Halprin's design was built.

Unlike the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials which are compact, covered and focused on a single statue of each president, the FDR memorial is vast, uncovered, and contains numerous statues, quotes, and waterfalls.

Halprin's design honors FDR by telling the story of the president and the country in a chronological order. Since Roosevelt was elected to four terms of office, Halprin created four "rooms" to represent the twelve years of Roosevelt's presidency. The rooms, however, are not defined by walls and the monument could perhaps better be described as a long, meandering path, bordered by walls made of red South Dakota granite.

Since FDR brought the United States through the Great Depression and World War II, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, dedicated on May 2, 1997, now stands as a reminder of some of America's tougher times.

Although visitors can access the FDR Memorial from several directions, since the memorial is organized chronologically, it is recommended that you begin your visit near this sign.

Th large sign with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's name creates an imposing and strong entrance to the memorial. To the left of this wall, sits the memorial's bookshop. The opening to the right of this wall is the entrance to the memorial. However, before you go further, take a close look at the statue to the far right.

This ten-foot bronze statue of FDR in a wheelchair caused a great deal of controversy. In 1920, more than a decade before he was elected president, FDR was struck by polio. Although he survived the illness, his legs remained paralyzed. Despite the fact that FDR often used a wheelchair in private, he hid his ailment from the public by using supports to help him stand.

When constructing FDR Memorial, then, a debate arose whether or not to present FDR in a position that he had so diligently kept hidden from view. Yet, his efforts to overcome his handicap well represented his determinism.

The wheelchair in this statue is similar to the one he used in life. It was added in 2001, as a monument to FDR as he truly lived.

Throughout this memorial, you will find several waterfalls. This one creates a beautiful sheet of water. In the winter, the water freezes—some say, making it even more beautiful.

The FDR Memorial is very large, covering 7.5 acres. Every corner has some kind of display, statue, quote, or waterfall. This is a view of the walkway from Room 1 to Room 2.

"The Fireside Chat," a sculpture by the American pop artist George Segal, shows a man listening intently to one of FDR's radio broadcasts. To the right of the statue is a quote from one of Roosevelt's fireside chats: "I never forget that I live in a house owned by all the American people and that I have been given their trust."

On one wall, you will find two scenes. The one on the left is "The Rural Couple," another sculpture by George Segal.

To the right, you will find "Breadline" (created by George Segal). The sorrowful faces of the life-size statues are a powerful expression of the times, showing the inactivity and troubles of everyday citizens during the Great Depression. Many visitors to the memorial pretend to stand in line to have their picture taken.

In the middle of these two scenes is this quotation, one of the 21 quotes that can be found at the memorial. All the inscriptions at the FDR Memorial were carved by calligrapher and stone mason John Benson. The quote is from FDR's inaugural speech in 1937.

Walking around the wall, you will come into this open area with five tall pillars and a large mural, created by California sculptor Robert Graham, representing the New Deal, Roosevelt's program to help ordinary Americans to recover from the Great Depression.

The five-paneled mural is a collage of various scenes and objects, including initials, faces, and hands; the images on the mural are inverted on the five columns.

The waterfalls that are scattered throughout the FDR Memorial do not run as smoothly as the ones you meet in the beginning. These are smaller and the flow of water is broken by rocks or other structures. The noise from the waterfalls increases as you go on. Perhaps this represents the designer's suggestion of the beginning of "troubled waters." There will be even larger waterfalls in Room 3.

World War II was the dominant event of FDR's third term. This quotation is from an address that Roosevelt gave at Chautauqua, NY on Aug. 14, 1936.

The war ravaged the country. This waterfall is much larger than the others and there are large chunks of granite scattered about. The war attempted to break the fabric of the country as the scattered stones represent the possible break of the memorial.

To the left of the waterfall, sits a very large sculpture of FDR, larger than life. Yet FDR remains human, sitting beside his dog, Fala. Sculpted by New York sculptor Neil Estern.

FDR doesn't live to see the end of the war, but he continues to fight in Room 4.

This sculpture of the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt stands next to the United Nations emblem.

To the left reads a quotation from FDR's Address to the Yalta Conference of 1945: "The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation, it must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world."

This statue is the first time a first lady has been honored in a presidential memorial.

A beautiful, very large waterfall ends the memorial. Perhaps to show the strength and endurance of the U.S.?