Statue of Edmund Burke (Washington, D.C.)

Edmund Burke
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites
Statue of Edmund Burke in 2012
Location	11th Street, L Street, and Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°54′14″N 77°1′38.8″W / 38.90389°N 77.027444°W / 38.90389; -77.027444
Built	1894, second cast 1922
Architect	James Havard Thomas (statue) Horace Peaslee (base) H.H. Martyn & Co. (founder) New England Granite Works (fabricator)
Part of	• American Revolution Statuary (78000256)[1] • L'Enfant Plan (97000332)[2] • Mount Vernon West Historic District (99001071)[3]
Significant dates
Designated CP	• July 14, 1978 (American Revolution Statuary) • April 24, 1997 (L'Enfant Plan) • September 9, 1999 (Mount Vernon West Historic District)
Designated DCIHS	• March 3, 1979 (American Revolution Statuary) • April 24, 1997 (L'Enfant Plan) • July 22, 1999 (Mount Vernon West Historic District)

Edmund Burke is a bronze, full-length statue of British statesman, author, orator, political theorist, and philosopher Edmund Burke by British artist James Havard Thomas. The original statue is in Bristol, England, with a second cast in Washington, D.C. The statue in Washington, D.C., stands in Burke Park, at the intersection of 11th Street, L Street, and Massachusetts Avenue NW, on the southern border of the Shaw neighborhood. The statue was a gift from Charles Wakefield, 1st Viscount Wakefield, on behalf of the Sulgrave Institution, an organization that wanted to celebrate United Kingdom–United States relations. One way the group did this was by exchanging statues and busts between the two countries.

Burke is known as one of the greatest philosophers of his time. After working as a private secretary for William Gerard Hamilton followed by Prime Minister Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, Burke was elected to the House of Commons where he would often give powerful speeches during his 30-year tenure. During the leadup to the American Revolutionary War, he often spoke about the hardships Britain was placing on the Thirteen Colonies. He feared if a war took place, Britain would lose. After the United States was formed after the British loss, Burke attempted to mend the relationship via peace treaties and trade.

The statue of Burke is 8-feet tall (2.4 m) and stands on a pedestal designed by Horace Peaslee. It was formally dedicated in October 1922 at an event attended by prominent citizen, diplomats, and members of the public. The statue is one of 14 American Revolution Statuary in Washington, D.C., that were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites the following year. In addition, the statue is a contributing property to the L'Enfant Plan and the Mount Vernon West Historic District, also known as the Shaw Historic District.