Bartholdi Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bartholdi Park
Bartholdi Park, Capitol Hill
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Location	Washington, D.C.
Area	2 acres
Created	1932
Operated by	Congress through the Architect of the Capitol

Bartholdi Park is a lovely public park in Washington, D.C.. It's named after a famous French artist, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. He is best known for designing the amazing Statue of Liberty. You can find this park at the corner of Independence Avenue and Washington Avenue. It's actually part of the larger United States Botanic Garden, which is near the United States Capitol.

Park History

Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the park's namesake

Bartholdi Park was created in 1932. It became a special part of the United States Botanic Garden. The main garden had moved from its old spot near the Capitol in 1927. The park was first made to show off beautiful American plants. It still does this today.

At first, the park's plant beds were set up in a very formal, classic style. This was good for public gatherings. But over time, the gardens have been changed. They now show off modern American gardening styles. This also allows new types of plants to be added.

In 1985, the park was officially renamed Bartholdi Park. It was named after Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. He was the sculptor who created the famous fountain in the middle of the park.

Recently, the park started a new project. It's becoming part of the Sustainable Sites Initiative. This means it will add a special garden for homeowners. This garden will show how to create eco-friendly gardens that can take care of themselves.

Bartholdi Fountain

The Bartholdi Fountain

The most important part of the park is the Bartholdi Fountain. The United States government bought this fountain for $6,000 in 1877. Before that, the fountain was at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. It was there for the 1876 Centennial Exposition.

After it was bought, the fountain was placed at the base of Capitol Hill. It stayed there until 1926. Then, it was stored away for six years. In 1932, the fountain was moved to its current spot in Bartholdi Park.

In 2008, the fountain was taken out of the park for a while. The Architect of the Capitol restored it completely. They fixed parts that were wearing out. They also added new pumps and motors. A new system to clean and filter the water was installed too. The fountain was brought back to the park in the spring of 2011.

The fountain is very tall, about 30 feet high. It weighs 15 tons! It features three nymphs, which are like mythical spirits, each 11 feet tall. They are holding up the top part of the fountain. Other cool decorations include turtles, cherubs (small angels), frogs, and fish. There are also twelve electric lamps that light it up.

Park Plants

Here is a list of some of the cool plants you can see at Bartholdi Park: