Sheridan Circle facts for kids
Sheridan Circle is a special kind of intersection called a traffic circle in Washington, D.C.. It's located in an area known as Embassy Row, which is famous for having many embassies.
Several embassies are built around Sheridan Circle. These include the former Turkish embassy building and the Romanian embassy on the south side. The Embassy of Pakistan is also nearby, to the northwest. If you look down Massachusetts Avenue from the circle, you can see Dupont Circle. In the other direction, the avenue goes up towards a bridge over Rock Creek Park.
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History of Sheridan Circle
In 1888, this traffic circle was given its name to honor General Philip Sheridan. He was an important Union general during the American Civil War. Later, he became a general in the United States Army.
The Sheridan Monument
A statue was planned to honor General Sheridan. At first, people thought it would be placed on Pennsylvania Avenue NW. This area is now called Freedom Plaza. But General Sheridan's wife wanted the statue to be at Sheridan Circle instead. The group in charge of the statue agreed with her.
John Quincy Adams Ward was chosen to create the statue. However, Mrs. Sheridan did not like his first model. She felt it didn't look enough like her husband. So, the statue group also rejected Ward's model. Then, a different artist named Gutzon Borglum made a model. Both the group and Mrs. Sheridan approved of his design. The statue was officially revealed on November 27, 1908.
The Letelier Monument
On September 21, 1976, two people, Orlando Letelier and Ronni Karpen Moffitt, tragically lost their lives in the circle. Today, a small plaque is placed in the grass near the curb where this happened. It's close to the Irish and Romanian embassies and serves as a memorial to them.
An Incident at Sheridan Circle
On May 16, 2017, an incident occurred involving protestors and security officials from Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was visiting the Ambassador's residence, which is located on Sheridan Circle. He observed the situation from a distance.
