General Artemas Ward

General Artemas Ward is a bronze statue positioned on a granite pedestal at the intersection of Nebraska and Massachusetts Avenue. The sculpture depicts the military leader and sits within a traffic circle that dominates the surrounding area.

Congress authorized this memorial in 1928 to honor General Ward, who led colonial forces as the first Commander-in-Chief during the American Revolution. This recognition came as part of efforts to commemorate key figures from the nation's founding period.

The inscriptions on the base list Ward's roles as a Harvard graduate, judge, legislator, Continental Congress delegate, and military commander across three conflicts. These details help visitors understand the breadth of his contributions to early American public life.

The statue sits in the center of a traffic circle with heavy vehicle movement, which limits pedestrian access to the immediate area. Viewing is best done from the surrounding sidewalks or during lighter traffic periods.

Sculptor Leonard Crunelle modeled Ward's face from a life portrait by Charles Wilson Peale that hangs in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. This link to an original artwork connects the statue to one of America's most important historical sites.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1936

Creator: Leonard Crunelle

Part of: American Revolution Statuary

GPS coordinates: 38.93790,-77.08590

Latest update: December 12, 2025 12:00