Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Washington, District of Columbia
Come honor the contributions of "The Reluctant Statesman," George Mason. The George Mason Memorial honors the Founding Father who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights and withheld his support of the constitution in opposition of the slave trade.
Born in 1725, George Mason's greatest act was withholding his signature from the United States Constitution because it did not abolish the slavery and lacked protection for the individual from Federal Government. His memorial, located in East Potomac Park near the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, consists of a bronze statue of Mason, set amongst landscaped groves of trees and beds of pansies, arranged in circles around a pool and fountain, truly a lovely spectacle. Two stone slabs are inscribed with some of Mason's powerful words rejecting slavery, describing it as "that slow Poison, which is daily contaminating the Minds & Morals of our People." There are wooden benches where visitors can sit and learn about Mason while resting their feet and being inspired by this great Founding Father!
Interstate 395 provides the best access to the Mall from the south. If you're coming from the north, take I-495, New York Avenue, Rock Creek Parkway, George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the Cabin John Parkway. From the west, take I-66, US Route 50 and US Route 29, and from the east, you can take US Routes 50, 1, and 4. There is limited handicapped parking at the Lincoln and FDR memorials; otherwise parking in general is extremely scarce in Washington, D.C. Bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it, either memorial hopping at the Mall, or spending the whole afternoon at the inspirational George Mason Memorial—have a great day!