Virginia Washington Monument
Also known as: Washington Monument scupture group; George Washington Equestrian Statue VDHR#127-0189
Why it's listed
Rising in Capitol Square in Richmond, this monument combines a bronze equestrian figure of George Washington with a three-tiered granite pedestal. Washington sits on a rearing horse at the top, and the 18,000-pound statue touches its base at only two hooves. Below him stand six Virginia Revolutionary figures: Jefferson, Patrick Henry, John Marshall, Thomas Nelson, George Mason and Andrew Lewis. In front of each is a draped female allegorical figure bearing an inscription such as Justice or Independence, flanked by shields naming Revolutionary War battles. Sculptor Thomas Crawford won a 1849-50 competition for the commission but died in 1857. The statue was unveiled in 1858, and Randolph Rogers finished the remaining figures by 1869. The bronzes were cast abroad because no American foundry could handle the large equestrian piece. It was listed for its artistic merit, its place as the second equestrian statue of Washington in the country, and its influence on later memorial sculpture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues national significance under Criterion C as a work of art. It was the first of Richmond's outdoor monuments and the second equestrian statue of Washington in the United States, and it helped generate a national wave of representational memorial sculpture. Its imagery was later adopted for the Confederate Great Seal.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 03001421, listed January 15, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Capitol Square, Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | January 15, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001421 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | 1850-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas Crawford; Randolph Rogers |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century, Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.53928, -77.43418 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03001421.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7934655
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.