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No Pamphlet or Ticket
February 10th, 2008
Winfield Scott Statue Washington, DC
The Winfield Scott statue was sculpted by Henry Kirke Brown and is located in Scott circle, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and 16th Street near the Australian Embassy.
Winfield Scott was born 1786 and died 1866. He a military man through and through; he served for 50 years in the military, which is the longest of any US Serviceperson in US history. He served under all presidents from Thomas Jefferson through Abraham Lincoln and through a few wars, including the Mexican American War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. He started his career clerking for attorneys before being admitted to the bar, after which he set up a law practice and became known for several cases. He was a member of the Whig party and served in both Congress and the Senate (all the while keeping his military position). He ran for President three times but failed at each attempt. He made it to the rank of Major General. During his service period, he rode beside the Cherokee while they walked the "Trail of Tears".
Some experts believe (though it isn't a for sure known fact) that the phrase "Great Scott" might have originated from Winfield Scott. The story is told that he was a robust 300 pounds and too large to ride his horse, and they called him "Great Scott", referring to his stature.
The statue is free and open to the public. It's near a few embassies, shops, offices and side streets (residential). Enjoy walking the neighborhood; wear comfortable shoes, bring water and a camera as well as some change for the metered parking areas. Your best bet in this area is to go for the metered parking or hit one of the side streets. I suggest you go EARLY in the day (early morning) so you can get to the circle without dodging the prolific traffic.
Above: Statue of Winfield Scott
Links:
Winfield Scott Shipwreck
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