Constitution Gardens, Washington

Constitution Gardens is located on a small island in the Constitution Gardens Pond on the Mall in the District of Columbia. The area was originally used for temporary office buildings. Those building were vacated and demolished in the early 1970s. A new park was planned and dedicated in May 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebration of the American War for Independence.

The first stone on the bridge to the island

By 1984, a memorial was set up in honor of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. I think it is funny that the gardens are named after the Constitution of the United States but the memorial is related to the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution was ratified over ten years later than the Declaration.

Dedication, also on the bridge

A small plaza has stones with copies of the signatures on the Declaration, along with the location and profession of each signer.

Stones with names

I took a picture of John Witherspoon, a signer from the state where I was born. He was a clergyman, which goes to show you that separation of church and state wasn't so separate back in the day.

John Witherspoon of New Jersey

Charles Carroll is a signer from my home state and the only Catholic to sign the Declaration.

Charles Carroll of Maryland

The island has a beautiful view of the Washington Monument.

Washington Monument reflected in the pond

We try to look at the camera and the sun at the same time!

We did catch someone trying to go for a swim in the pond. We had to warn him that the water is very shallow. And cold, which was the more persuasive argument!

Diver

People impressed by the diver