Some Bits of DC March 2025

We did a quick visit to The Catholic University of America. The campus has quite a lot of history. Founded in the 1880s, the first building, Caldwell Hall, clearly has had some add-ons in the century and a half since its inception. 

The ever growing Caldwell Hall

Two added, uneven wings

At McMahon Hall (which we couldn't get inside of, I guess some building require card keys!), a statue of Pope Leo XIII honors his establishing of the university in 1889.

Leo XIII

I was surprised to see a solar farm on campus! It is across a street, so the students and visitors don't have access to that either.

Juicing up!

Marist Hall is on the north edge of the campus. Just past it is the location of Fort Slemmer, one of the ring of forts built to protect Washington during the American Civil War. 

Marist Hall

Nothing left of the fort but woods

A new student building, the Pryz, is named after Edward J. Pryzbyla, a benefactor of the University. 

Student hall

An art studio is nearby, a lone building not bigger than a small lecture hall. It looks like it is being renovated. And it might be a temporary addition--see the lack of foundation!

Fixer-upper?

The architecture on campus is a hodge-podge of styles. I guess slowly expanding over 100+ years let's all sorts of fashions come. It's hard to make such fashions go when they are made of concrete.

School of Nursing, pretty classy

Pangborn Hall, generic 1960s look

School of Law, trying to look regal

Cybertruck blowing the "regal" vibe

Some weeks later, I did some geocaching in Washington, D.C.

The Masonic Scottish Rite Temple in the middle of the city is yet another classical construction, invoking Ancient Greece. The temple is flanked by two sphinxes, so invoking Ancient Egypt too!

Scottish Rite Temple, DC

Guardian

A small garden in the back features a statue of George Washington, first President of the United States and a Freemason.

Honoring the man

Nearby is Saint Augustine Catholic Church with architecture more recent, i.e. medieval. I wasn't able to go inside but the exterior looks exquisite.

St. Augustine Church

Just up the hill is Meridian Hill Park. A large statue of James Buchanan, fifteenth president of the United States, is on display at the south end of the park. His niece made a bequest in her will that the memorial be built. She died in 1903; the memorial was finished in 1930. Typical government efficiency!

Buchanan Memorial

A statue of Joan of Arc was donated by the women of France. The pedestal is written in French and it is the only equestrian statue of a woman in the District of Columbia!

Jeanne D'Arc

Serenity is a statue tucked away in a corner of the park. Unfortunately, that did not protect it from vandals (she's lost her nose and one of her hands!) and natural weathering. The sculptor's signature is still visible.

Serenity has seen better days

Signed in stone by Jose Clara