In 1883, during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the end of the American Revolution, Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln commissioned a monument for this site known as the Tower of Victory. Designed by John Hennenway Duncan, it included sculptures by William Rudolph O'Donovan representing the four branches of the military and a life size statue of General George Washington at the center of the atrium. Washington led the Continental Army to victory over British rule through many adverse conditions, helped form the nation's Constitution, and served as the first President of the United States. Revered by many as a great man and at times a demigod, he has also been criticized for his actions and views during his lifetime and in the centuries since his death in 1799. The statue of General Washington that stood on this granite plinth was removed for restoration, and no date for its return has been determined.
