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Explore DC’s FDR memorial … not the one you’re thinking of!

Matt Kaufax | matt.kaufax@wtop.com

November 21, 2023, 4:54 AM

When you think of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in D.C., one spot in particular may come to mind —the Tidal Basin.

The monument most closely associated with the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms sits on 7.5 acres in Southwest D.C., towering over the city near many other large and iconic monuments the District is known for.

This isn’t that monument — and it’s not in the spot you’re thinking of.

Around the back side of the National Archives, along the Federal Triangle Heritage Trail, the original memorial to FDR (which predates the Tidal Basin tribute by around 30 years) is hidden away on a dirt patch, in a clearing of bushes and small trees along Pennsylvania Avenue.

Follow WTOP’s Matt Kaufax as he goes rummaging through the bushes of the Archives’ backyard to uncover the other FDR memorial.

Got an obscure monument you think Matt should feature as a part of this series? Or how about another feature story you think he and WTOP should spotlight as part of “Matt About Town?”

If you’ve got an idea for a feature story Matt should cover, reach out via the WTOP “contact us” page to submit your idea.

You can also contact Matt directly. His contact information is listed below. 

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Matt Kaufax

If there's an off-the-beaten-path type of attraction, person, or phenomenon in the DC area that you think more people should know about, Matt is your guy. As the features reporter for WTOP, he's always on the hunt for stories that provide a unique local flavor—a slice of life if you will.

matt.kaufax@wtop.com

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