Where in the World is Freddy?

Who’s Freddy? And why is he so important… Frederick the Great!

The Army War College Begins with a New Building

The College was founded by Secretary of War Elihu Root and U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and formally established by General Order 155 on 27 November 1901. When they conceived of the Army War College their plan included an elegant building on the peninsula in Washington, DC that has become Fort Lesley J McNair.  That building became Roosevelt Hall designed by the architects of the day: McKim, Mead & White.

 

Here Comes Freddy and a Few “No-Shows”

What would become Roosevelt Hall, would be built in the “Beaux-Arts” style which was a specialty of the architectural firm chosen to make it happen.  All of the Washington Arsenal buildings near and on the ground where the new building would be erected were demolished and cleared.  Bricks from those buildings were salvaged and repurposed.

An open solicitation went out for statues of warriors to be placed on pedestals in front of the building. The statue of Frederick the Great donated by Emperor Wilhelm II was the first military leader to occupy a pedestal even during the demolition, clearing, and construction phases.  Invitations to procure donations of other warriors such as Caesar, Hannibal, Alexander, Suvaroff, and Wellington — ALL ended up as”No Shows”!

 

 

Freddie Goes into Hiding

For years Freddy was the lone sentinel on his pedestal in front of Roosevelt Hall.  When World War I broke out,  someone left a suitcase of explosives at his pedestal with the intent to blow the statue up. So he went into hiding until 1927 when he was placed on his pedestal. Then someone decided he needed a vacation to the Carlisle Barracks when the Army War College reopened therein 1951.

 

 

 

Freddie at the Carlisle Barracks

 

Hessian Powder Magazine also on Carlisle Barracks

Just down the street from Freddie’s statue sits the Hessian Powder Magazine.  It was built in 1777.

 

 

OVER 200 HISTORICAL IMAGES, MAPS & ILLUSTRATIONS

The book, Images of America – Fort Lesley J. McNair contains over two hundred historical photographs, images, and illustrations that chronicle the two hundred plus years of history among the acres of this US Army Post.

The book “Images of America – Fort Lesley J McNair”  is “a walk down memory lane” as one reader called it after he turned the last page.  Go beyond