The memorial is quietly situated SW of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. A slightly larger than life George Mason rests contemplatively on a bench with his legs crossed – backed by a series of quotations about his role in our history and in the creation of the Bill of Rights. The memorial was adapted to its site, which was once a national garden and has incorporated a historic fountain. Like other memorials, inscriptions carved into stone emphasize core ideas and values of our democracy.

History:

The site was designed as a Victorian garden in the late 19th century, and redesigned as the Pansy Garden in 1929. It was also one of the four national gardens established by the McMillan Commission in 1902. 

The George Mason Memorial was authorized in 1990.

Commemorating the “forgotten Founder,” the memorial was built between 2000 and 2002.