Mr. Republican has his own Carillon. Senator Robert Taft had a long political career and had connections--he was a former Speaker and was President William Howard Taft's oldest son--but the arch conservative is best remembered as a leading opponent of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal.
His memorial consists of an 11-foot bronze statue of the senator standing in front of a 100-foot-high bell tower with 27 bells.1
It's basically a clock tower without a clock. Every 15 minutes it's bells chime the quarter hour, with a Big Ben-style peal on the hour. Oddly, Congress passed a resolution that the bells play the Star-Spangled Banner every Fourth of July at 2pm.
Photos of the Robert Taft Carillon
How to Get to the Robert Taft Carillon
The Robert Taft Memorial is in a park area a couple of blocks from Union Station towards the National Mall.
Taking Photos at the Robert Taft Carillon
Commercial shoots and filming may require a permit. And Capitol Police keep a close eye on the area because of its proximity to the US Capitol Building.
More Photos
You can find more of my photos of the Robert Taft Memorial and Carillon here.
Washington DC Visitor Guides
If you're coming in from out of town, here are some of the most popular guidebooks that can help you make the most of your visit.
- Elise Hartman Ford
- Publisher: FrommerMedia
- Fodor s Washington D C with Mount Vernon Alexandria Annapolis Full color Travel Guide
- Fodor's Travel Guides
- Stephan Van Dam, Illustrator, Editor
- Publisher: VanDam, Inc
- Lonely Planet, Regis St Louis, Karla Zimmerman
- Lonely Planet
And here are some interesting options for less traditional guidesbooks if you'd like an emphasis on exploring DC on foot or diving into some of the region's very rich history.
- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
- Barbara Noe Kennedy
- Alison Fortier
- Publisher: The History Press