James Buchanan Memorial | |
 James Buchanan Memorial in 2012 | |
| Location | Meridian Hill Park, Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°55′11″N 77°02′06″W / 38.91968°N 77.03497°W |
| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | Hans Schuler (sculptor) William Gordon Beecher (architect) Roman Bronze Works (foundry) |
| Part of | Meridian Hill Park Historic District |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000273 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 25, 1974 |
| Designated DCIHS | November 8, 1964 |
The James Buchanan Memorial is a bronze, granite, and concrete memorial in the southeast corner of Meridian Hill Park, Washington, D.C., that honors U.S. President James Buchanan. It was designed by architect William Gorden Beecher, and sculpted by Maryland artist Hans Schuler. The memorial was commissioned in 1916, but not approved by the U.S. Congress until 1918. The memorial features a statue of Buchanan bookended by male and female classical figures representing law and diplomacy, engraved with text from a member of Buchanan's cabinet, Jeremiah S. Black: "The incorruptible statesman whose walk was upon the mountain ranges of the law."
Buchanan had served in various roles for the U.S. government until his election as president in 1856. His term was fraught with several crises, including his inability to stop the Civil War. He is often rated as one of the worst U.S. presidents. His niece, Harriet Lane, served as First Lady during Buchanan's term since he was a bachelor. Later in her life, Lane bequeathed $100,000 for the government to erect a memorial honoring Buchanan in Washington, D.C. After years of debate and delays in constructing Meridian Hill Park, the memorial was finally unveiled and dedicated in June 1930.
The memorial is a contributing property to the Meridian Hill Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. The historic district was added to the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites in 1964 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.