Bartholdi Park Bartholdi Park Bartholdi Park is a public park named after French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who is known primarily for designing the Statue of Liberty. It is located at the corner of Independence Avenue and Washington Avenue. Bartholdi Park is part of the United States Botanic Garden located on the grounds of the United States Capitol. Bartholdi Park was created as an exclave of the United States Botanic Garden in 1932, following the gardens move from their original location at the base of the Capitol in 1927. Originally created as a showcase for American horticulture, the park has continued this
Statue of Liberty American public works—the selection of Italian-born Constantino Brumidi to decorate the Capitol had provoked intense criticism, even though he was a naturalized U.S. citizen. "Harper's Weekly" declared its wish that "M. Bartholdi and our French cousins had 'gone the whole figure' while they were about it, and given us statue and pedestal at once." "The New York Times" stated that "no true patriot can countenance any such expenditures for bronze females in the present state of our finances." Faced with these criticisms, the American committees took little action for several years. The foundation of Bartholdi's statue was to be laid