By Bill Thawley

Arriving at the American Red Cross building at 431 18th St NW, Washington, D.C., you are presented with a building of stone, faced with white marble from Vermont. Going through the main bronze doorways, you are led into a large central marble entrance hall, with a broad stairway to the second floor. There are various displays, some of which are rotated periodically, throughout both floors. Note: It is a common practice to rotate exhibits and artifacts in museums to reduce light damage and overall wear on historical items.

The Board of Governors Room contains the three Favrile windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany (featured last month on this blog). Niches in the Hall are filled with sculpture depictions of “Faith,” “Hope” and “Charity,” executed by Hiram Powers, a neoclassical sculptor.

Clara Barton’s dress, both front and back views, worn throughout the 1860s, was donated by Susan H. Stafford, Clara’s great, great, great niece. Funding for the conservation and exhibition was donated by Barbara Bovender. The dress was worn for special occasions and speaking engagements. Check out the video about Clara’s dress below.

There is a bust of Jean Henri Dunant, one of the founders of the International Red Cross movement in 1863, as well as a painting of the Geneva Treaty Convention in 1864 by Charles Edouard Armand-Dumaresq (a French painter, who specialized in military subjects). The Geneva Convention was ratified in 1882; Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons represented the United States at the Convention.There is a display case containing some personal items of Clara’s, including her diary of 1904 and her sewing kit used after the hurricane of 1893 on the Sea Islands, near Savannah, Georgia.

Since some of the paintings and photographs may be rotated, you may see different works of art displayed at different times. For example, a panel by Cameron Burnside, a modernist painter, known for his wartime paintings, shows Red Cross workers meeting a troop train during World War I and serving refreshments to soldiers. Another panel depicts the Junior Red Cross, which was started in World War I, making bandages and clothing. By the end of the war, there were 11 million members in the Junior Red Cross. There’s also a photo commemorating the Gray Ladies, who volunteered in hospitals, helping the patients by running errands, bringing books, etc. during World War I.

There is a memorial garden outside of the buildings, with a sculpture by Felix de Weldon, the sculptor of the famous World War II Marine Memorial of Iwo Jima. It depicts Red Cross workers helping fallen soldiers. This was commissioned by the American Red Cross Overseas Association, honoring all of those who gave their lives in service to the Red Cross. There is also a sculpture of Jane Delano, the founder of the Red Cross Nursing Service in 1909, by Robert Tait McKenzie, a physician and sculptor.

On the grounds of the Red Cross Square, there is a sculpture by Frederic Sogoyan, given by the Armenian people in 1991 for the Red Cross’ help during the 1988 Spitak earthquake. Also on the square is the Red Cross emblem by Larry Kirkland, abstract sculptor, dedicated to volunteerism and the volunteer spirit of the Red Cross. The sculpture features a red cross, in the center of a wall of white marble, with the center open to display the red cross.

Be sure to add a visit to Red Cross HQ during your next visit to Washington, D.C.!