Sheridan Circle

Traffic circle in Washington D. C.

Sheridan Circle is a traffic circle and park in the Sheridan Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D. C. The traffic circle, one of two in the neighborhood, is the intersection of 23rd Street NW, Massachusetts Avenue NW, and R Street NW. The buildings along this stretch of Massachusetts Avenue NW are part of Embassy Row, which runs from Scott Circle to Observatory Circle. Sheridan Circle is a contributing property to the Massachusetts Avenue Historic District and the Sheridan Kalorama Historic District, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In addition, the equestrian statue of General Philip Sheridan is 1 of 18 Civil War Monuments in Washington, D. C., that were collectively listed on the NRHP. The area around Sheridan Circle did not develop until the 1880s 1890s. Local officials extended Massachusetts Avenue NW past what was then the city's boundary, now Florida Avenue, in hopes of recreating the residential success of Dupont Circle. The Sheridan Kalorama area was previously home to large estates and country homes. These lands were eventually sold and the traffic circle's name was changed from Decatur Circle, in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur, to Sheridan Circle, in honor of Civil War General Philip Sheridan. It took many years for the equestrian statue of Sheridan to be created, and the dedication of the memorial took place in 1908. By that time, houses were being built around the circle, including the first one, the Alice Pike Barney Studio House. The remaining homes around the circle were elaborate mansions, designed by some of the top local and national architects. During the Great Depression, some of the residences were sold to foreign countries. This occurred again after World War II and into the 1950s. Some of the embassies and ambassadorial residences facing Sheridan Circle include Romania, Ireland, Greece, Vietnam, Kenya, Egypt, South Korea, Latvia, and Turkey. Two violent moments that occurred at Sheridan Circle were the assassination of Orlando Letelier and Ronni Karpen Moffitt by Chile's Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional. Those that took part in the car bomb attack were Cuban expatriates who supported Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. There is a small monument by the circle in honor of the two victims. The other violent moment took place in 2017 when clashes broke out between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) supporters and Kurdish separatists who were protesting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The protesters and reporters were beaten by Erdoğan's security detail. The victims later opened a civil case against the Turkish government.

Sheridan Circle, the city's Reservation 57A, is the intersection of 23rd Street NW, Massachusetts Avenue NW, and R Street NW, in the Sheridan Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D. C. It is one of two traffic circles in the neighborhood, the other being Kalorama Circle.

The area that now encompasses Sheridan Circle, and much of the present day Sheridan Kalorama neighborhood, were originally large estates built outside the city's boundary. Local government officials announced in 1886 that development would be expanded beyond Boundary Street (renamed Florida Avenue in 1890). The plan was to extend Massachusetts Avenue NW northward past Rock Creek. Two traffic circles were also planned in the extension and most of the surrounding area was to be plotted and have streets laid out within a year. The land that was previously the Lovett estate and the Barlow Bomford mausoleum is where present day Sheridan Circle is located. The earliest developments in the Sheridan Kalorama neighborhood took place near Decatur Circle, the original name of Sheridan Circle. It was named in honor of United States Navy Commodore Stephen Decatur, but renamed in 1890, in honor of Civil War General Philip Sheridan. Dupont Circle, a neighborhood to the east, became a fashionable residential area in the 1880s. Development past the Dupont Circle boundaries began that same decade, and by 1887, the lots along Massachusetts Avenue had been plotted. Soon, there were large residences being built along the avenue towards Decatur Circle. In the 1890s, the city's boundary was extended past Rock Creek, but city officials had to build a new bridge over the creek and pave Massachusetts Avenue before further development could occur. The large residences built along Massachusetts Avenue were designed by prominent architects from Washington, D. C., as well as ones from other major cities. Most of the residences built around Sheridan Circle were free standing mansions, occupied by prominent members of society. The first house to be constructed that faced the circle was the Alice Pike Barney Studio House, an eclectic example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, which Alice Pike Barney used as an art studio and residence. Foreign governments also became interested in building stylish, large embassies around the circle.

A statue to honor General Sheridan was originally proposed to stand on the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue NW near 13th Street NW, at what is now Freedom Plaza. Sheridan's widow advocated to erect the statue at Sheridan Circle instead, with which the statue commission agreed. John Quincy Adams Ward was selected to sculpt the statue. Mrs. Sheridan rejected his original model, saying it was not a good likeness of her husband, and the statue commission rejected Ward's model. The commission and Mrs. Sheridan both approved of a model created by Gutzon Borglum, one that was modeled after Philip Sheridan Jr. The statue and the surrounding park were dedicated on November 27, 1908, and is one of 18 Civil War Monuments in Washington, D. C., listed on the NRHP on September 20, 1978, and the DCIHS on March 3, 1979. In the years following World War I, there was an explosion in growth of new buildings in the area. Many prominent local and national architects designed palatial residences around Sheridan Circle. During the Great Depression, many of the local residences were sold to foreign nations or various groups. After World War II ended, many of the area residences were renovated into embassies, ambassadorial residences, and attachés. According to news reports, Luis Posada Carriles was at the meeting that decided on Letelier's death and also about the Cubana bombing two weeks later.

On May 16, 2017, dozens of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) supporters and Kurdish separatists clashed with Turkish security officials at Sheridan Circle. Turkish security personnel beat journalists and protesters during the skirmish. During a civil suit by some of the PKK supporters against the Turkish government, a U. S. judge denied Turkey's citing the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act as to why the case should be dismissed.