George Washington Statue, Boston

If you stroll to the base of Commonwealth Avenue, right in front of the Boston Public Garden, you'll come face to face with an impressive bronze equestrian statue of George Washington. This monumental work, towering at 38 feet in height (with Washington himself standing at 22 feet), holds the distinction of being the largest sculpture in all of Boston. It was created by the talented sculptor Thomas Ball and cast in 1869, a bit later than initially planned due to the scarcity of bronze during the tumultuous years of the Civil War.

Now, while most folks recognize George Washington as the first President of the United States and the "Father of the Nation", the statue portrays him not in his presidential role, but rather as the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. Interestingly, Washington found his true calling as a soldier, more so than as a statesman. He had served as a colonel in the British Army during the French and Indian Wars, but when the War for Independence erupted, he led the Continental Army in their quest for freedom. Under his leadership, the American forces successfully forced the British out of Boston in 1776.

After retiring from politics in 1797, where he declined the opportunity to serve a third presidential term, Washington returned to his beloved home at Mount Vernon in Virginia, where he passed away just two years later, likely due to pneumonia. His final and enduring act of significance was revealed in his will, where he emancipated all the slaves on his estate—a remarkable gesture that set a precedent and eventually played a pivotal role in the abolition of slavery in the United States.