He allegedly dropped one of the most epic quotes in American history about regretting that he had “but one life to lose” for his country.
And his monument sits hidden in plain sight on Constitution Avenue between 9th and 10th streets in D.C.
In Thursday’s episode of “Matt About Town” — Part II in an America 250 miniseries where WTOP’s Matt Kaufax explores lesser-known Revolutionary War monuments all around D.C. — we head to the Department of Justice to uncover the “forgotten” Nathan Hale statue.
The marker depicts Hale, a spy in Washington’s Continental Army, as he’s about to be executed by the British. The story of how Hale, who was only 21 when he was hanged in 1776, became a spy is a fascinating historical deep dive.
As if the record of his service to a young America wasn’t interesting enough, the story of how his statue ended up at DOJ and how, despite its central location, it has flown under the radar for years is equally compelling.
As Matt and a familiar National Park Service ranger will show you, if you go exploring and manage to find this piece of history, it’s worth an extra look!
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