The fountain is one of eighteen Civil War monuments collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The marble fountain, which is adorned with three allegorical sculptures, rests on a concrete base and is surrounded by an open plaza.

[5][6] He played a large role in the modernization of the Navy, and during the Civil War he was responsible for making the Union blockade effective against the Confederacy, though his failed attempt to attack Charleston in 1863 tarnished his career record.

Attendees at the ceremony included President Chester A. Arthur, Senator Thomas F. Bayard, Admiral David Dixon Porter and General Philip Sheridan.

[4][6] In the early 20th century, members of the prominent Du Pont family wanted a memorial of greater artistic value and lobbied for a replacement.

[9] Senator Willard Saulsbury, Jr.'s wife, who was a niece of Du Pont, led efforts to replace the statue.

[10] The family asked that no government funds be used for the new memorial and that the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) approve the design.

[11] The Du Pont family chose architect Henry Bacon and sculptor Daniel Chester French to design a fountain that reflected the Beaux-Arts and neoclassical styles that were popular in the neighborhood at the time, such as the Patterson Mansion, located on the northeast edge of the circle.

[10] An early model included plans for a fountain emitting water at the top, but this wasn't incorporated into the final design.

The contractor was the George A. Fuller Company, whose other projects include the Flatiron Building and the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

[9][16] The invocation was given by Episcopal bishop Alfred Harding followed by presentation of the colors while the band performed "The Stars and Stripes Forever".

The fountain was formally presented by Rear Admiral Purnell Frederick Harrington, who had served alongside Du Pont.

Denby also praised Du Pont's attitude toward his fellow sailors and his willingness to put the country's needs above his own.

The others are the Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, Nuns of the Battlefield, the Peace Monument, and statues of Admiral David G. Farragut, Albert Pike and General John A.

The Stars is a nude female figure with long hair holding a globe in her left hand and is faced downward.