Lee Circle

Called Place du Tivoli until it was renamed to honor Confederate General Robert E Lee after the Civil War, Lee Circle is a tragic example of an urban junction planned horribly wrong. The presence of a nearby elevated freeway and two gas stations mars what should be a pleasant roundabout. Oh well; the Robert E Lee monument at its center, dedicated in 1884, is attractive, and still refuses to turn its back on the North. Also on Lee Circle, K&B Plaza is a modish office tower dating to 1963 with an indoor-outdoor sculpture gallery. The outdoor sculptures, featuring Isamu Noguchi’s The Mississippi, can be viewed anytime.