Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument was designed by Robert Mills in 1838. The design was to follow the form of an Egyptian obelisk. The Washington Monument stands 550 ft high and is the largest masonry structure in the world.
The actual beginning of construction occurred in 1848 but was not completed until 1884. This length of time for the construction was largely due to the architect's death, the Civil War, and general lack of funds. There is a noticeable difference in shading about 150 ft up the structure where building stopped for a time and then started again.
The Washington Monument memorializes George Washington's achievements and unselfish devotion to high principles and the United States. The monument is a symbol of the country's gratitude to the father of their country.
A monument to George Washington was first considered by the Continental Congress in 1783. Over a period of about 30 years, the Congress never took any definite action on the various proposals set before them for a suitable monument to George Washington. It wasn't until 1833 that an influential society undertook the task of building the much deserved monument.
Although the progress was slow to start, by 1847, nearly $90,000 had been raised. It is interesting to note that the trowel used by Washington at the laying of the cornerstone of the Capitol in 1793, was also used when the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4, 1848.
The work on the Washington Monument moved along remarkably well until 1854 when the monument became involved in a political quarrel. Many people became unhappy with the work and so the funds to build the monument soon ran low. Also, at this time, problems were growing between the North and the South. This period of unrest resulted in the Civil War which brought construction to a halt.
For almost 25 years, the monument stood incomplete and ignored. Then, President Grant in the year 1876, approved an act that put the Federal Government in charge of completing the monument. The Washington Monument was first opened to the public in 1888.
The Washington Monument is located on the National Mall. Visitor hours are 9:00am to 4:45 pm. Tickets are required and can be obtained for same day visits from the kiosk at the bottom of the hill from the monument on 15th street.
