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Was the Washington Monument built to remember our first president?

The Washington Monument was created to remember our nation's first president, George Washington.



Yes, the Washington Monument was built specifically to honor and memorialize George Washington, the first President of the United States and the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Standing at 555 feet tall, this massive marble obelisk was designed by architect Robert Mills and was once the tallest structure in the world upon its completion in 1884. The project was the culmination of over 50 years of planning and political debate; after Washington's death in 1799, the nation struggled with how to appropriately honor his "immortal memory." The monument's design—a simple, soaring pillar—reflects the Enlightenment-era ideals of timelessness and strength that Washington embodied. Interestingly, the monument features two distinct shades of stone; construction was halted for 25 years during the American Civil War and due to a lack of funds, and when work resumed, the stone was sourced from a different quarry, leaving a visible "color line" about a third of the way up. Today, it remains the most iconic symbol of the nation's capital, serving as a permanent tribute to the "Father of His Country" and his indispensable role in the founding of the American republic.

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The Washington Monument, designed by Robert Mills and eventually completed by Thomas Casey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, honors and memorializes George Washington at the center of the nation's capital. The structure was completed in two phases of construction, one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884).

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The Washington Monument, designed by Robert Mills and eventually completed by Thomas Casey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, honors and memorializes George Washington at the center of the nation's capital. The structure was completed in two phases of construction, one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884).

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One of the most celebrated and spectacular sights on the National Mall, the Washington Monument, stands as a grand tribute to our nation's first President, George Washington. The 555 foot obelisk is also one of the oldest and most recognizable memorials in the City.

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July 14 marks the anniversary of the founding of George Washington Carver National Monument--the first monument dedicated to an African American and the first to a non-president.

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The Washington Monument is a 555-foot-tall obelisk honoring George Washington on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. operated by the National Park Service. Proposed in the year 1800 and begun in 1848, it was not opened to the public until 1888.

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5 Things You Might Not Know About the Washington Monument
  • Plans for the monument began even before Washington was elected president. ...
  • The original design for the monument was much different than what ended up being built. ...
  • The monument was once the site of a hostage situation. ...
  • The monument has survived an earthquake.


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The Washington Monument Looks Like an Obelisk Because of Egyptomania. In a technical sense, the Washington Monument isn't an obelisk, because it isn't made from a single piece of stone. That fact makes it no less impressive. Stretching 555 feet in the air, the Washington Monument is the tallest thing in the city.

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Relatively obscure today, this unassuming stone tower has a unique claim to fame. Built more than 20 years before the better-known obelisk overlooking the National Mall, it was the first monument in the United States dedicated to the American president.

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August 2, 1876 Congress appropriates $2 million in federal funds to complete the construction of the Washington Monument. The public funding is contingent upon the transfer of ownership of the monument from The Washington National Monument Society to the federal government.

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Inside the ground floor lobby, there is a statue of George Washington. An elevator provides transportation to the top floor, the 500' observation deck at the base of the pyramidion. The observation deck provides views out two windows on the north, south, east, and west sides of the pyramidion.

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No President has ever abolished a national monument proclamation. Legal analyses since at least the 1930s have concluded that the Antiquities Act does not authorize the President to repeal proclamations, nor is that power implied.

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8. A corrected typo can be seen on its walls. A worker who possibly grabbed the wrong stencil accidentally chiseled “EUTURE” instead of “FUTURE” when etching the words of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address into the memorial's north wall.

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