Was the Washington Monument the first monument?

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.



No, the Washington Monument on the National Mall was not the first monument built to honor George Washington, nor the first monument in the U.S. While the 555-foot obelisk in D.C. is the most famous, the first completed monument to Washington is a smaller, 30-foot stone tower in Boonsboro, Maryland, built by local citizens in 1827—21 years before the D.C. monument's cornerstone was even laid. Additionally, a 178-foot marble column in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood began construction in 1815 and was completed in 1829, long before the National Mall's centerpiece was finished in 1884. The grounded "history hack": the D.C. monument took nearly 40 years to complete due to funding shortages and the Civil War (visible by the "color change" in the stone), while the Marylanders of Boonsboro finished their tribute in just one day. In 2026, all three sites remain popular historical landmarks, each representing a different era of American commemoration.

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

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At completion, it was the world's tallest building, until the Eiffel Tower was completed four years later in Paris in 1889. It is still the tallest building in Washington, D.C.

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The Washington Monument was constructed in two phases after laying the cornerstone in 1848. The color line shows where construction halted in 1856, when private donations to fund the Monument dried up.

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The two sections closely resembled each other at first, but time, wind, rain, and erosion have caused the marble sections to weather differently, thereby producing the difference in color. A third type of marble is also visible at the dividing line between the two main phases of construction.

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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 Bunker Hill Monument was the nation's tallest memorial prior to the construction of the Washington Monument. It is also the first public obelisk in the country. For a bird's-eye-view of Charlestown and Boston, climb the 294-step spiral staircase to the observation deck at the top of the monument.

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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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The 50 American flags encircling the base of the monument represent the 50 States. A unique feature of the Washington Monument is the 193 memorial stones installed on its east and west interior walls.

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One person (16+ years old) may obtain up to six tickets for an available ticket time. All visitors (including children ages 2+) must have a ticket to enter the Washington Monument. During peak season, tickets run out quickly. Expect a line to form at the ticket window wait long before the ticket window opens.

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Although earthquakes are not frequent in the District of Columbia, it is still possible to experience an earthquake. The District of Columbia can also experience shaking from earthquakes occurring in nearby areas.

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Standing east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, the monument, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, is both the world's tallest predominantly stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 554 feet 711/32 inches (169.046 m) tall, according to the U.S. Geodetic Survey measurements in ...

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