History and facts of the washington monuments. A brief history behind the construction of the Washington Monument, and the inspiration for the design.
Of all the American Presidents, none has been as celebrated and revered than the very first, the father of our country, George Washington. Early in the 19th century, the country saw fit to honor the General who led the fight for American independence from Britain with a monument in the new capital, Washington, D.C. While Americans have honored the founding father through the naming of the capital, universities, colleges, states, and schools, none compares to the awe-inspiring Washington Monument. To Americans Washington has always had an grand appearance, commanding influence and simple elegance. So too would the monument.
From a distance, the monument appears larger than life, asserting a dominance over the other monuments located in the National Mall. Just as its gigantic frame stands out among the rest of the monuments, its simple architectural style reflect Washington's unadorned grace.
George Washington earned the distinction the "Father of his Country" by leading the Continental Army to victory in the War for Independence with Great Britain. In 1789, he was unanimously elected as the first President of the United States. Washington helped define the role of the presidency and the course of the fledgling democracy, the first of its kind. Through the monument, the American public says thank you to the General for helping carve a new kind of republic in which all men are created equal.
While movements to commemorate Washington in a heroic fashion had been underway even while he was president, it was only in 1833 that the Washington National Monument Society was formed by Congress. Part of the reason for this was Washington's modesty. While President, he convinced Congress to use the nation's precarious resources on more important things than paying tribute to him. Originally, Congress planned to honor Washington with an equestrian statue. In 1833, however, the focus The job of the Society was simple, to construct the largest monument in the world to the most prominent figure in American History. The Society resolved to erect a monument "Whose dimensions and magnificence shall be commensurate with the greatness and gratitude of the nation which gave [George Washington] birth [and] whose splendor will be without parallel in the world." The Society soon began a fund-raising campaign to construct the monument. Initially, it limited the amount each person could contribute to $1. By 1836, however, only $28,000 had been raised. But, it was enough to hold a competition for design.
In 1836, architect Robert Mills won the Society's competition to design the monument. His monument was to exude simplicity and grandeur at once, just as the General had. It was to be the centerpiece of the National Mall. The design was to be a simple obelisk, a much simpler version of Mill's original, ornate design. The estimated cost to build the towering structure was $1 million. The total height of the monument would be 555 feet and 5 ½ inches. The width of the monument would be 55 feet and 1 ½ inches.
Following the announcment of the estimated cost for the project, the Society removed the $1 limit contribution per person to raise additional funds. Soon enough, the Society had $88,000 in its coffers, enough to begin construction.
The actual construction of the monument began in patriotic fashion on July 4, 1848. Thousands gathered to celebrate the moment when the work would begin at the National Mall.
As the work began, the obelisk gradually began to ascend towards the sky. To aid in the process of building the monument, the Society invited civic groups, nationalities, states, and private organizations to donate commemorative stones to be placed in the interior walls surrounding the stairwell. However, due to increasing instances of vandalism and theft, the contributions eventually ceased in 1854, when the monument was only 152 feet tall.
Construction would be halted for 20 years. The onset of the Civil War also contributed to the delay. The abandoned memorial was a fitting tribute to a nation divided. The unfinished monument was even seen as an embarrassment during this time.
However, the nation's first centennial in 1876 renewed interest in the national pride, and thus, completing the monument. That year, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the bill for the government to fund the completion of the structure. It was the Army Corps of Engineers who took over the project, seeing it through to completion in December of 1884.
The official dedication ceremony for the memorial occurred the day before Washington's birthday in 1885 with a grand celebration. However, it was not until 1888 that the public was first allowed to step foot inside the monument because work was still being done on the interior. During this time, the stairwell, consisting of 897 steps, was completed. The final cost of the project was $1,817,710.
