The Washington Monument was constructed as a memorial to George Washington, the First President of the United States of America. On this day in 1884, in Washington, D.C., workers place a nine-inch aluminum pyramid atop a tower of white marble. It is the most prominent landmark in Washington, DC standing as the centerpiece of the National Mall. The monument is indeed monumental measuring 555 feet 5 1/8 inches high. Fifty flags surround the base of
the Washington Monument symbolizing the 50 states of America.
Made of some 36,000 blocks of marble and granite stacked 555 feet in the
air, the monument was the tallest structure in the world at the time of
its completion in December 1884. In the six months following the
dedication ceremony, over 10,000 people climbed the nearly 900 steps to
the top of the Washington Monument. Today, an elevator makes the trip
far easier, and more than 800,000 people visit the monument each year. A
city law passed in 1910 restricted the height of new buildings to
ensure that the monument will remain the tallest structure in
Washington, D.C.--a fitting tribute to the man known as the "Father of
His Country." [Source: History.com]
UPDATE: On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake, occurred 84
miles southwest of Washington, D.C., damaging the Washington Monument. During its renovation, a 100-year old time capsule, a copper box, was discovered behind a plaque at the monument. On Wednesday, October 29, 2014, it will be taken from its current location to the nearby Walters Art Museum for safekeeping while restoration work continues. The box hasn’t been opened and no date has been set to open it.
God bless America and all that our nation represents!
Made of some 36,000 blocks of marble and granite stacked 555 feet in the air, the monument was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in December 1884. In the six months following the dedication ceremony, over 10,000 people climbed the nearly 900 steps to the top of the Washington Monument. Today, an elevator makes the trip far easier, and more than 800,000 people visit the monument each year. A city law passed in 1910 restricted the height of new buildings to ensure that the monument will remain the tallest structure in Washington, D.C.--a fitting tribute to the man known as the "Father of His Country." [Source: History.com]
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