Washington Monument

The Washington Monument was first proposed by the Continental Congress in 1783 to honor George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States. However, construction did not begin until 1848, led by the Washington National Monument Society. The original design by architect Robert Mills featured a grand circular colonnade at the base, but this was eventually scrapped in favor of the simple, elegant Egyptian-style obelisk we see today. Progress was slow due to a lack of funds and the political turmoil of the mid-19th century. Construction was famously halted in 1854 at a height of about 152 feet when the Know-Nothing Party seized control of the society, followed closely by the outbreak of the American Civil War. For over twenty years, the 'stump' stood as an eyesore on the National Mall until 1876, when President Ulysses S. Grant authorized the completion of the project. Because the stone was sourced from a different quarry when work resumed, a distinct color change is still visible about one-third of the way up the structure. Finally completed in 1884 and dedicated in 1885, the monument was the tallest structure in the world until the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. It remains the tallest predominantly stone structure and the tallest obelisk in the world, standing at 555 feet and 5 1/8 inches. It serves as a soaring tribute to Washington's military and political leadership, anchoring the heart of the nation's capital.