On this day, February 21, 1885 the Washington Memorial was officially dedicated to our great General and President George Washington.
The monument was completed in two stages taking 40 years to complete. At the time the monument became the tallest man-made structure in the world. Taking the title away from the Cologne Cathedral in Germany.
Fascinating and True
The monument's design was inspired by ancient Egyptian obelisks, a long-standing representation of a powerful and ancient civilization.
The monument is 555 feet, 5-⅛ inches tall! On a clear day when looking out from the observation deck you can see as far as 40 miles.
The structure was completed in two phases. It took up to 40 years to complete due to construction delays and funding.
There are three types of stone from three different quarries that created the monument. With age and weather the color variation of the stone has become more apparent. See if you can notice the color difference for yourself!
You won’t find any mortar between these stones. The entire monument is held up by friction and gravity. Wow!!
It cost $1,187,710 to build, which means it would have cost up to 29 million dollars today!
Currently the Washington Monument is the tallest structure in Washington D.C.