I’m trying to finish posting my Washington D.C. photos. These are the shots I got of the Washington Monument.
The Washington Monument is the most prominent structure in Washington, D.C. and one of the city’s early attractions. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led the country to independence and then became its first President. The Monument is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, stands 555’ 5 1/8” tall, and offers views in excess of thirty miles. It was finished on December 6, 1884.
In an elaborate Fourth of July ceremony in 1848, the cornerstone was laid. The outbreak of Civil War of 1861 delayed the completion of the monument. When Lt.Col.Thomas L.Casey, Mills’ successor, resumed work on the project in 1876, he heavily altered the original design for the monument so that it resembled an unadorned Egyptian obelisk with a pointed pyramidion. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the War Department was charged with completing the construction, and the monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885, and officially opened to the public on October 9, 1888.
They were cleaning the reflecting pond while we were in D.C. so we didn’t get the best shots from the Lincoln Memorial.
Weighing 81,120 tons, the Washington Monument stands 555′ 5-1/8″ tall. The walls of the monument range in thickness from 15′ at the base to 18” at the upper shaft. They are composed primarily of white marble blocks from Maryland with a few from Massachusetts, underlain by Maryland blue gneiss and Maine granite. A slight color change is perceptible at the 150′ level near where construction slowed in 1854.
Hope your Wednesday is going well. Only one more day of June left. Are you going to stick around for the long July 4th weekend or Canada Day Weekend or are you headed out? We are staying close to home.
Today I have a recipe posted on Mennonite Girls Can Cook for Chicken Perlo, a Southern dish.
Photobucket replaced all my photos with blurred out versions and photobucket stamped versions. They are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
I’m heading out…in search of some sunshine! Smile. Love your night shots of the Washington Monument.
Ellen those shots of the memorial are really amazing. I really want to see this. ..it’s a must see. I would love to see it from the view of the reflecting pond. So gorgeous. Thanks for all the info on it too. That is a long time to have something under construction. The city must have been glad to check that one off the list.
Where were you when I was in 5th grade and I had to make a paper mache model of the Washington Monument and do a report? I’d have aced that report if I’d have had your blog for a reference. Of course, there were no blogs back then, no home computers, no internet…how did we ever get by?
Thanks for the lovely pictures and background information. Perhaps some student will be lucky enough to come across it for her report…LOL!
The night shots are stunning! I was there a very long time ago – you’re bringing back memories.
We’ll be staying close to home for the holiday weekend – in fact, we’re doing something very special for the 4th – it’s a surprise!
Now to check out your chicken dish!
These are some great shots, Ellen. The view of it in the daytime between the pillars of the Lincoln Memorial looks like a painting to me…great perspective. I appreciated the history lesson too.
LOVE visiting DC! I’ve been twice, neither trip afforded us the opportunity to go up inside the Washington monument. The view of the monument itself is gorgeous, though, as your shots attest!
Thanks for the facts associated with the Washington Monument. I enjoyed them. I hadn’t know it was constructed with marble.
More than likely close to home for July 4th weekend.
Oh, I love seeing the monument in all these different views and times of day. When I was last in D.C., there was much construction around it — increased security, I think.