Washington Monument: then and now

1903 vs 1980s to 2006 · Washington DC

NowThen

Then, 1903A color print of the monument in 1903, standing alone on open grass.Photo: Library of Congress (Prints and Photographs) · Public domain · Source · resized

Today, 1980s to 2006Carol Highsmith took this photo between 1980 and 2006.Photo: Carol M. Highsmith (Library of Congress) · Public domain · Source · resized

The story

The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848. Work stopped from 1854 until 1877 because of money problems and the Civil War, and the stone was finished in 1884. It was dedicated on February 21, 1885 and opened to the public on October 9, 1888.

Look about a third of the way up. The lower part is a whiter marble and the upper part is warmer in color, because different quarries supplied the stone before and after the pause.

The tip is an aluminum cap cast in 1884. At the time it was the largest piece of aluminum ever cast. A 5.8 magnitude earthquake cracked the monument in 2011, and it reopened in 2014 after $15 million of repairs.

Did you know? The monument is about 555 feet tall. Official measurements give slightly different numbers depending on the method.

Historians argue about this. Historians disagree about whether enslaved people helped build it. The first phase may have used some enslaved labor, while the second phase likely did not.

Fact or tall tale?

SolidWork on the Washington Monument stopped for more than 20 years.
Work stopped in 1854 and began again in the late 1870s.
DisputedEnslaved people helped build the Washington Monument.
Historians disagree. The first phase may have used some enslaved labor, while the second phase likely did not.

Sources

More: Look for historic photos at the Library of Congress

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Next: U.S. Capitol. Written from the cited sources, not yet walked on site unless noted.