BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Washington Monument -- Interior

DC -- Washington Monument -- Interior:

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. WMONI_140512_019.JPG: DC Hickey 1861
2. WMONI_140512_030.JPG: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in the humble and endearing scenes of private life; pious, just, humane, temperate, and sincere; uniform, dignified, and commanding; his example was an edifying of all around him, as were the effects of that example lasting." -- Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, December 26, 1799, Eulogy for George Washington
3. WMONI_140512_038.JPG: First in the hearts of his countrymen
4. WMONI_140512_048.JPG: "My whole life has been dedicated to the service of my country..." -- George Washington to James McHenry, July 4, 1798
5. WMONI_140512_056.JPG: George Washington: Founding Father and First President of the United States This statue of George Washington shows America'a first president, a plantation owner in front of a plow and a military leader in his general's uniform. With this monument, we honor George Washington's legacy as a war hero, founding father, and great leader. George Washington grew up as a British citizen living on a farm in the colony of Virginia. In the American Revolution, he led the Continental Army to victory against the British. After the war, he was elected first president of the new nation. Washington gave up his position after two terms to live a quiet life on his plantation, Mount Vernon. The Sculpture "George Washington": French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon completed a life-sized sculpture of Washington in 1788. One friend called it "a perfect image" of the living man. This bronze statue is a copy of the marble original that stands in the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond.
6. WMONI_140512_060.JPG: Plantation Owner: George Washington retired from military service to a quiet life at Mount Vernon in 1758. He married Martha Dandridge Custis the following year. For the remainder of his life, Washington managed the plantation and owned as many as 318 enslaved people. Military Leader: George Washington led the Continental Army in the American Revolution against Great Britain and its king. Washington's small army fought against the worlds strongest nation. After eight years of conflict, British troops surrendered. The United States of America was born. First President: Although Washington wanted to retire from public life after the Revolutionary War, he accepted the presidency when he was elected unanimously in 1789. His steady leadership helped unify the young, fragile democracy.
7. WMONI_140512_086.JPG: First in war, First in Peace
8. WMONI_140512_120.JPG: 500 foot level
9. WMONI_140512_131.JPG: Look up! In 2011 an earthquake damaged the Washington Monument. Engineers fixed the monument with metal pins and stone patches. Look closely, and you can see some of the repairs. Which way should you go? As a surveyor, George Washington used a compass to guide him as he drew maps. Use the large compass rose on the floor to find your way around the monument. Look down!
10. WMONI_140512_168.JPG: Cornerstone of the Capital: This monument stands in tribute to the military service of George Washington and the ideals of the nation he helped create. One of the worlds iconic landmarks, the Washington Monument is taller than any other structure in Washington, DC.
11. WMONI_140512_185.JPG: Lightning rods
12. WMONI_140512_189.JPG: Strikingly Beautiful ... and Scary! What happens when lightning strikes the monument? In 1885 the first lightning strike cracked one of the stones. Since then, the monument's lightning protection system has been updated many times. These lightning rods -- a little bent and burned! -- were removed and replaced in 2012.
13. WMONI_140512_193.JPG: "The lightnings of Heaven may scar and blacken it. An earthquake make shake its foundations... But the character which it commemorates and illustrates is secure..." -- Senator Robert Winthrop, dedication of the Washington Monument, February 21, 1885
14. WMONI_140512_204.JPG: "It is a fit memorial of the greatest character in human history. It looks down upon scenes most loved by him on earth, the most conspicuous object in a landscape full of objects deeply interesting to the American people. All eyes turn to it, and all hearts feel the inspiration of its beauty, symmetry, and grandeur." -- Senator John Sherman, dedication of the Washington Monument, February 21, 1885
15. WMONI_140512_207.JPG: Plans for a Monument Monumental Plans for the "Federal City" Pierre L'Enfant honored George Washington in his plans for the new nation's capital, now known as Washington DC. His design called for a statue of Washington on a horse at this site. Over time, the monument's design evolved into the towering obelisk you are visiting today. A Winning Design: In 1836 the Washington National Monument Society asked for designs "unparalleled in the word" to honor George Washington. Architect Robert Mills proposed a stone pillar, or "obelisk," rising from a low building surrounded by columns. This design was later simplified into the clean lines you see today.
16. WMONI_140512_216.JPG: A Monument and a Nation: Work began on the monument in 1848. By 1854 the stone structure had reached 152 feet. Political struggles and lack of money soon halted construction. The monument stood incomplete for over 20 years, a symbol of an unfinished nation. Feeding an Army: Cows grazed on the monument grounds during the Civil War. Can you think of why?
17. WMONI_140512_217.JPG: Soldiers drill on the White House Ellipse during the Civil War. The monument behind them remains unfinished.
18. WMONI_140512_220.JPG: Feeding an Army: Cows grazed on the monument grounds during the Civil War. Can you think of why?
19. WMONI_140512_223.JPG: A Winning Design: In 1836 the Washington National Monument Society asked for designs "unparalleled in the word" to honor George Washington. Architect Robert Mills proposed a stone pillar, or "obelisk," rising from a low building surrounded by columns. This design was later simplified into the clean lines you see today.
20. WMONI_140512_228.JPG: The Tip at the Top: IN 1884 engineers and workers placed an aluminum tip, called an "apex," at the top of the completed Washington Monument. The apex was the world's largest piece of aluminum at the time. Engineers chose this rare metal because it would not tarnish and discolor the stones below. To mark this moment, the apex was inscribed on all four sides. Transcription: East: "Laus deo" (meaning "Praise be to God") in Latin) "Repaired 1934. National Park Service, Department of the Interior" (added during the 1934 restoration) West: "Corner Stone laid on bed of foundation, July 4, 1848. First stone at height of 152 feet laid August 7, 1880. Capstone set December 6, 1884." North: "Joint Commission at setting of capstone. Chester A. Arthur. W.W. Corcoran, Chairman M.E. Bell. Edward Clark. John Newton. Act of August 7, 1876." South: "Chief Engineer and Architect, Thos. Lincoln Casey, Colonel, Corps of Engineers. Assistants:: George W. Davis, Captain, 14th Infantry. Bernard R. Green, Civil Engineer. Master Mechanic: P.H. McLaughlin."
21. WMONI_140512_256.JPG: "It has the aspect of a factory chimney with the top broken off." -- Mark Twain, 1873
22. WMONI_140512_261.JPG: Finished: The World's Tallest Building: Workers completed the Washington Monument in 1884. Much like the nation, the monument had changed since its first design. On February 21, 1885, crowds gathered to dedicate this skyscraper in stone. At the time, it was the world's tallest building. Touching the Sky. Do you feel as if you are above the clouds? At 555 feet and 5-1/8 inches, the monument is still the world's tallest freestanding stone structure.
23. WMONI_140512_267.JPG: A Firm Foundation: With the help of Congress, construction on the monument resumed in 1876. Engineers soon realized that the existing foundation was too small from the obelisk's final proposed height. US Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Casey designed a plan to fix the foundation and complete the monument. Once this job was done workers could once against build skyward.
24. WMONI_140512_273.JPG: The completed foundation with the Potomac River in the background
25. WMONI_140512_276.JPG: Engineers and workers dig out sections of the existing foundation. They later poured cement buttresses that reached wider and deeper than the original base.
26. WMONI_140512_280.JPG: "It is a hundred years since this city, planned by Washington became the seat of government. This whole city is, in a larger sense, a Washington monument." -- Massachusetts Senator George Hoar, 1900
27. WMONI_140512_298.JPG: The monument nears completion in the early 1880s
28. WMONI_140512_320.JPG: A Piece of the Monument: This piece of marble is from the Washington Monument. Touch it. Does it feel rough or smooth? Notice that these walls are covered by glass. The National Park Service put the glass over the marble to protect the stone. What can you do to help protect the monument so that it is here for future generations?
29. WMONI_140512_327.JPG: An Engineering Marvel: The Inside Story: During construction, workers installed an internal iron framework, stairway, and steam-powered elevator. Over 750 feet of tunnel delivered steam to the elevator from a nearby Boiler House, now known as Survey Lodge. The elevator's first passengers were workers and stones -- not tourists. Visitors started using the elevator in 1888. The trip took 12 minutes, compared to only 70 seconds today. An Engineering Marvel: The workers and engineers who built the Washington Monument did so without cranes, bulldozers, or electric power. They first used pulleys, and later steam power, to lift the massive stones. By design and construction, the Washington Monument remains an engineering marvel.
30. WMONI_140512_331.JPG: The half-finished monument
31. WMONI_140512_333.JPG: Workers guide a giant stone into place after its journey up the steam powered elevator in the 1880s.
32. WMONI_140512_336.JPG: The Inside Story: During construction, workers installed an internal iron framework, stairway, and steam-powered elevator. Over 750 feet of tunnel delivered steam to the elevator from a nearby Boiler House, now known as Survey Lodge. The elevator's first passengers were workers and stones -- not tourists. Visitors started using the elevator in 1888. The trip took 12 minutes, compared to only 70 seconds today. Did You Know? How high can you count? It is 896 steps to the top!
33. WMONI_140512_340.JPG: The Outside Story: Have you ever wondered why the Washington Monument is two colors? Masons used a bright white marble from a Maryland quarry in the first construction phase. Builders completed the monument in the 1880s with marble from another quarry. Wind and rain have weathered the stones differently, making the color change more dramatic over time. Repairs in the Air: Over the years, the National Park Service has kept the Washington Monument standing proud. The first major repairs took place in 1934. In 2011 experts stepped in after an earthquake shook the structure, cracking and moving some fo the stones.
34. WMONI_140512_351.JPG: The 2011 earthquake damaged a number of the pyramid's marble stones. This four-foot crack extended through the entire seven inches of stone.
35. WMONI_140512_354.JPG: The Outside Story: Have you ever wondered why the Washington Monument is two colors? Masons used a bright white marble from a Maryland quarry in the first construction phase. Builders completed the monument in the 1880s with marble from another quarry. Wind and rain have weathered the stones differently, making the color change more dramatic over time. The triangular pyramidion slants at a 73-degree angle. The monument stands at 555 feet and 5-1/8 inches high and has about 36,000 stones. The stone changes color at 150 feet. Did You Know? The monument weighs about 81,000 tons -- as much as 6,480 school buses. A strong foundation keeps the monument upright.
36. WMONI_140512_375.JPG: "The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people." -- George Washington Inaugural Address, April 30, 1789
37. WMONI_140512_380.JPG: "My first wish... is to see the whole world in peace, and the inhabitants of it as one band of brothers, striving who should contribute most to the happiness of mankind." -- George Washington, letter to the Marquis de la Rouerie, October 7, 1785
38. WMONI_140512_388.JPG: George Washington: An American Icon: George Washington's legacy of service, leadership, and democratic ideals lives on in the nation he helped create. For each new generation, the monument remains a defining symbol of American democracy, a place to celebrate the nation's past and chart its future. We gather in the monument's shadow to express our beliefs and exercise our democratic rights. We celebrate in times of joy. We remember, and sometimes we mourn. We assemble here in times of struggle and change. Each visitor to be Washington Monument is part of this continuing American story.
39. WMONI_140512_400.JPG: The elevator walls go transparent at certain points as you descend back to street level. That's the only way currently to see the commemorative stones and you can only see a couple of them.
40. WMONI_141005_26.JPG: East The ranger said these would be replaced by other signs that, for the visually impaired, have bas reliefs of the buildings on the map at the right.
41. WMONI_141005_31.JPG: North
42. WMONI_141005_34.JPG: West
43. WMONI_141005_41.JPG: North
44. WMONI_141005_48.JPG: I really want to do the walk-down tour again!
AAA "Gem": AAA considers this location to be a "must see" point of interest. To see pictures of other areas that AAA considers to be Gems, click here.
Bigger photos? To save server space, the full-sized versions of these images have either not been loaded to the server or have been removed from the server. (Only some pages are loaded with full-sized images and those usually get removed after three months.) I still have them though. If you want me to email them to you, please send an email to guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can email them to you, or, depending on the number of images, just repost the page again will the full-sized images.
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Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].