Existing comment:
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. |