As you drive through the downtown area of the nation’s capital, the first marker you will probably see is the pencil-shaped monument erected in honor of the country’s first president, George Washington. It is visible whether you are visiting one of the Smithsonian museums or paying homage to another famous president, Abraham Lincoln, at his stately memorial to the west. Completed in 1884, the Washington Monument was the tallest structure in the world at the time it was built.
The One That Was Completed First
Built on July 4, 1827, and predating the downtown obelisk by 57 years, the Washington Monument in western Maryland was the first to be completed in honor of the president.
The monument is located on top of South Mountain. Built by roughly 500 townspeople of Boonsboro, Maryland, it is a “rugged structure” that was constructed in one day. When it was first built, it was only 15 feet high, and had a circular base with a 54-foot diameter. It has been described as stocky and shaped like a milk bottle, although it was meant to look like a Revolutionary War cannon. But it is a monument that came from the hearts and hands of the rural folks who simply wanted to honor their president.
Newspaper accounts reported that the builders had gathered at 7 a.m. and trekked up the hill accompanied by the music of drums and fifes. Upon completion of the monument at 4 p.m., the Declaration of Independence was read and “several salutes of infantry were fired” by Revolutionary War veterans as an appropriate conclusion to a full day’s work.
During the Civil War, the monument was used as a signal station for the Union Army and the mountain was the site of the first battle to be fought in the state. Although not as impressively tall as the other monument to the south, its location atop South Mountain offers unobstructed views of the Maryland countryside. It is also an ideal spot for birdwatching, and it intersects with the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the only Civil War battlefield site to do so.
The One That Was Planned First
Ten years after Washington’s death, residents of Baltimore started raising funds in order to build a monument to honor the late president, making it “the earliest commemorative structure planned.” In 1814, U.S. architect Robert Mills, the same person to draw up the designs for the one at the National Mall, was commissioned to do the drawings for the columns and large square base, which now houses a gallery.
Atop a Doric column sits an equestrian statue, designed by Italian sculptor Enrico Causici, which depicts Washington resigning from the army. This 14-foot marble statue was completed in 1829, with materials locally sourced from three Baltimore quarries.
The One in Virginia
The Virginia General Assembly took a little longer to get the designs for a monument to Washington off the planning table. After much talk, debate, and fundraising, the assembly members were finally able to lay the cornerstone on Feb. 22, 1850, more than 50 years after Washington’s death.
Thomas Crawford’s design was chosen from among 40 entries across 12 states. He depicted “a youthful, action-hero Washington” seated upon what writer Nathaniel Hawthorne described as “an uneasy steed.” The monument is 60 feet tall and includes a base with a diameter of 86 feet. At the top of a granite pedestal is the bronze sculpture of Washington astride his horse, with its front legs rearing up. The sculpture was cast in Munich and transported by a brig that arrived at Richmond’s docks on Nov. 2, 1857.
Then came the challenge of moving the heavy statue uphill to Capitol Square. Veterans from the Continental Army wished to have the honor of doing so, but the council members did not dare leave an expensive (and bulky) work of art in their hands. It was pulled by a team of horses over the rocky roads, but there was not enough horsepower to do the job. The Richmond Daily Dispatch reported that by “one patriotic impulse, the populace seized the ropes and began to draw the vehicle and its load” up the street. At the end, they counted some 400 or 500 people who joined in the spontaneous effort to get the equestrian statue to its destination.
The One in Pennsylvania
Not to be outdone, the City of Brotherly Love also sought to have some tribute to the first president. The monument was commissioned by the Society of Cincinnati of Pennsylvania, a group “founded to commemorate those who had fought together during the War of Independence.” It started its fundraising efforts as early as Independence Day 1810, but it was not until 1881 that the group was able to accumulate enough funds to start the process. A contract was signed with sculptor Rudolph Siemering of Berlin. The professor wanted to get accurate facial measurements and dress details, so he used a copy of a mask made of Washington’s face while still alive and sought photographs and prints.
Cast in bronze, Washington is depicted as the commander-in-chief during the Revolutionary War. On the monument’s highest level, Washington, dressed in military uniform and astride his equine companion, is depicted as a hero. On the middle section are two allegorical figures of the United States: “Liberty” and “Call to Arms.” The bottom part showcases the flora and fauna of the United States.
The monument was unveiled at its original location at the entrance to Fairmount Park on Green Street by President William McKinley on May 5, 1897. In 1928, it was moved to its present location on Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Each monument, unique in its design and story, stands tall as a sincere testament to the many contributions of the father of our country from the United States’ grateful citizens.
