Washington Monument (Baltimore) facts for kids
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The Washington Monument in Baltimore
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| Coordinates | 39°17′51″N 76°36′57″W / 39.29750°N 76.61583°W |
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| Location | Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Designer | Robert Mills |
| Type | Colossal Doric column |
| Material | White marble |
| Height | 178 feet 8 inches (54.46 m) |
| Beginning date | 1815 |
| Completion date | 1829 |
| Opening date | 1815 [site visitation] |
| Dedicated to | George Washington |
The Washington Monument in Baltimore, Maryland, is a huge stone column. It stands in a public square called Mount Vernon Place. This monument was the very first big structure built to honor George Washington (1732–1799). He was America's first president.
Contents
Building the Washington Monument
This giant column was designed by an American architect named Robert Mills. He also designed the more famous Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.. Construction of the Baltimore monument started in 1815. It was built on land given by Colonel John Eager Howard. The stone work was finished by 1829.
The monument is 178 feet, 8 inches tall. Inside, there's a gallery on the ground floor. It has digital displays about the monument's building. You can also learn about the Mount Vernon neighborhood and George Washington's life. If you climb the 227 steps to the top, you get an amazing view of the city!
The monument is surrounded by many important places. Nearby are the Peabody Institute, The Walters Art Museum, and the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Also close by are the Maryland Historical Society and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Early Plans for a Monument
People wanted to honor George Washington even before he died in 1799. The old Confederation Congress first talked about a statue for him in 1783. This was after the American Revolutionary War ended. After Washington's death, they thought about a memorial again. But these plans for a national monument took a long time to happen.
In Baltimore, a monument to Washington was first suggested in 1807. Baltimore was a fast-growing city then. In 1809, a group of citizens formed a board to raise money for it. They planned to build it in the old Courthouse Square. In 1810, the state of Maryland allowed a lottery to help fund it.
Choosing the Design
In 1813, a contest was held to design the monument. The winner would get $500. Robert Mills's design was chosen in 1814. He showed that he was the first American-born architect with formal training. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was laid on July 4, 1815. This was a very special ceremony.
Mills's first design was very fancy. It had iron balconies and pictures showing parts of Washington's life. It also had a spiral staircase and a statue of Washington on top. But people worried about how expensive it would be. They also worried it might fall on their houses. So, a new location was found north of the city. This land was donated by Colonel John Eager Howard.
By 1815, when the cornerstone was laid, Mills had made the design much simpler. The final column looks a lot like the Colonne Vendôme in Paris. This style was popular at the time, called Neoclassicism.
A Special Ceremony
The cornerstone ceremony was a big event. James Buchanan, the Board President, said Baltimore was special. It was the first city to build a monument to Washington. He also noted Baltimore's success in defending itself from the British in the Battle of Baltimore the year before.
At the ceremony, they said the monument would remind people of the good things Washington did for the country. Levin Winder, the Governor of Maryland, laid the cornerstone. He was also a leader of the Freemasons. The whole event was printed in newspapers and a souvenir booklet.
Visitors and Construction Details
Even while it was being built, the monument was a popular place to visit. In 1817, President James Monroe visited the construction site. People were even climbing to the top by 1820. A newspaper editor from New York, Nathaniel H. Carter, climbed it in 1823. A boy with a candle guided him to see the city views.
The monument is made of marble from three quarries in Baltimore County, Maryland. It has three main parts: a low base with a gallery, a plain column, and a statue of Washington on top. The statue was carved by Enrico Causici.
The statue shows Washington resigning as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. This happened in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1783. At that time, Annapolis was the temporary national capital. There, the Congress also approved the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War.
A story says that when the statue was placed on top in 1829, a shooting star appeared. An eagle also landed on Washington's head!
Adding Details and Symbolism
In the 1830s, bronze writings were added to the monument. These tell about eight important events in George Washington's life. Former president John Quincy Adams helped decide what the words should say. The inside of the monument was decorated. Wooden doors were installed, made to look like old Roman bronze doors.
A cast-iron fence was added around the base in 1838. This fence also has symbols. It represents Maryland and the strength of the original thirteen colonies joining together.
Other Washington Monuments
Other monuments to Washington were built later. One is in Washington Monument State Park near Boonsboro, Maryland. It was first built in 1827. The famous Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., started in 1848. But it wasn't finished until 1885. For many years, the Baltimore monument was the main symbol of American pride for George Washington.
Today, the Baltimore Washington Monument is open for visitors.
Annual Lighting Ceremony
Since 1971, Baltimore has held an annual "Lighting of the Washington Monument." This happens on the first Thursday in December. Before the lighting, a holiday village is set up. Usually, the mayor turns on the lights. Then, there's a fireworks show! The lights stay on until after Christmas Day.
Restoration Efforts
The monument was closed in June 2010 for safety reasons. There was missing mortar and rusted support parts. Later, a car crashed into the fence in October 2010. This damaged about 15 feet of the fence. The monument stayed closed for a long time for repairs.
In 2012, the city partnered with the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy. This group helps restore and care for the monument and its surrounding parks. A big restoration project costing $5.5 million began in January 2014. The monument reopened on July 4, 2015. This celebrated 200 years since its cornerstone was laid.
Time Capsules Discovered
During the restoration, two time capsules were found! One was the original 1815 cornerstone. The other was a 1915 time capsule that people had forgotten about.
The 1915 time capsule was found first in October 2014. It was a sealed copper box placed behind a plaque. It had been put there during the monument's 100-year celebration in 1915.
In February 2015, the original 1815 cornerstone was found. It was discovered while digging for a sewage tank. This cornerstone was a heavy granite cube with a marble lid. It weighed between 1,000 and 1,500 pounds. Inside were three glass jars. They held newspapers from July 1 and July 3, 1815. These were the days just before the cornerstone was laid. The cornerstone also had a carved panel and likely other items like coins.
The contents of both time capsules were shown to the public on June 2, 2015. This happened at the Walters Art Museum. The 1815 cornerstone had a copy of the United States Declaration of Independence. It was printed in a Baltimore newspaper from July 3, 1815. This newspaper was folded to show the Declaration. This suggests that the builders wanted the monument to celebrate American independence.
You can see the contents of both time capsules at the Maryland Historical Society. It's just two blocks from the monument.
Historic Importance
The Washington Monument is the main feature of Mount Vernon Place. This area is a National Historic Landmark District. It was given this special title in 1971. The monument and its surroundings are also part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area.
Images for kids
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1850 Tallis Map of the United States
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