HISTORY

Opened in 1888, the 555-foot-tall monument dedicated to President George Washington is the capital’s tallest concrete structure. But look closely at its stone, and you might notice something askew. Due to funding issues, the initial work on the obelisk had to be paused in 1856. After considerable discussion, Congress deemed the project sufficiently important to use public money, and the build kicked off again in 1876. But there was one problem: The original stone from a quarry in Texas, Maryland, was no longer available. Fortunately, a substitute called Cockeysville marble was found from another Maryland quarry. While the two types of stone initially appeared identical, over time, they haven’t weathered evenly, so visitors can clearly see where one kind ends and the other begins. ^[1]