This 555-foot obelisk memorial
to George Washington, the first
president of the United States,
was designed by Robert Mills.
The concept was first promoted
in 1838 by the Washington
National Monument Society.

Financed by public donations and
federal funds, building began in
1848, with the 55-foot square
base. By the time construction
was completed in 1884, the
Maryland marble-faced granite
monument, located on the west
end of the Mall in Washington,
D.C., weighed around 91,000
tons. The monument was dedica-
ted in 1885.

An iron stairway with 898 steps
and 50 landings runs up the
interior of the monument to the
top. An elevator also runs to
the top in less than 70 seconds.