October 9, 1888

On October 9, 1888 the Washington Monument opened to the public. There had been plans to construct this national monument since 1783 but lack of funds and social conflicts prevented further action. In 1833, James Madison formed the Washington National Monument Society and chose Robert Mills' design for the Washington Monument. Robert Mills' design called for a flat topped obelisk. Also included in the design was a statue of Washington in a chariot and statues of several other Revolutionary War heroes. Construction began in 1848 but was halted in 1857. Mills' successor made major alterations to the original design. Today, the monument is a obelisk with a pointed pyramid at the top. Surrounding the base of the monument are 50 flags representing each state. The building of the monument resumed in 1876 and was completed in 1884. The monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885 and officially opened to the public on October 9, 1888. The monument stands 555' 5-1/8" tall and now, the Washington Monument has over 800000 visitors each year. It is seen as a symbol of part of our country's history.