Editing Washington Monument (section)

==History==
===Rationale===
[[File:LCCN2003656330 Design of the National Washington Monument in the City of Washington cropped.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Print of the proposed Washington Monument by architect [[Robert Mills (architect)|Robert Mills]], {{Circa|1845}}–1848]]
[[File:George Washington Statue Inside Washington Monument.JPG|thumb|upright=1|Bronze statue of [[George Washington]] in the monument's western alcove]]
[[George Washington]] (1732–1799), hailed as the father of his country, and as the leader who was "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen", as [[Henry Lee III|Maj. Gen. 'Light-Horse Harry' Lee]] eulogized at Washington's December 26, 1799, funeral, was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799.

At Washington's death in 1799, he was the unchallenged public icon of [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] and [[civic patriotism]]. He was also identified with the [[Federalist Party]], which lost control of the national government in 1800 to the [[Democratic-Republican Party|Jeffersonian Republicans]], who were reluctant to celebrate the hero of the opposition party.<ref>{{cite book|author=Paul K. Longmore|author-link=Paul K. Longmore|title=The Invention of George Washington|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wTOXSRg8jD4C&pg=PA207|year=1999|publisher=Univ. of Virginia Press|page=207|isbn=978-0-8139-1872-3|access-date=February 16, 2015}}</ref>

===Proposals===
Starting with victory in the [[American Revolutionary War]], there were many proposals to build a monument to Washington, beginning with an authorization in 1783 by the old [[Congress of the Confederation|Confederation Congress]] to erect an equestrian statue of the General in a future U.S. national capital city. After his December 1799 death, the [[United States Congress]] authorized a suitable memorial in the planned national capital then under construction since 1791, but the decision was reversed when the [[Democratic-Republican Party]] (Jeffersonian Republicans) took control of Congress in 1801 after the pivotal [[1800 United States presidential election|1800 Election]], with the first change of power between opposing political parties.<ref>Sheldon S. Cohen, "Monuments to Greatness: George Dance, Charles Polhill, and Benjamin West's Design for a Memorial to George Washington." ''Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'', April 1991, Vol. 99 Issue 2, pp. 187–203. {{JSTOR|4249215}} {{ISSN|0042-6636}}. Retrieved February 16, 2015.</ref> The Republicans were dismayed that Washington had become the symbol of the [[Federalist Party]]; furthermore the values of Republicanism seemed hostile to the idea of building monuments to powerful men. They also blocked his image on coins or the celebration of his birthday. Further political squabbling, along with the North–South division on the Civil War, blocked the completion of the Washington Monument until the late 19th century. By that time, Washington had the image of a national hero who could be celebrated by both North and South, and memorials to him were no longer controversial.<ref>Kirk Savage, ''Monument Wars: Washington, D.C., the National Mall, and the Transformation of the Memorial Landscape'' (2009) pp. 32–45</ref>

As early as 1783, the old [[Congress of the Confederation|Confederation Congress]] (successors after 1781 to the earlier [[Second Continental Congress]]) had resolved "That an equestrian statue of George Washington be erected at the place where the residence of Congress shall be established". The proposal called for engraving on the statue which explained it had been erected "in honor of George Washington, the illustrious [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the Armies of the United States of America during the war which vindicated and secured their liberty, sovereignty, and independence".<ref>George Cochrane Hazelton, ''The national capitol: its architecture, art and history'' (1902) p. 288.</ref> Currently, there are two equestrian statues of President Washington in the national capital city of Washington, D.C. One is located in [[Washington Circle]] at the intersection of the [[Foggy Bottom]] and [[West End (Washington, D.C.)|West End]] neighborhoods at the north end of the [[George Washington University]] campus, and the other is in the gardens of the [[Washington National Cathedral|National Cathedral]] of the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] on Mount St. Alban in northwest Washington.

On December 24, 1799, 10 days after Washington's death, a U.S. Congressional committee recommended a different type of monument. [[John Marshall]] (1755–1835), a [[United States Representative|Representative]] from Virginia (who later became [[Chief Justice of the United States]], 1801–1835) proposed that a tomb be erected within the [[United States Capitol|Capitol]] and it was designed later to place such a crypt sepulchre below the rotunda of the great dome. However, a lack of funds, disagreement over what type of memorial would best honor the country's first president, and the Washington family's reluctance to move his body from [[Mount Vernon]] prevented progress on any project.<ref name="wash">{{cite news
| url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/62wash/62wash.htm
| publisher=National Park Service, ParkNet
| title=The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone
| access-date=April 27, 2006
| archive-date=December 25, 2016
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225083027/https://cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/62wash/62wash.htm
| url-status=dead
}}</ref>

===Design===
[[File:Washington National Monument Society 1845.jpg|thumb|Donation receipt of the Washington National Monument Society]]
Progress toward a memorial finally began in 1833. That year a group of citizens formed the Washington National Monument Society.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=John |last=Lockwood |date=Spring 2016 |url=https://www.archives.gov/files/publications/prologue/2016/spring/monument.pdf |title=The Men—and the Women—Who Built the Washington Monument |magazine=[[Prologue (magazine)|Prologue]] |publisher=National Archives |access-date=February 26, 2025}}</ref> Three years later, in 1836, after they had raised $28,000 in donations ({{Inflation|US-GDP|28000|1835|r=-6|fmt=eq}}), they announced a competition for the design of the memorial.<ref name=Olszewski>{{cite web
|last=Olszewski |first=George J.
|title=A History of the Washington Monument, 1844–1968, Washington, D.C.
|location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=National Park Service |year=1971
|url=http://npshistory.com/publications/wamo/history/index.htm
}}</ref>{{rp|chp 1}}

On September 23, 1835, the board of managers of the society described their expectations:<ref name="nps3">{{cite web | url = http://www.nps.gov/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/62wash/62facts4.htm | title = The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone, Reading 3 | publisher = National Park Service | access-date =August 12, 2011}}</ref>
{{blockquote|It is proposed that the contemplated monument shall be like him in whose honor it is to be constructed, unparalleled in the world, and commensurate with the gratitude, liberality, and patriotism of the people by whom it is to be erected&nbsp;... [It] should blend stupendousness with elegance, and be of such magnitude and beauty as to be an object of pride to the American people, and of admiration to all who see it. Its material is intended to be wholly American, and to be of marble and granite brought from each state, that each state may participate in the glory of contributing material as well as in funds to its construction.}}

The society held a competition for designs in 1836. In 1845, the winner was announced to be architect [[Robert Mills (architect)|Robert Mills]], supposedly the first native-born American to be professionally trained as an architect.<ref name=HSR/>{{rp|2{{hyphen}}2}} The citizens of [[Baltimore]] had chosen him in 1814 to build one of the [[Washington Monument (Baltimore)|first monuments to George Washington]] originally planned for the former courthouse square in their port city, and he had designed a tall elaborately decorated [[Classical orders|Greek column]] with balconies, surmounted by a statue of the President. Mills' Baltimore monument, with cornerstone laid and construction begun in 1815, was later simplified to a plain column shaft with a statue of a toga-clad Washington at the top when it was completed in 1829 but moved (because of its height) to the then [[Mount Vernon, Baltimore|rural hills to the north]], where the city's growth would later extend. Mills also knew the capital well, with its being only {{convert|40|mi|km|abbr=off|round=5|sp=us}} southwest of Baltimore, and his having just been chosen Architect of Public Buildings for Washington. His design called for a circular colonnaded building {{convert|250|ft|m}} in diameter and {{convert|100|ft|m}} high from which sprang a four-sided obelisk {{convert|500|ft|m}} high, for a total elevation of {{convert|600|ft|m}}. A massive cylindrical pillar {{convert|70|ft|m}} in diameter supported the obelisk at the center of the building. The obelisk was to be {{convert|70|ft|m}} square{{efn-ua | name=Obelisk1836 | The base of the obelisk atop the circular pillar was to have been "70 feet square" ({{convert|70|ft|m|disp=out}} square) according to the House report of 1872<ref name=House1872/>{{rp|8}} and Torres (1984),<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|13}} but only "50 feet square" ({{convert|50|ft|m|disp=out}} square) according to Harvey (1903).<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|27}} The corners of a {{convert|70|foot|m}} square base ({{convert|99|foot|m}} diagonal) would dangerously overhang a {{convert|70|foot|m}} diameter pillar, whereas a {{convert|50|foot|m}} square base ({{convert|71|foot|m}} diagonal) would not. <!-- end of efn-ua --> }} at the base and {{convert|40|ft|m}} square at the top with a slightly peaked roof. Both the obelisk and pillar were hollow within which a railway spiraled up. The obelisk had no doorway—instead its interior was entered from the interior of the pillar upon which it was mounted. The pillar had an "arched way" at its base. The top of the portico of the building would feature Washington standing in a chariot holding the reins of six horses. Inside the colonnade would be statues of 30 prominent [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] heroes as well as statues of the 56 signers of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]].<ref name=House1872>[http://www.infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/Digital/?p_product=SERIAL&p_theme=sset2&p_nbid=O5FV50BLMTQ5MjYyMDcxOC4zOTU0MjoxOjE0OjEzMi4xNzAuMjcuMjU1&p_action=doc&p_docnum=752&p_queryname=9&p_docref=v2:0FD2A62D41CEB699@SERIAL-10B351852A1112D0@-@0 Washington National Monument, April 19, 1872]{{cbignore}}, U.S. Congressional Serial Set, Vol. 1528, 42d Congress, 2d Session, House Report 48. Available for free in most large United States libraries in government documents or online. Establish a connection to [http://www.Readex.com/log-through-your-library ''Readex'' collections] before clicking on link.</ref>{{rp|6–8}}<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|13}}<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|26–28}}

Criticism of Mills's design came up already in 1847, when architect Henry Robinson Searle from Rochester presented an alternative concept, backed by three objections against Mill's project.:<ref>Henry R. Searle: [https://archive.org/details/washingtonmonume00sear/page/n3/mode/2up ''Washington Monument - Monograph.''], Gibson Brothers Washington, D.C. 1847, page 3, in: [[Internet Archives]], retrieved February 11, 2024.</ref> 
{{blockquote|First, would the foundation sustain the weight of the required height, and especially with the increased localized pressure in a storm of wind; second, the mere obelisk appeared only as an enlarged plagiarism, in no way illustrating the memory of Washington personally, or those connected with him, or the history of this growing country; third, there is nothing whatever aesthetic about it, and nothing that would impress the visitor, whether native or foreign, with the grandeur of the work of Washington and his coadjutors in founding this nation.}}

Morerover the estimated price tag of more than $1&nbsp;million (in 1848 money, {{Inflation|US-GDP|1000000|1848|r=-7|fmt=eq}}) caused the society to hesitate. On April 11, 1848, the society decided, due to a lack of funds, to build only a simple plain obelisk. Mills's 1848 obelisk was to be {{convert|500|ft|m}} tall, {{convert|55|ft|m}} square at the base and {{convert|35|ft|m}} square at the top. It had two massive doorways, each {{convert|15|ft|m}} high and {{convert|6|ft|m}} wide, on the east and west sides of its base.<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|15, 21}} Surrounding each doorway were raised jambs, a heavy pediment, and entablature within which was carved an Egyptian-style [[winged sun]] and asps.<ref>Richard G. Carrott, ''The Egyptian Revival'', 1978, plate 33</ref><ref name=Torres>Louis Torres, [https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-21.pdf ''"To the immortal name and memory of George Washington": The United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Construction of the Washington Monument''] , (Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office, 1984).</ref>{{rp|23}}<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|353+}} This original design conformed to a massive temple which was to have surrounded the base of the obelisk, but because it was never built, the architect of the second phase of construction [[Thomas Lincoln Casey Sr.|Thomas Lincoln Casey]] smoothed down the projecting jambs, pediment and entablature in 1885, walled up the west entrance with marble forming an alcove, and reduced the east entrance to {{convert|8|ft|m}} high.<ref name=Casey1885/><ref name=Torres/>{{rp|90{{ndash}}91}} The western alcove has contained a [[:c:File:Bronze statue of Washington - Washington Monument, High ground West of Fifteenth Street, Northwest, between Independence and Constitution Avenues, Washington, District of Columbia, HABS DC,WASH,2-85.tif|bronze statue of Washington]] since 1992. Also, in 1992 and 1993 a [[:c:File:Detail of elevator door surround - Washington Monument, High ground West of Fifteenth Street, Northwest, between Independence and Constitution Avenues, Washington, District of HABS DC,WASH,2-80.tif|limestone surround]] was installed at the east elevator entrance decorated with a winged sun and asps to mimic Mills's 1848 design.

===Construction===
[[File:Jefferson Pier and Washington Monument.jpg|thumb|The west side of [[Jefferson Pier]] with the Washington Monument (in background)]]
The Washington Monument was originally intended to be located at the point at which a line running directly south from the center of the [[White House]] crossed a line running directly west from the center of the [[United States Capitol|U.S. Capitol]] on [[Capitol Hill]]. [[France|French]]-born military engineer [[Pierre Charles L'Enfant|Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant]]'s 1791 visionary [[L'Enfant Plan|"Plan of the city intended for the permanent seat of the government of the United States&nbsp;..."]] designated this point as the location of the proposed central equestrian statue of George Washington that the old [[Congress of the Confederation|Confederation Congress]] had voted for in 1783, at the end of the [[American Revolutionary War]] (1775–1783) in a future American national capital city.<ref name="L'Enfant Plan">Peter Charles L'Enfant's [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3850.ct000512 "Plan of the city intended for the permanent seat of the government of t(he) United States&nbsp;..."] ''in'' [https://www.loc.gov/ official website of the U.S. Library of Congress]. Retrieved October 22, 2009. [[Freedom Plaza]] in downtown Washington, D.C., contains an inlay of the central portion of [[L'Enfant Plan|L'Enfant's plan]] and of its legends. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070730155115/http://www.loc.gov// |date=July 30, 2007 }}</ref>{{efn-ua | name=L'Enfant | L'Enfant identified himself as "Peter Charles L'Enfant" during most of his life, while residing in the United States. He wrote this name on his "Plan of the city intended for the permanent seat of the government of t(he) United States&nbsp;..." and on other legal documents.<ref name="L'Enfant Plan" /> However, during the early 1900s, the then French ambassador to the U.S., [[Jean Jules Jusserand]], popularized the use of L'Enfant's birth name, "Pierre Charles L'Enfant".<ref>Bowling, Kenneth R (2002). ''Peter Charles L'Enfant: vision, honor, and male friendship in the early American Republic.'' George Washington University, Washington, D.C.</ref>

The [[National Park Service]] identifies L'Enfant as "Major Peter Charles L'Enfant" and as "Major Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant" on pages of its website that describe the Washington Monument.<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/Wash/text.htm#washington "Washington Monument" section ''in'' "Washington, D.C.: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary" page] ''in'' [http://www.nps.gov/ official website of U.S. National Park Service]. Retrieved October 22, 2009.</ref><ref>[https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/washington_monument.html "Washington Monument" page ''in'' "American Presidents" section] ''of'' [http://www.nps.gov/ official website of U.S. National Park Service]. Retrieved October 22, 2009.</ref> The [[United States Code]] states in {{UnitedStatesCode|40|3309}}: "(a) In General. – The purposes of this chapter shall be carried out in the District of Columbia as nearly as may be practicable in harmony with the plan of Peter Charles L'Enfant."
}}<!-- End of efn-ua --> The ground at the intended location proved to be too unstable to support a structure as heavy as the planned obelisk, so the monument's location was moved {{convert|390|ft|m|1}} east-southeast.{{efn-ua |The monument is located {{convert|370|ft|m|2}} east of the north–south White House axis, {{convert|123|ft|m|2}} south of the east–west Capitol axis, and {{convert|7387.4|ft|m|2}} west of the north–south Capitol axis.<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|16}}<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/resource/mtj3.058_0468_0474/ Letter from Nicholas King, Surveyor of the City to Thomas Jefferson, October 15, 1804] Survey of Jefferson Pier. 7696.8 feet – 370 feet + 60.6 feet = 7387.4 feet.</ref>}} At that originally intended site there now stands a small monolith called the [[Jefferson Pier]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds2.prl?retrieval_type=by_pid&PID=UA0024|title=Data Sheet Retrieval|work=noaa.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=66000035}}|page=Continuation Sheet, Item No. 7, p. 4|title=Jefferson Pier Marker|work=National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: Washington Monument|publisher=[[United States Department of the Interior]]: [[National Park Service]]|last=Pfanz|first=Donald C. |department=National Capital Region|date=December 2, 1980|access-date=February 13, 2012}}</ref> Consequently, the [[McMillan Plan]] specified that the [[Lincoln Memorial]] should be "placed on the main axis of the Capitol and the Monument", about 1° south of due west of the Capitol or the monument, not due west of the Capitol or the monument.<ref name=McMillan>{{cite book |editor-last=Moore |editor-first=Charles |title=The Improvement of the Park System of the District of Columbia |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Ob7PAAAAMAAJ |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Ob7PAAAAMAAJ/page/n99 51]–52 |date=1902}}</ref>{{efn-ua |The park portion of the [[National Mall|Mall]], including Madison Drive, Jefferson Drive, and four wide gravel boulevards between them east of the monument, and the [[Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool|Reflecting Pool]] and sidewalks west of the monument, are parallel to the offset Capitol-Monument-Lincoln axis. But the major highways immediately north and south of the Mall, [[Constitution Avenue]] and [[Independence Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|Independence Avenue]], are oriented east–west. This misalignment can be seen on a map of the area.}}

====Excavation and initial construction====
Construction of the monument finally began three years later in 1848 with the excavation of the site, the laying of the cornerstone on the prepared bed, and laying the original foundation around and on top of the cornerstone, before the construction of its massive walls began the next year. Regarding modern claims of slave labor being used in construction, Washington Monument historian John Steele Gordon stated "I can't say for certain, but the stonemasonry was pretty highly skilled, so it's unlikely that slaves would've been doing it. The stones were cut by stonecutters, which is highly skilled work; and the stones were hoisted by means of steam engines, so you'd need a skilled engineer and foreman for stuff like that. Tending the steam engine, building the cast-iron staircase inside—that wasn't grunt work. ... The early quarries were in Maryland, so slave labor was undoubtedly used to quarry and haul the stone"<ref name=Riesman>{{cite web |last=Riesman |first=Abraham |url=http://www.vulture.com/2017/07/was-the-washington-monument-built-by-slaves.html |title=So, Was the Washington Monument Built by Slaves |date=July 10, 2017 |work=Slate |access-date=October 31, 2017}}</ref> Abraham Riesman, who quoted Gordon, states "there were plenty of people who worked as skilled laborers while enslaved in antebellum America. Indeed, there were enslaved people who worked as stonemasons. So the possibility remains that there were slaves who performed some of the necessary skilled labor for the monument."<ref name=Riesman/> According to historian Jesse Holland, it is very likely that African American slaves were among the construction workers, given that slavery prevailed in Washington and its surrounding states at that time, and slaves were commonly used in public and private construction.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jesus|first1=Austin Elias-de|title=Spider-Man: Homecoming Says the Washington Monument Was Built by Slaves. Was It?|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2017/07/11/was_the_washington_monument_built_by_slaves_spider_man_homecoming_says_yes.html|access-date=July 11, 2017|work=Slate|date=July 11, 2017}}</ref>

Gordon's arguments are valid for the second phase (1879–1888) after slavery was abolished when every stone laid required dressing and polishing by a skilled stonemason. This includes the iron staircase which was constructed 1885–86. That the stonecutters in the quarry were slaves is confirmed because all quarry workers were slaves during the construction of the [[United States Capitol]] during the 1790s.<ref name=slaves>{{citation |last=Allen |first=William C. |title=History of Slave Laborers in the Construction of the United States Capital |url=https://emancipation.dc.gov/publication/history-slave-laborers-construction-us-capitol |date=June 1, 2005 |publisher=Office of the Architect of the Capitol}}</ref>{{rp|5–6}} However, Holland's views are valid for the first phase because most of its construction only required unskilled manual labor. No information survives concerning the method used to lift stones that weighed several tons each during the first phase, whether by a manual winch or a steam engine.<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|17–23}} The surviving information concerning slaves that built the core of the United States Capitol during the 1790s is not much help. At the time, the [[District of Columbia (until 1871)|District of Columbia]] outside of [[Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)|Georgetown]] was sparsely populated so the federal government rented slaves from their owners who were paid a fee for their slaves' normal daily labor. Any overtime for Sundays, holidays, and nights was paid directly to the slaves which they could use for daily needs or to save to buy their freedom.<ref name=slaves/>{{rp|9}} Conversely, the first phase of the monument was constructed by a private entity, the Washington National Monument Society, which may not have been as magnanimous as the federal government, but most information was lost during the 1850s while two Societies vied for control of the monument. Useful information concerning the use of slaves during the major expansion of the Capitol during the 1850s, nearly contemporaneous with the monument's first phase, does not exist.

Only a small number of stones used in the first phase required a skilled stonemason, the marble blocks on the outer surface of the monument (their inner surfaces were left very rough) and those gneiss stones that form the rough inner walls of the monument (all other surfaces of those inner stones within the walls were left jagged). The vast majority of all gneiss stones laid during the first phase, those between the outer and inner surfaces of the walls, from very large to very small jagged stones, form a pile of [[rubble]] held together by a large amount of [[mortar (masonry)|mortar]]. The top surface of this rubble can be seen below at [[#Walls|Walls]] in an 1880 drawing made just before the polished/rough marble and granite stones used in the second phase were laid atop it. The [[#Foundation|original foundation]] below the walls was made of layered gneiss rubble, but without the massive stones used within the walls. Most of the gneiss stones used during the first phase were obtained from quarries in the upper [[Potomac River]] Valley. Almost all the marble stones of the first and second phases was [[Cockeysville Marble]], obtained from quarries north of downtown Baltimore in rural [[Baltimore County]] where stone for their first Washington Monument was obtained.<ref name="Loudermilk 1998 k599">{{cite web | last=Loudermilk | first=Suzanne | title=A monumental encore Quarries: Baltimore County marble was used in building the Washington Monument in the nation's capital, and marble from the same place might be used as it is restored. | website=Baltimore Sun | date=November 3, 1998 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-11-03-1998307058-story.html | access-date=June 29, 2023}}</ref>

On [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]], July 4, 1848, the [[Freemasonry|Freemasons]], the same organization to which Washington belonged, laid the cornerstone (symbolically, not physically).<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|45, 136–143}} According to [[Joseph R. Chandler]]:<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|136, 140–141}}<ref name="Reading 2: Construction of the Monument"/>

{{Blockquote|No more Washingtons shall come in our time ... But his virtues are stamped on the heart of mankind. He who is great in the battlefield looks upward to the generalship of Washington. He who grows wise in counsel feels that he is imitating Washington. He who can resign power against the wishes of a people, has in his eye the bright example of Washington.<ref name="Reading 2: Construction of the Monument">{{cite web | url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/62wash/62facts3.htm | title=Reading 2: Construction of the Monument | work=National Park Service | access-date=10 March 2015}}</ref>}}

Two years later, on a [[wikt:torrid|torrid]] July 4, 1850, [[George Washington Parke Custis]] (1781–1857), the adopted son of George Washington and grandson of [[Martha Washington]] (1731–1802), dedicated a stone from the people of the [[District of Columbia]] to the Monument at a ceremony that 12th President [[Zachary Taylor]] (1784–1850, served 1849–1850) attended, just five days before he died from [[Foodborne illness|food poisoning]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Perry|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H4ig_dTZbzkC&pg=PA93|title=Lee: A Life of Virtue|publisher=Thomas Nelson|location=[[Nashville, Tennessee]]|year=2010|pages=93–94|isbn=978-1595550286|oclc=456177249}} At [[Google Books]].</ref>

====Donations run out====
[[File:Washington Monument circa 1860 - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The partially completed monument, photographed by [[Mathew Brady]], {{c.|1860}}]]
Construction continued until 1854, when donations ran out and the monument had reached a height of {{convert|152|ft|m|1}}. At that time a memorial stone that was contributed by [[Pope Pius IX]], called the Pope's Stone, was destroyed by members of the [[anti-Catholic]], [[nativism (politics)|nativist]] American Party, better known as the "[[Know-Nothings]]", during the early morning hours of {{nowrap|March 6, 1854}} (a priest replaced it in 1982 using the Latin phrase "A Roma Americae" instead of the original stone's English phrase "Rome to America"). Economic and political conditions of the time caused public contributions to the Washington National Monument Society to cease, so they appealed to Congress for money.<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|23, 25–26}}<ref name=Jacob/>{{rp|16, 215, 222–223}}

The request had just reached the floor of the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] when the Know-Nothing Party seized control of the Society on February 22, 1855, a year after construction funds ran out. Congress immediately tabled its expected contribution of $200,000 to the Society, effectively halting the Federal appropriation. During its tenure, the Know-Nothing Society added only two courses of masonry, or {{convert|4|ft|m}}, to the monument using rejected masonry it found on site, increasing the height of the shaft to {{convert|156|ft|m}}. The original Society refused to recognize the takeover, so the two rival Societies existed side by side until 1858. With the Know-Nothing Party disintegrating and unable to secure contributions for the monument, it surrendered its possession of the monument to the original Society three and a half years later on {{nowrap|October 20, 1858}}. To prevent future takeovers, the U.S. Congress incorporated the Society on {{nowrap|February 22, 1859}} with a stated charter and set of rules and procedures.<ref name=Olszewski/>{{rp|chp 3}}<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|52–65}}

====Post–Civil War====

The [[American Civil War]] (1861–1865), halted all work on the monument, but interest grew after the war's end. Engineers studied the foundation several times to determine if it was strong enough for continued construction after 20 years of effective inactivity. In 1876, the [[United States Centennial|American Centennial]] of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]], Congress agreed to appropriate another $200,000 to resume construction.<ref name="reeves413">{{cite book| last = Reeves| first = Thomas C.| title = Gentleman Boss| url = https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev| url-access = registration| date = February 1975| publisher = Alfred A. Knopf| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-394-46095-6| page = [https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev/page/413 413] }}</ref>
[[File:Washington Monument, 6 design proposals for the completion ca. 1879.jpg|thumb|Proposals for the completion of the monument published in 1879. Number 6, Henry R. Searle's obelisk was already made public in 1847.]]
Before work could begin again, arguments about the most appropriate design resumed. Many people thought a simple obelisk, one without the colonnade, would be too bare. Architect Mills was reputed to have said omitting the colonnade would make the monument look like "a stalk of [[asparagus]]"; another critic said it offered "little&nbsp;... to be proud of".<ref name="wash" />

This attitude led people to submit alternative designs. Both the Washington National Monument Society and Congress held discussions about how the monument should be finished. The Society considered five new designs and an anonymous "interesting project of California" (which later turned out to be by [[Arthur Frank Mathews]]),<ref>Henry van Brunt: [https://archive.org/details/americanartamer01mont/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater ''The Washington Monument.''], [[Internet Archives]], "American Art and Art Collections", Walter Montgomery (Editor), E. W. Walker and Company, Boston 1889, pages 354–368.</ref> concluding that the one by [[William Wetmore Story]], seemed "vastly superior in artistic taste and beauty". Congress deliberated over those five proposals (among others by Paul Schulze, who built [[Boylston Hall (Harvard University)|Boylston Hall]]  and [[John Fraser (architect)|John Fraser]] as well as Mills's original. While it was deciding, it ordered work on the obelisk to continue. Finally, the members of the society agreed to abandon the colonnade and alter the obelisk so it conformed to classical Egyptian proportions.<ref name=nps3 />

====Resumption====
[[File:Washington Monument - Setting the capstone - Harper's Weekly.png|thumb|upright=1|P. H. McLaughlin setting the aluminum apex with Thomas Lincoln Casey (hands up)]]
[[File:View of the uncompleted Washington Monument, taken from the roof of the Main building of the Department of... - NARA - 516531.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Washington Monument nears completion around 1884]]
Construction resumed in 1879 under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel [[Thomas Lincoln Casey Sr.|Thomas Lincoln Casey]] of the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]]. Casey redesigned the foundation, strengthening it so it could support a structure that ultimately weighed more than 40,000 tons ({{convert|40,000|ST|t|disp=out|abbr=off}}). The first stone atop the unfinished stump was laid on August 7, 1880, in a small ceremony attended by President [[Rutherford B. Hayes]], Casey and a few others. The president placed a small coin on which he had scratched his initials and the date in the bed of wet cement at the {{convert|150|foot|m|adj=on}} level before the first stone was laid on top of it.<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|76}} Casey found 92 memorial stones ("presented stones") already inlaid into the interior walls of the first phase of construction. Before construction continued he temporarily removed eight stones at the {{convert|150|foot|m|adj=on}} level so that the walls at that level could be sloped outward, producing thinner second-phase walls. He inserted those stones and most of the remaining memorial stones stored in the lapidarium into the interior walls during 1885–1889.<ref name=Jacob/>{{rp|11–17}} The bottom third of the monument is a slightly lighter shade than the rest of the construction because the marble was obtained from different quarries.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc72.htm | title=Washington Monument | work=National Park Service | access-date=March 10, 2015 | quote=The walls of the monument range in thickness from 15' at the base to 18' at the upper shaft. They are composed primarily of white marble blocks from Maryland with a few from Massachusetts, underlain by Maryland blue gneiss and Maine granite. A slight color change is perceptible at the 150' level near where construction slowed in 1854.}}</ref>

The building of the monument proceeded quickly after Congress had provided sufficient funding. In four years, it was completed, with the 100-ounce (2.83&nbsp;kg) aluminum apex/lightning-rod being put in place on December 6, 1884.<ref name="reeves413"/> The apex was the largest single piece of aluminum cast at the time, when aluminum commanded a price comparable to silver.<ref name=Binczewski>{{cite journal|author = George J. Binczewski|title = The Point of a Monument: A History of the Aluminum Cap of the Washington Monument|journal = JOM|volume = 47|issue = 11|pages = 20–25|year = 1995|url = http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9511/Binczewski-9511.html|doi=10.1007/bf03221302|bibcode = 1995JOM....47k..20B|s2cid = 111724924}}</ref> Two years later, the [[Hall–Héroult process]] made aluminum easier to produce and the price of aluminum plummeted, though it should have provided a lustrous, non-rusting apex.{{efn-ua |name=rust |The large gold-plated copper band added to the aluminum apex in 1885 discolored or damaged the surface of the aluminum so much that most of its inscriptions are no longer legible – see [[#Aluminum apex|Aluminum apex]].}}<ref>{{cite web |url = http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/aluminumprocess/index.htm |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130223151952/http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/aluminumprocess/index.htm |url-status = dead |archive-date = February 23, 2013 |title = Hall Process: Production and Commercialization of Aluminum |publisher = American Chemical Society |work = National Historic Chemical Landmarks |access-date = March 25, 2013 }}</ref> The monument opened to the public on October 9, 1888.<ref>[http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc72.htm "Washington Monument"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227003638/http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc72.htm |date=December 27, 2014 }}. ''Teaching with Historic Places''. National Park Service. Retrieved October 15, 2006.</ref>

===Dedication===
The Monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885.<ref name=DedicationNYT/> Over 800 people were present on the monument grounds to hear speeches during a frigid day by Ohio Senator [[John Sherman (politician)|John Sherman]] (1823–1900), the Rev. Henderson Suter, [[William Wilson Corcoran]] (of the Washington National Monument Society) read by Dr. James C. Welling because Corcoran was unable to attend, [[Freemason]] Myron M. Parker, Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey of the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]], and President [[Chester A. Arthur]].<ref name="reeves413"/><ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|104}}<ref name=Crutchfield>{{cite book|last=Crutchfield|first=James A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VxP8vG5I2NkC&pg=PA218|page=218|title=George Washington: First in War, First in Peace|year=2005|location=New York|publisher=A Forge Book: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC|isbn=0765310694|oclc=269434694}}</ref> President Arthur proclaimed:<blockquote> I do now&nbsp;... in behalf of the people, receive this monument&nbsp;... and declare it dedicated from this time forth to the immortal name and memory of George Washington.<ref name=Crutchfield/></blockquote>
[[File:Washington-Monument-1885.png|thumb|upright=1|Monument plans and timeline of construction]]
After the speeches Lieutenant-General [[Philip Sheridan]] (1831–1888), [[American Civil War|Civil War]] Cavalry veteran and then General-in-Chief of the [[United States Army]] led a procession, which included the dignitaries and the crowd, past the Executive Mansion, now the [[White House]], then via [[Pennsylvania Avenue]] to the east main entrance of the [[United States Capitol|Capitol Building]], where President Arthur (1829–1886, served 1881–1885) received passing troops. Then, in the House of Representatives Chamber at the Capitol, the president, his Cabinet, diplomats and others listened to Representative [[John Davis Long]] (1838–1915), (former [[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|Lieutenant Governor]] and [[Governor of Massachusetts]] and future [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]]) read a speech written a few months earlier by [[Robert C. Winthrop]] (1809–1894), formerly the [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House of Representatives]] when the cornerstone was laid 37 years earlier in 1848, but now too ill to personally deliver his speech.<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|234–260}} A final speech was given by [[John W. Daniel]] (1842–1910), of Virginia, a well-regarded lawyer, author and Representative (congressman), and Senator. The festivities concluded that evening with fireworks, both aerial and ground displays.<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|260–285}}<ref name=DedicationCongress>[https://archive.org/details/dedicationofwash00unit ''The Dedication of the Washington National Monument''], 1885.</ref><ref name="reeves414">{{cite book| last = Reeves| first = Thomas C.| title = Gentleman Boss| url = https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev| url-access = registration| date = 1975| publisher = Alfred A. Knopf| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-394-46095-6| page = [https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev/page/414 414] }}</ref>

===Later history===
[[File:Worlds tallest buildings, 1884.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The Principal High Buildings of the Old World design from 1884 with Washington Monument as the tallest structure represented]]
[[File:White House from the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C..jpg|thumb|upright=1|View of the [[White House]] and Northern Washington from the top of the Washington Monument in the early 1900s]]
[[File:WashingtonMonumentSenorAnderson.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1|The monument undergoing restoration in 1999]]
At completion, it was the world's tallest structure, until the [[Eiffel Tower]] was completed four years later in [[Paris]] in 1889.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=washingtonmonument-washington-dc-usa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309215757/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=washingtonmonument-washington-dc-usa|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 9, 2007|title=Washington Monument|publisher=Emporis.com|access-date=July 6, 2008}}</ref> The [[Heights of Buildings Act of 1910]] restricts new building heights to no more than {{convert|20|ft|m}} greater than the width of the adjacent street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.loislaw.com/ogpc/login.htp?WSRet=12&dockey=13274690@DCCODE&OLDURL=/gpc/index.htp&OLDREFURL=http%3A//news.google.com/archivesearch%3Fq%3Dbuilding%2Bheight%2Bact%2Bof%2B1910%2Bjune%2B1%26btnG%3DSearch%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1%26ie%3DUTF-8|title=Primary Acts passed by U.S. Congress|publisher=Loislaw|access-date=August 4, 2008}}</ref> This monument is taller than the obelisks around the capitals of Europe and in [[Egypt]] and [[Ethiopia]], but ordinary antique obelisks were quarried as a monolithic block of stone, and were therefore seldom taller than approximately {{convert|100|ft|m}}.<ref>[[Edward Chaney]], "Roma Britannica and the Cultural Memory of Egypt: Lord Arundel and the Obelisk of Domitian", in ''Roma Britannica: Art Patronage and Cultural Exchange in Eighteenth-Century Rome'', eds. D. Marshall, K. Wolfe and S. Russell, British School at Rome, 2011, pp. 147–170.</ref>

The Washington Monument attracted enormous crowds before it officially opened. For six months after its dedication, 10,041 people climbed the 900 steps and 47 large landings to the top. After the [[elevator]] that had been used to raise building materials was altered to carry passengers, the number of visitors grew rapidly, and an average of 55,000 people per month were going to the top by 1888, only three years after its completion and dedication.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/62wash/62facts4.htm | title=Determining the Facts Reading 3: Finishing the Monument | publisher=nps.gov | access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> The annual visitor count peaked at an average of 1.1&nbsp;million people between 1979 and 1997. From 2005 to 2010, when restrictions were placed on the number of visitors allowed per day, the Washington Monument had an annual average of 631,000 visitors.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/25/us/20110825-monthly-visitors-to-the-washington-monument.html?ref=us | title=Monthly Visitors to the Washington Monument | newspaper=The New York Times | date=August 24, 2011 | access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> As with all historic areas administered by the [[National Park Service]] (an agency of the [[United States Department of the Interior|U.S. Department of the Interior]]), the national memorial was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on October 15, 1966.<ref>{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>

In the early 1900s, material started oozing out between the outer stones of the first construction period below the {{convert|150|foot|m|adj=on}} mark, and was referred to by tourists as "geological tuberculosis". This was caused by the weathering of the cement and rubble filler between the outer and inner walls. As the lower section of the monument was exposed to cold and hot and damp and dry weather conditions, the material dissolved and worked its way through the cracks between the stones of the outer wall, solidifying as it dripped down their outer surface.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=-t0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA829 "Washington Monument attacked by Geological Tuberculosis"]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902190729/https://books.google.com/books?id=-t0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA829 |date=September 2, 2016 }} ''Popular Mechanics'', December 1911, pp. 829–830. This source mistakenly said the lower 190 feet was constructed during the early period—it was actually 150 feet.</ref>

For ten hours in December 1982, the Washington Monument and eight tourists were held hostage by a nuclear arms protester, [[Norman Mayer]], claiming to have explosives in a van he drove to the monument's base. [[United States Park Police]] shot and killed Mayer. The monument was undamaged in the incident, and it was discovered later that Mayer did not have explosives. After this incident, the surrounding grounds were modified in places to restrict the possible unauthorized approach of motor vehicles.<ref>{{cite book|author=Jeffrey David Simon|title=The Terrorist Trap: America's Experience with Terrorism|url=https://archive.org/details/terroristtrapame00simo|url-access=registration|year=2001|publisher=Indiana UP|page=[https://archive.org/details/terroristtrapame00simo/page/285 285]}}</ref>

The monument underwent an extensive restoration project between the years of 1998 and 2001. During this time it was completely covered in scaffolding designed by the American architect [[Michael Graves]] (who was also responsible for the interior changes).<ref>{{cite news |title=Obelisk's Scaffold Is First of Its Kind |author=Gabriel Escobar |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/monument/monument.htm |newspaper=Washington Post |date=December 30, 1998 |access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref> The project included cleaning, repairing and [[repointing]] the monument's exterior and interior stonework. The stone in publicly accessible interior spaces was encased in glass to prevent vandalism, while new windows with narrower frames were installed (to increase the viewing space). New exhibits celebrating the life of George Washington, and the monument's place in history, were also added.<ref name="reopening_Washington_Post">{{cite news |title=It's Ready for Its Close-Up Now: Big Crowds Are Expected For Monument's Reopening |author=Linda Wheeler |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 30, 2000}}</ref>

A temporary interactive visitor center, dubbed the "Discovery Channel Center" was also constructed during the project. The center provided a simulated ride to the top of the monument, and shared information with visitors during phases in which the monument was closed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Metro in Brief |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 30, 2000}}</ref> The majority of the project's phases were completed by summer 2000, allowing the monument to reopen July 31, 2000.<ref name="reopening_Washington_Post"/> The monument temporarily closed again on December 4, 2000, to allow a new elevator cab to be installed, completing the final phase of the restoration project. The new cab included glass windows, allowing visitors to see some of the 194 memorial stones with their inscriptions embedded in the monument's walls. The installation of the cab took much longer than anticipated, and the monument did not reopen until February 22, 2002. The final cost of the restoration project was $10.5&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |title=New sight from Washington Monument |author=John Heilprin |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/897639/New-sight-from-Washington-Monument.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120071431/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/897639/New-sight-from-Washington-Monument.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |date=February 23, 2002 |access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref>

On September 7, 2004, the monument closed for a $15&nbsp;million renovation, which included numerous security upgrades and redesign of the monument grounds by landscape architect [[Laurie Olin]] (b. 1938). The renovations were due partly to security concerns following the [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001 attacks]] and the start of the [[War on Terror]]. The monument reopened April 1, 2005, while the surrounding grounds remained closed until the landscape was finished later that summer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Washington Monument reopens to public |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-04-01-wash-monument-reopens_x.htm |newspaper=USA Today |date=April 1, 2005 |access-date=June 9, 2011}}{{dead link|date=December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Washington Monument To Reopen Next Month |author=Paul Schwartzman |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48152-2005Mar18.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 19, 2005 |access-date=June 9, 2011}}</ref>

====2011 earthquake damage====
{{Multiple image
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|alt1=Crack in a stone at the top of the monument after the [[2011 Virginia earthquake]]
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|caption2=Repairs on the Washington Monument in 2013
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On August 23, 2011, the Washington Monument sustained damage during the 5.8 magnitude [[2011 Virginia earthquake]];<ref>{{cite news |title=Disasters Washington Monument Indefinitely Closes After Earthquake Causes Cracks |author=FoxNews.com |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/washington-monument-indefinitely-closes-after-earthquake-causes-cracks |date=August 23, 2011 |access-date=August 23, 2011 |work=Fox News}}</ref> over 150 cracks were found in the monument.<ref name="cnn 20140512"/> A National Park Service spokesperson reported that inspectors discovered a crack near the top of the structure, and announced that the monument would be closed indefinitely.<ref name="QuakeAP">{{cite news|title=Washington Monument top cracked by earthquake |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jecxYo23gZVajPXprpTBjDSpSZlw?docId=9def79ebf5fb4459b6e61832f006bc98 |access-date=August 24, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="RuaneMoreDamage">{{cite news|author=Michael E. Ruane |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/washington-monuments-elevator-damaged-in-earthquake/2011/09/26/gIQA55wazK_story.html |title=Washington Monument Elevator Damage Inspected as Earthquake's Toll Is Assessed |newspaper=Washington Post |date=September 26, 2011 |access-date=January 31, 2013}}</ref> A block in the [[pyramidion]] also was partially dislodged, and pieces of stone, stone chips, mortar, and paint chips came free of the monument and "littered" the interior stairs and observation deck.<ref name="SullivanBlock">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/washington-monument-cracks-indicate-earthquake-damage-photos/2011/08/25/gIQAfFwmdJ_blog.html Sullivan, Patricia. "Washington Monument Cracks Indicate Earthquake Damage." ''Washington Post.'' August 25, 2011.] Assessed August 26, 2011.</ref> The Park Service said it was bringing in two structural engineering firms ([[Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.]] and Tipping Mar Associates) with extensive experience in historic buildings and earthquake-damaged structures to assess the monument.<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/nama/parknews/washington-monument-finds-additional-cracks.htm "Washington Monument Finds Additional Cracks." Press release. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. August 25, 2011] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502002817/http://www.nps.gov/nama/parknews/washington-monument-finds-additional-cracks.htm |date=May 2, 2014 }}. Retrieved August 26, 2011.</ref>

Officials said an examination of the monument's exterior revealed a "debris field" of mortar and pieces of stone around the base of the monument, and several "substantial" pieces of stone had fallen inside the memorial.<ref name="RuaneMoreDamage" /> A crack in the central stone of the west face of the pyramidion was {{convert|1|in|cm}} wide and {{convert|4|ft|m}} long.<ref name="NuckolsDelay">Nuckols, Ben. [https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-may-delay-washington-monument-rappelling-172525819.html "Weather May Delay Washington Monument Rappelling"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111062842/https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-may-delay-washington-monument-rappelling-172525819.html |date=November 11, 2016 }} Associated Press. September 27, 2011.</ref><ref name="ReutersDamage" /> Park Service inspectors also discovered that the elevator system had been damaged, and was operating only to the {{convert|250|ft|m|adj=on}} level, but was soon repaired.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/2011/09/washington_monument_elevator_w.php |author=Clark, Charles S. |title=Washington Monument Elevator Woes |publisher=Government Executive |date=August 21, 2012 |access-date=January 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117192356/http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/2011/09/washington_monument_elevator_w.php |archive-date=January 17, 2012  }}</ref>

On September 27, 2011, [[Denali National Park]] ranger Brandon Latham arrived to assist four climbers belonging to a "difficult access" team from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates.<ref name="RuaneMoreDamage" /><ref name="ReutersDamage">{{cite news|last=O'Toole |first=Molly |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-washington-monument-idUSTRE78P5RA20110926 |title=Engineers to Rappel Down Washington Monument to Inspect Damage|date=September 26, 2011 |agency=Reuters.com |access-date=January 31, 2013}}</ref> The reason for the inspection was the park agency's suspicion that there were more cracks on the monument's upper section not visible from the inside. The agency said it filled the cracks that occurred on August 23. After [[Hurricane Irene (2011)|Hurricane Irene]] hit the area on August 27, water was discovered inside the memorial, leading the Park Service to suspect there was more undiscovered damage.<ref name="RuaneMoreDamage" /> The rappellers used radios to report what they found to engineering experts on the ground.<ref name="SmithRappell">{{cite web|last=Smith |first=Markette |url=http://wamu.org/news/11/09/26/climbers_repel_washington_monument_to_assess_damage |title=Climbers Rappel Washington Monument to Assess Damage|publisher=Wamu.org |date=September 26, 2011 |access-date=January 31, 2013}}</ref> Wiss, Janney, Elstner climber Dave Megerle took three hours to set up the rappelling equipment and set up a barrier around the monument's lightning rod system atop the pyramidion;<ref name="NuckolsDelay" /> it was the first time the hatch in the pyramidion had been open since 2000.<ref name="NuckolsDelay" />

The external inspection of the monument was completed on October 5, 2011. In addition to the {{convert|4|ft|m|adj=on}} long west crack, the inspection found several corner cracks and surface spalls (pieces of stone broken loose) at or near the top of the monument, and more loss of joint mortar lower down the monument. The full report was issued in December 2011.<ref name=Earthquake>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/wamo/upload/Post-Earthquake-assessment12_22_logo.pdf |title=Post-Earthquake Assessment |website=www.nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |date=December 22, 2011 |access-date=January 4, 2016}}</ref> Bob Vogel, Superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, emphasized that the monument was not in danger of collapse. "It's structurally sound and not going anywhere", he told the national media at a press conference on September 26, 2011.<ref name="ReutersDamage" />

More than $200,000 was spent between August 24 and September 26 inspecting the structure.<ref name="RuaneMoreDamage" /> The National Park Service said that it would soon begin sealing the exterior cracks on the monument to protect it from rain and snow.<ref name="SmithRappell" /><ref>[http://www.nps.gov/wamo/washington-monument-earthquake-update.htm Washington Monument Earthquake Update] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827053442/http://www.nps.gov/wamo/washington-monument-earthquake-update.htm |date=August 27, 2016 }}, ''NPS'', page contains news releases, a picture, video, and images of the earthquake and damage</ref>

On July 9, 2012, the [[National Park Service]] announced that the monument would be closed for repairs until 2014.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cohn|first=Alicia|title=Washington Monument could be closed until 2014 for earthquake repairs|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/119077-washington-monument-could-be-closed-until-2014-for-earthquake-repairs/|newspaper=The Hill|access-date=July 9, 2012}}</ref> The [[National Park Service]] hired construction management firm Hill International in conjunction with joint-venture partner Louis Berger Group to provide coordination between the designer, Wiss, Janney, and Elstner Associates, the general contractor Perini, and numerous stakeholders.<ref name="CMAA 2014">{{cite web | title=Washington Monument Earthquake Repair | website=CMAA | date=May 1, 2014 | url=http://cmaanet.org/impact-library/washington-monument-earthquake-repair | access-date=July 15, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715223037/http://cmaanet.org/impact-library/washington-monument-earthquake-repair | archive-date=July 15, 2015 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> NPS said a portion of the plaza at the base of the monument would be removed and [[scaffolding]] constructed around the exterior. In July 2013, lighting was added to the scaffolding.<ref>{{cite web|last=Freed|first=Benjamin R.|title=Washington Monument Nearly Topped Out, Will Be Lighted in June|url=http://dcist.com/2013/05/washington_monument_scaffolding_nea.php#photo-1|access-date=May 9, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506034946/http://dcist.com/2013/05/washington_monument_scaffolding_nea.php#photo-1|archive-date=May 6, 2013}}</ref> Some stone pieces saved during the 2011 inspection would be refastened to the monument, while "Dutchman patches"{{efn-ua |name=Dutchman | A "Dutchman Repair" "is a type of partial replacement or 'piecing-in'" that "involves replacing a small area of damaged stone" with a small piece of natural or imitation stone, "wedged in place or secured with an adhesive", with the joint being "as narrow as possible to maintain the appearance of a continuous surface".<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/preservedocs/Historic-Masonry-Deterioration.pdf Grimmer, Anne E., "Dutchman Repair" (1984)],''A Glossary of Historic Masonry Deterioration Problems and Preservation Treatments''. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Preservation Assistance Division. p. 56. Retrieved April 3, 2013.</ref> <!-- end of efn-ua -->}} would be used in other places. Several of the stone lips that help hold the pyramidion's {{convert|2000|lb|kg|adj=on}} exterior slabs in place were also damaged, so engineers installed stainless steel brackets to more securely fasten them to the monument.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/earthquake-damaged-washington-monument-may-be-closed-into-2014/2012/07/09/gJQAXrTNYW_story.html Ruane, Michael E. "Earthquake-Damaged Washington Monument May Be Closed Into 2014." ''Washington Post.'' July 9, 2012]. Retrieved July 14, 2012</ref>

The National Park Service reopened the Washington Monument to visitors on May 12, 2014, eight days ahead of schedule.<ref name=reopening>{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/wamo/washington-monument-reopening.htm|title=Washington Monument reopening|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=May 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="CMAA 2014"/> Repairs to the monument cost $15&nbsp;million,<ref name="cnn 20140512">{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/12/travel/washington-monument-to-reopen/ |title=Washington Monument reopens after quake repairs |publisher=CNN.com |date=August 23, 2011 |access-date=May 14, 2014}}</ref> with taxpayers funding $7.5&nbsp;million of the cost and [[David Rubenstein]] funding the other $7.5&nbsp;million.<ref name="abc 20140512">{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/10-facts-washington-monument-reopens/story?id=23683473 |title=10 Facts About the Washington Monument as It Reopens |publisher=ABC News |access-date=May 14, 2014}}</ref> At the reopening Interior Secretary [[Sally Jewell]], ''[[Today (U.S. TV program)|Today]]'' show weatherman [[Al Roker]], and ''[[American Idol]]'' [[American Idol (season 12)|Season 12]] winner [[Candice Glover]] were present.<ref name="latimes 20140512">{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-washington-monument-reopens-more-popular-than-ever-20140512-story.html |title=Washington Monument draws crowds as it reopens after renovations|work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 12, 2014|access-date=May 14, 2014}}</ref>

====Subsequent problems and repairs====
The monument continued to be plagued by problems after the earthquake, including in January 2017 when the lights illuminating it went out.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2017/01/04/lights-out-at-the-washington-monument/ "The lights went out at the Washington Monument"], Dana Hedgpeth. [[Washington Post]]. January 4, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2017</ref> The monument was closed again in September 2016 due to reliability issues with the elevator system.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/washington-monument-to-close-for-repairs-elevator-is-unreliable-officials-say/2016/09/26/350e2244-83f9-11e6-ac72-a29979381495_story.html |title=Washington Monument closed indefinitely over elevator's 'reliability issues' | first1 = Dana | last1 = Hedgpeth | first2 = Michael E. |last2 = Ruane |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date = September 26, 2016 | access-date = September 26, 2016}}</ref> On December 2, 2016, the National Park Service announced that the monument would be closed until 2019 in order to modernize the elevator. The $2–3&nbsp;million project was to correct the elevator's ongoing mechanical, electrical and computer issues, which had shuttered the monument since August 17. The National Park Service requested funding in its FY 2017 President's Budget Request to construct a permanent screening facility for the Washington Monument.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/nama/learn/news/david-rubenstein-donates-funds-to-modernize-washington-monument-elevator.htm|title=David Rubenstein Donates Funds to Modernize Washington Monument Elevator – National Mall and Memorial Parks (U.S. National Park Service)|website=www.nps.gov|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref> The final months of closure were for mitigation of possibly contaminated underground soil thought to have been introduced in the 1880s.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/438930-washington-monument-reopening-delayed-by-possible-soil/ |title=Washington Monument reopening delayed by possible soil contamination |date=April 15, 2019 |newspaper=The Hill |first=Rebecca |last=Beitsch |access-date=July 15, 2019 }}</ref> The monument reopened September 19, 2019.<ref>{{citation |author=National Park Service |title=Operating Hours & Seasons |publisher=National Park Service |date=September 17, 2019 |access-date=September 19, 2019 |url=https://www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/hours.htm}}</ref>

====Repeated closures====
After reopening in September 2019, the Washington Monument was closed on March 14, 2020, because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>Jen Rose Smith. [https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/us-national-parks-closed-coronavirus-wellness/index.html "These US national parks are closed because of coronavirus."] CNN Travel, 17 March 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref>  It reopened on October 1, 2020,<ref name="Lantry">Lauren Lantry. [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/washington-monument-reopening-wednesday-closed-covid/story?id=78809903 "The Washington Monument is reopening Wednesday after being closed because of COVID."] ''ABC News.'' 14 July 2021.  Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref> and remained open through the remainder of that year, except for brief closures.<ref>Joey Garrison. [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/18/washington-monument-closed-down-after-secretary-positive-covid-19/3958784001/ "Washington Monument closed down after Interior Secretary tests positive for COVID-19."] ''USA Today.'' 18 December 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref> On January 11, 2021, a few days after the [[January 6 United States Capitol attack]], the National Park Service announced a two-week closure of the monument until after the [[Inauguration of Joe Biden|presidential inauguration]] due to "credible threats to visitors and park resources".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/533634-washington-monument-closed-through-inauguration-due-to-credible/ |title=Washington Monument closed through inauguration due to 'credible threats' |date=January 11, 2021 |work=The Hill |first=Rebecca |last=Beitsch |access-date=January 11, 2021 }}</ref>  Following a lack of violence, the closure was extended due to a revival of COVID-19 fears.<ref>Greg Clary. [https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/23/politics/washington-monument-closed-coronavirus/index.html "."] ''CNN Politics''. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref> The monument then reopened on July 14, 2021,<ref name="Lantry" /> only to close yet again on August 16 for two weeks due to lightning strikes which damaged some electrical systems.<ref>Alejandro Alvarez. [https://wtop.com/local/2021/08/washington-monument-closed-for-4th-day-after-lightning-strike/ "Washington Monument closed for 4th day after lightning strike."] ''WTOP News.''. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref>

On September 20, 2022, the monument was closed for one evening because a man was defacing the monument with red paint and [[graffiti]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/washington-monument-vandalism/index.html|title=Washington Monument vandalized with red paint|last1=Winston|first1=Adrienne|last2=Marcus|first2=Lilit|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=September 21, 2022|access-date=September 27, 2022}}</ref> He was arrested and charged with vandalism,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weil |first1=Martin |last2=Hermann |first2=Peter |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/20/washington-monument-vandalism-arrest-police/ |title=Washington Monument vandalized with paint; man is arrested, police say |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=2022-09-21 |accessdate=2022-09-21 }}</ref> to which he pleaded guilty, and later sentenced to a year of probation and ordered to pay restitution to the Park Service.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/man-pay-thousands-for-defacing-washington-monument/65-09357ea9-4f40-4b97-9fff-0a90eaa20a05 |title=Man to pay thousands for defacing Washington Monument |date=December 20, 2022 |work=[[WUSA (TV)|WUSA]] |first=Alanea |last=Cremen |access-date=May 2, 2024}}</ref>