Editing Washington Monument (section)

===Cornerstone===
The [[cornerstone]] was laid with great ceremony at the northeast corner of the lowest course or step of the old [[#Foundation|foundation]] on {{nowrap|July 4, 1848}}. Robert Mills, the architect of the monument, stated in September 1848, "The foundations are now brought up nearly to the surface of the ground; the second step being nearly completed, which covers up the corner stone."<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|20}} Therefore, the cornerstone was laid below the 1848 ground level. In 1880, the ground level was raised {{convert|17|ft|m}} to the base of the shaft by the addition of a {{convert|30|ft|m|adj=on}} wide earthen embankment encircling the reinforced foundation, widened another 30 feet in 1881, and then the knoll was constructed in 1887–88.<ref name=HSR/>{{rp|B-36–B-39 <!-- page within chapter numbering --> }}<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|70, 95–96}} If the cornerstone had not been moved during the strengthening of the foundation in 1879–80, its upper surface would now be {{convert|21|ft|m}} below the [[Pavers (flooring)|pavement]] just outside the northeast corner of the shaft. It would now be sandwiched between the concrete slab under the old foundation and the concrete buttress completely encircling what remains of the old foundation. During the strengthening process, about half by volume of the periphery of the lowest seven of eight courses or steps of the old foundation (gneiss rubble) was removed to provide good footing for the buttress. Although a few diagrams, pictures and descriptions of this process exist, the fate of the cornerstone is not mentioned.<ref name=HSR>John Milner Associates, [http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/wamo/wash_hsr1.pdf ''Historic Structure Report: Washington Monument''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620120621/http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/wamo/wash_hsr1.pdf |date=June 20, 2015 }}, 2004 (HSR)</ref>{{rp|2{{hyphen}}7{{ndash}}2{{hyphen}}8, 3{{hyphen}}3{{ndash}}3{{hyphen}}5, 4{{hyphen}}3{{ndash}}4{{hyphen}}4, B{{hyphen}}11{{ndash}}B{{hyphen}}18, <!-- page within chapter numbering --> figs 2.5{{ndash}}2.7, 3.2{{ndash}}3.6, 3.13, 4.8{{ndash}}4.11}}<ref name=Torres/>{{rp|67–73}} <!-- The National Archives may mention its fate. Page B-17 of "Annotated Chronology" (Appendix B) of the ''Historic Structure Report'' notes that during 3/1880 excavation of the northeast corner of the old foundation occurred in preparation for the continuous buttress, referring to note 100 on page B-69 for the specific report (abbreviations on page B-63). Harvey 1903 between pages 353 and 354 has north and east views of the old foundation prior to its strengthening that do not show a smooth white squared cornerstone, only gneiss slabs, small or large, smooth on top and rough on their sides, on the outside of the lowest step of the old foundation, so the slabs were probably intentionally placed around and over the cornerstone in 1848. -->

The cornerstone was a {{convert|24,500|lb|kg|adj=on}} marble block {{convert|2.5|ft|m}} high and {{convert|6.5|ft|m}} square with a large hole for a zinc case filled with memorabilia. The hole was covered by a copper plate inscribed with the date of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] (July 4, 1776), the date the cornerstone was laid (July 4, 1848), and the names of the managers of the Washington National Monument Society. The memorabilia in the zinc case included items associated with the monument, the city of Washington, the national government, state governments, benevolent societies, and George Washington, plus miscellaneous publications, both governmental and commercial, a coin set, and a Bible, totaling 73 items or collections of items, as well as 71 newspapers containing articles relating to George Washington or the monument.<ref name=Olszewski/>{{rp|app C}}<ref name=Harvey>Frederick L. Harvey, [https://books.google.com/books?id=6mVBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1 ''History of the Washington National Monument and Washington National Monument Society''], Congressional Serial Set, volume 4436, 57th Congress, 2nd session, Senate Doc. 224, 1903. The smaller 1902 edition has the slightly different name [https://archive.org/details/historywashingt00harvgoog ''History of the Washington National Monument and of the Washington National Monument Society'']. The 1903 edition is about three times the size of the 1902 edition principally due to its inclusion of the full texts of many documents and speeches.</ref>{{rp|pp 43–46, 109–166}}

The ceremony began with a parade of dignitaries in carriages, marching troops, fire companies, and benevolent societies.<ref name=Olszewski/>{{rp|chp 2}}<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|44–48}}<ref name=DedicationCongress/>{{rp|16–17, 45–47}}  A long oration was delivered by the [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House of Representatives]] [[Robert C. Winthrop]].<ref name=Harvey/>{{rp|113–130}} Then, the cornerstone was pronounced sound after a [[Masonic]] ceremony using George Washington's Masonic gavel, apron and sash, as well as other Masonic symbols. In attendance were President [[James K. Polk]] and other federal, state and local government officials, [[Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton]], [[Dolley Madison|Mrs. Dolley Madison]], [[Louisa Adams|Mrs. John Quincy Adams]], and [[George Washington Parke Custis]], among 15,000 to 20,000 others, including a bald eagle. The ceremony ended with fireworks that evening.