Washington Monument State Park
| Washington Monument State Park | |
| Maryland State Park | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Maryland |
| Counties | Frederick, Washington |
| Elevation | 1,401 ft (427 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 39°29′54″N 77°37′32″W / 39.49833°N 77.62556°WCoordinates: 39°29′54″N 77°37′32″W / 39.49833°N 77.62556°W [1] |
| Prominence | Monument Knob [2] |
| - elevation | 1,529 ft (466 m) |
| - coordinates | 39°30′02″N 77°37′22″W / 39.50056°N 77.62278°W |
| Area | 191 acres (77 ha) [3] |
| Established | 1934 |
| Management | Maryland Department of Natural Resources |
  Location in Maryland
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| Website: Washington Monument State Park | |
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Washington Monument | |
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Erected in Memory of Washington July 4th 1827 by the citizens of Boonsboro | |
| Nearest city | Boonsboro, Maryland |
| Area | 104 acres (42 ha) |
| Built | 1827 |
| Built by | Isaac C. Lutz |
| Architect | Unknown |
| NRHP Reference # | 72000588[4] |
| Added to NRHP | November 3, 1972 |
The Washington Monument is a 34-foot-tall (10 m)[5] tower located within Washington Monument State Park,[6] approximately four miles (6 km) east of the town of Boonsboro, in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The tower honors George Washington, the first President of the United States, who was known in his lifetime as the "father of his country." The monument sits near the summit of South Mountain's Monument Knob.[2] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 3, 1972.[4]
History
The original tower, built in 1827, was the first monument dedicated to George Washington to be completed.[6] The Baltimore Washington Monument was completed two years later, although it had been started considerably earlier in 1815. The famous Washington Monument in the District of Columbia was not completed until 1885.
The dry-laid stone tower was built on July 4, 1827, by the citizens of Boonsboro who marched to the site en masse after assembling in the town square at 7 a.m. At the end of that day, the tower stood at 15 feet (4.6 m) high on a base 54 feet (16 m) in circumference. Later that year, "after the busy season," workmen returned to complete the tower to a height of 30 feet (9.1 m).[5]
Although it was a popular meeting place for the citizenry of Boonsboro, weather and vandalism reduced the monument to rubble. In that condition, it was used by the Union Army as a signal station during the Civil War.[7]
- First restoration
In 1882, the Odd Fellows Lodge of Boonsboro sponsored the tower's restoration. A canopy was added and a vehicle road built up the mountainside. A decade later, however, the tower again fell into ruin when a crack in the wall was not repaired.[5]
- CCC restoration
The tower was rebuilt in its present form by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Workers set in place the original cornerstone and a facsimile of the dedication tablet (pictured at right), and a third dedication ceremony was held on July 4, 1936.[5]
- State park
The Washington County Historical Society purchased the 1-acre (0.40 ha) site in 1920 and deeded it to the state for use as a state park in 1934. The section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through the park is used by visitors to reach the monument. A visitors center at the trailhead has exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the area as well as picnicking facilities.[6]
See also
References
- 1 2 "Washington Monument State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
- 1 2 "Monument Knob". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
- ↑ "Fiscal Year 2015 DNR Owned Lands Acreage" (PDF). Maryland Department of Natural Resources. August 18, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- 1 2 Staff (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- 1 2 3 4 "Washington Monument State Park History". Maryland DNR. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- 1 2 3 "Washington Monument State Park". Maryland DNR. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
- ↑ Mrs. Preston Parish (January 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Washington Monument" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Washington Monument State Park. |
- Washington Monument State Park Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Washington Monument State Park Protected Planet
- Washington Monument, Washington County, including photo from 1978, at Maryland Historical Trust
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