Washington Monument

The Washington Monument was built between 1848 and 1884 as a memorial to George Washington, first President of the United States.  The construction took place in two major phases, 1848 to 1856, and 1876 thru 1884. The Civil War and a lack of funds caused the delays.  In an elaborate Fourth of July ceremony in 1848, the cornerstone was laid. 

The Washington monument is composed of white marble from Maryland and Massachusetts,  supported by interior ironwork. A slight color change can be seen at the 152 foot level.  The color change is a result of the delays in the final construction.  During the twenty year period when the monument was not under construction, quarrying continued at both the Maryland and Massachusetts marble quarries, and during the intervening years, new layers of marble were uncovered, resulting in the slight color shift.

The Washington Monument is 555 feet 5 1/8 inches tall, and by law, is the highest point in
Washington, DC.

Welcome to the Museum of Work & Culture!
  1. Introduction
  2. The Farmhouse
  3. Flowing Through Time
  4. The Church
  5. Transition
  6. Mill Floor
  7. The Treasury of Life
  8. Stairwell
  9. Baseball
  10. The Triple Decker
  11. The Mills Along the Blackstone
  12. The Classroom
  13. Woonsocket Industrialists
  14. The ITU Hall
  15. The Merci Boxcar
  16. Introduction Alt Text
  17. The Farmhouse Alt Text
  18. Flowing Through Time Alt Text
  19. The Church Alt Text
  20. Transition Alt Text
  21. Mill Floor Alt Text
  22. The Treasury of Life Alt Text
  23. Stairwell Alt Text
  24. Baseball Alt Text
  25. The Triple Decker Alt Text
  26. The Mills Along the Blackstone Alt Text
  27. The Classroom Alt Text
  28. Woonsocket Industrialists Alt Text
  29. The ITU Hall Alt Text
  30. The Merci Boxcar Alt Text