#27: Partial Washington Monument
Today, the Washington Monument graces the National Mall in Washington DC, towering over the city at 555 feet in tribute to our first president, George Washington. It’s in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, a traditional way of honoring deceased leaders. The monument was proposed after Washington’s death in 1799 but blocked by the opposing political party.
The monument was finally approved in 1848, and enslaved people began the building process. However, the money for the project ran out in 1854 and so it stood there only partially built for 23 years. The construction relied on donations for supplies, and those donations ran out until interest was revived in 1877. Fortunately, the building could proceed this time without the help of slave labor.