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°W / 39.49833; -77.62556Coordinates: 39°29′54″N 77°37′32″W / 39.49833°N 77.62556°W / 39.49833; -77.62556 [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 / 39.50056; -77.62278
Area 191 acres (77 ha) [3]
Established 1934
Management Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Location in Maryland
Website: Washington Monument State Park
Washington Monument

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
Added to NRHP November 3, 1972

Washington Monument State Park is a public recreation area, located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Boonsboro, Maryland, that preserves the Washington Monument, a 40-foot-tall (12 m) tower honoring George Washington, the first President of the United States, who was known in his lifetime as the "father of his country."[4] The monument, which sits near the summit of South Mountain's Monument Knob, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[4] The park is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.[5]

History

Built in 1827, the original tower was the first monument dedicated to George Washington to be completed.[5] 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).[6]

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.[6]

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.[6]

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.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Washington Monument State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "Monument Knob". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  3. ↑ "Fiscal Year 2016 DNR Owned Lands Acreage" (PDF). Maryland Department of Natural Resources. July 29, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Washington Monument". Maryland's National Register Properties. Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "Washington Monument State Park". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 "Washington Monument State Park History". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  7. ↑ Mrs. Preston Parish, Keeper of the Maryland Register (January 31, 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Washington Monument" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
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