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To commemorate former commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States, George Washington, construction of the Washington Monument began in 1848. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funds, the project was halted from 1854 to 1877.
The stone structure itself was finally completed in 1884, additional finishing touches were not completed until 1888. You can see approximately 150 feet up where the shading of the marble changes. This marks the break in construction and where it was later resumed with marble from a different source.
Pictured here is the Washington Monument during the civil war. As can be seen, it was still unfinished at the time, standing at approximately 150 feet here– compared to the 555 feet and 5.5 inches at which it stands today. This photograph was taken by Mathew Brady back in 1860.
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