The tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1884, the Washington Monument was meant to capture the respect and gratitude American citizens have for our first president. The journey to build the obelisk was long and arduous, including a 23-year gap in the construction. According to Mark Twain, the incomplete monument looked like ‘a factory chimney with the top broken off.’ On this day in 1876 the Washington Monument was accepted into the National Park System, and today it’s one of the most recognizable buildings in the US.
An uncommon look at an American icon
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Shark Awareness Day
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Shark Fin Cove, California
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Gone ‘lightseeing’ in Berlin
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Dance of the egret
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Nature Photography Day
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Happy Star Wars Day!
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Celebrating National Park Week, April 21-29
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Cheetah mother and cub
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Pamukkale, Turkey
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Agüero, Huesca province, Spain
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Freeloaders of the avian world
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Jasper Dark Sky Festival
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Come out of your shell for World Turtle Day
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Swim city
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Bridge of Hillsborough County
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International Polar Bear Day
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Te Rewa Rewa Bridge near New Plymouth, New Zealand
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D-Day remembered
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Tortula moss, Netherlands
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Pi Day
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Harvest season begins
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The call of the wild in Alaska
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‘Ciao’ from Varenna
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World Sea Turtle Day
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A bird of beauty
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Look to the north sky tonight for the Perseids
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Spread some love with Bing
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Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
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Enter the magical world of Livraria Lello
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Red fox in the Netherlands