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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Castle Day in Japan
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National Bison Day
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The first ascent
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Lighting it up for Vivid Sydney
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Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington, Virginia
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Seven Magic Mountains art installation, Jean Dry Lake, Nevada
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It s World Bee Day
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Marshland, Gloucester, MA
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Tortula moss, Netherlands
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Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
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Remembering the Arizona
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A walk among the giants
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Antarctica Day
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National Gardening Week
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Apple Tree Day
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La Brecha de Rolando (Rolands Breach), Spain
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World Teachers Day
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The Zugspitze: Germany s highest point
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Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens
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Where is this gorgeous peak?
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Cheese! We ll go somewhere where there s cheese!
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Veterans Day
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Wake up, it s Darwin Day
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The forecast calls for blooms
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Vale of Edale, Peak District, England
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J.R.R. Tolkien Day
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Red-necked grebes during breeding season
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Travel Sunday: On the Ganges in Varanasi, India
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Dancers perform ‘Revelations’
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National Park Service Founders Day
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

