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
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Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships
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Life carries on, rising from a ship s skeleton
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World Art Day
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Seitan Limania Beach, Crete
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Square Tower House in Mesa Verde National Park
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Bournemouth beach huts
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In the belly of Fat Bear Week
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Muniellos Nature Reserve
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Wahclella Falls, Oregon
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Mountain goats at Glacier National Park in Montana
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Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
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Take the stairs
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Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England
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Pi Day
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Rocks on the move
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Northern cardinal in winterberry bush
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Splügen Pass, Switzerland
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Fin whales: A success story
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Happy birthday, Saguaro National Park
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Celebrate Mandela Day
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Quebec City for Winter Carnival
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Detroit Industry Murals by Diego Rivera
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Borovets ski resort in Bulgaria
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International Day of the Tropics
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Kochelsee in Bavaria
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American bison, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
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Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
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Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
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A view from the top
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Big Bend National Parks birthday