‘The memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever’ May 30, 2018

‘The memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever’

The iconic Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC, is chock full of symbolism and details for eagle-eyed observers to discover. Dedicated on this day in 1922, the landmark has 36 columns, representing each of the states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. The president’s pose was designed to represent both his strength and compassion (one fist is clenched, the other at rest), and even the building materials were sourced from locations significant to his life and legacy. Look closely at the inscription on the wall of the north chamber and you’ll even spot a typo in the text of Lincoln’s second inaugural address, where the sculptor carved ‘EUTURE’ instead of ’FUTURE.’ Oops! The inscription has since been corrected, but the original mistake remains discernable.

© JG Photography/Alamy

palette

Today in History

May 30, 2019A day to celebrate the sun
May 30, 2020Meandering through Patagonia
May 30, 2021Who s hiding in the kelp?
May 30, 2022Memorial Day
May 30, 2023Playa del Amor, Marietas Islands, Mexico
May 30, 2024Everglades National Park marks 90 years
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jun 26, 2019Get amped for Glastonbury
May 19, 2019High trekking season in Upper Mustang
May 28, 2019Why’s it called a spelling ‘bee,’ anyhow?
Aug 7, 2025National Lighthouse Day
Jan 11, 2018Bow Bridge in Central Park, New York City
May 13, 2021Hues of Hokkaido
Jan 2, 2019Tesla, the visionary
Jun 8, 2019Diving into World Oceans Day
Apr 23, 2023World Book Day
Jul 16, 2018Instant romance
Sep 5, 2019A lush, green escape
May 24, 2023Old Fortress, Corfu, Greece
Apr 7, 2025Happy International Beaver Day!
Nov 19, 2019Zion National Park Turns 100
Jan 16, 2023Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jun 5, 2025World Environment Day
Dec 16, 2020Beethoven s 250th
Feb 20, 2023Presidents Day
Sep 19, 2022State funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
Oct 18, 2020Sitka shines on Alaska Day
Jul 25, 2025Colorful houses of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
May 30, 2023Playa del Amor, Marietas Islands, Mexico
May 26, 2025Memorial Day
Sep 9, 2019A toast to California!
May 15, 2023The Canary Islands, Spain
Feb 11, 2021It’s showtime for a precious crop
Oct 2, 2023World Architecture Day
Jun 20, 2024Summer solstice
Nov 25, 2023Toledo, Spain
May 25, 2023Saksun, Faroe Islands, Denmark