Skip to main content

The First Washington Monument


During a trip to Maryland a few years ago, I decided I wanted to visit the Washington Monument. No, not the famed Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., nor the Washington Monument that is located in Baltimore. Rather I wanted to visit the first Washington Monument to be constructed, which is located at Washington Monument State Park in Boonsboro, Maryland. The monument is easily accessed from the old National Road, signed as Alternate US 40 in this part of Maryland.

Located atop South Mountain in Boonsboro, the Washington Monument is the first monument dedicated to the memory of George Washington, predating the more famous Washington Monument that is located in the nation's capital. According to the Maryland Historical Trust, the monument supposed to be modeled after a Revolutionary War cannon, but is often referred to as a jug or milk bottle. It looks like a milk jug to me. According a period newspaper account, on July 4, 1827 at 7 a.m., most of Boonsboro's 500 inhabitants at the time patriotically assembled at the town's public square. Behind the Stars and Stripes and stepping spiritedly to the music of a fife and drum corps, they marched two miles up the mountain to the monument site.

Work proceeded efficiently using stones gathered from the hillside, quickly dry set into place without mortar. The local residents worked until noon and then held a dedication ceremony and lunch. They resumed work and by 4PM, the monument stood fifteen feet high on a 54 foot circular base. The day ended with the reading of the Declaration of Independence and a three round salute fired by three Revolutionary War veterans. The workers returned that September to finish. Upon its completion, the monument stood 30 feet high in the Maryland countryside. Because it was completed so fast, this Washington Monument can lay claim to being the first monument to George Washington that was ever completed. The Washington Monument in Baltimore wasn't finished until 1829 and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. was not completed until the 1880s. The monument served as a signal station during the Civil War and was named a national historic landmark in 1972.

The monument often fell into disrepair, possibly due to its quick construction, and was rebuilt at least twice during its history. It was later restored in 1882 as well as by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936. The monument is currently maintained by the Maryland Park Service, as it has since the land was given to the Maryland Park Service in 1934. There is a museum that showcases the history of Boonsboro's Washington Monument. The monument's museum features historical artifacts related to the history of Washington Monument and the Battle of South Mountain. It is open on weekends in April and October, and from Thursday through Monday from May through September. The Appalachian Trail passes by the Washington Monument, giving day hikers, section hikers and thru-hikers an opportunity to take in the monument and the surrounding views of the countryside as well. Nearby, there is a battlefield where the first Civil War battle in Maryland took place, known as the Battle of South Mountain.


My visit to the Washington Monument State Park began with a visit to the museum downhill from the monument. It gives a nice description about the monument's construction and history, along with providing artifacts related to the monument.


There is a short hiking trail that leads from the museum uphill to the monument. Along the trail, there are signs that highlight key moments in the life of George Washington.




At the top of the hill, there is an interpretive sign that describes the history of this Washington Monument.

The Washington Monument of Boonsboro. There is a staircase that allows you to go inside and up the monument.

Stone plaque found on the monument.

Some views of the surrounding countryside, namely to the west and north of the monument.








How to Get There:




Site Navigation:


Sources and Links:
Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Washington Monument State Park
Boonsboro Historical Society - Washington Monument
Atlas Obscura - The [First] Washington Monument
Smithsonian Magazine - You’ve Seen The Washington Monument. Now See the Other Washington Monuments 


Update Log:
February 1, 2021 - Added Site Navigation for National Road Index

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tulare Lake returns

During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades.  Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley.  Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area.  Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments.  This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return.  Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023.  Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County .   Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran.  Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate.  Lake Corcoran is thou

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

  Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County.  The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road.  Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950.  Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public.  Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac.  During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch.  By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy.  The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic

California State Route 60/Former US Route 60/70 through the Moreno Valley Badlands west to Riverside

This past month I drove California State Route 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands westward towards the City of Riverside.  CA 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands was once part of the corridors of US Route 60 and US Route 70. The present route of CA 60 is a 70 mile (76 counting multiplex) slice of former US 60 between downtown Los Angeles east to I-10 near Beaumont.  The vast majority of CA 60 aside from a small section in the Moreno Valley Badlands is presently a freeway grade. For me CA 60 holds some personal history as it was the route I used most frequently accessing work sites in the Inland Empire circa 2011-2013.  Despite what many others probably would say I always really enjoyed the Moreno Valley Badlands portion of CA 60.  Considering I frequently worked on US 60 through Arizona and New Mexico the route holds even more appeal.  I even have a CA 60 shield hanging up in my garage. Part 1; History of Roadways in the Moreno Valley Badlands CA 60 between B