A Time Capsule Had Been Hiding In The Washington Monument For Two Centuries

Published on 06/28/2021
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Someone Else Took Over The Job

In the end, the committee made the call to hand over this huge undertaking to a fellow American. It is no joke to immortalize the first president of the United States! In 1814, they found the best person for the job in the form of Robert Mills. He whipped up a couple of designs before he settled on a plan with a huge pillar that protruded into the sky. Originally, he wanted a statue of George Washington on top of it.

The Job Went To Robert Mills

Someone Else Took Over The Job

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The Design That Won

What exactly did Robert Mills have in mind when he came up with the design? He said that the column would “possess solidity and simplicity of character, emblematic of that of the illustrious personage to whose memory it is dedicated [Washington] and harmonizing with the spirit of our government.” However, was it possible to pull off such a thing?

The Design

The Design That Won

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