End Notes

ⁱBrief History of the Washington Monument

Although symbolic of fine ideals, the history of the building of the Washington National Monument is actually a convoluted saga of conspiracy, intrigue and political sabotage. (For an interesting historical narrative see: Tompkins, Peter: Magic of the Obelisk)

An original design for the monument was submitted by architect Robert Mills and approved in 1833. It called for a four sided obelisk 600 feet high, surrounded by an ornate Greco-Roman temple. Raising the funds to initiate the project however, took some fifteen years. Fate continually thwarted the project. Congress argued; funds were cut. The earth sank under the original site. The Civil War erupted and work stopped. Abandoned at 150 feet, the unfinished tower sat for twenty-five more years.Finally in 1880, work resumed. Major changes in the design were suggested by G.P.Marsh, a scholar of Egyptian obelisks. Marsh's plan called for a simple obelisk conforming to the proportions of the great Egyptian obelisks-a ratio of about ten to one, height to base, thus fixing the height of the Monument at 555 feet 5.125 inches and complementing the base side at 55 feet 1.5 inches. Fifty years after its inception, on February 21st l885, the completed Washington National Monument was dedicated.

ⁱⁱI will predict that the information rendered by the shadow will be a significant part of the entire statement of the monument. When someone with adequate instrumentation completes the task, some marvels will be in store.

iii  (table)

Dimensions of the Washington Monument
Feature	Park Service	My Measures	Indicated
Height of Oblisk	555.4270833' (555' 5 1/8")		555.55555'
North Side of Base		55' 1 3/8"	55.11458333'
West Side of Base		55' 1"	55.083333'
South Side of Base		55' 13/25"	55.0338547'
East Side of Base		55' 1"	55.083333'
Average Base Side	55'1 ½" (55.125')	55.0787'	55.06616449'
Perimeter of Base	220'6" (220.5')	220'4 ¾" (220.3489583')	220'3.175" (220.2646579')
Diagonal of Base	77'11 ½" (derived from square base)		NE/SW 77.85140322' NW/SE 78.00665029' (Derived from rectangular base)
Height of Pyramidian	55'6" (55.5')		55.555'
Base Side of Pyramidian	34' 5 ½" (34.458333')		34' 5.857" (34.48810179')
Perimeter at Base of Pyramidian	137.8333'		137.9524072'
Surface Area of Sides of Pyramidian	3824.875 sq ft		4012.36 sq ft
Cubic Volume of Pyramidian	21,966.46961 cu ft		22026.46602 cu ft
Surface Area of Entire Obelisk	93408.82833 sq ft		93,586.83489 sq ft
Thickness of Walls	at Base: 15' at Top of Shaft: 18"
Foundation Depth	36' 10"
Weight	90,854 Tons

^ivIt is speculated by some that the influence and participation of the Masonic Order in the erection of this monument and in the history of this country, alludes to a tradition of mysticism and sacred knowledge amongst the founding fathers. It is evident however that early in the process of developing the nation's standards, they recognized the importance of commensurability between the affairs of commerce, law, politics and the natural order. They strove to initiate an harmonious system of weights, measure, currency and scientific standards that reflected integration of the disciplines.

[ Back ]

Copyright 1996–1999 Bernard  I. Pietsch.