On December 6, 1884, in Washington, D.C., workers placed
a nine-inch aluminum pyramid inscribed with "Laus Deo,"
meaning praise (be) to God, atop a tower of white marble,
completing the construction of an impressive monument to
the city’s namesake and the nation’s first president, George
Washington (below).
Illustration depicts the construction of the Washington Monument, "on the baseball ground, near the White
House" (according to the caption) in Washington, D.C.
(circa 1875)
A city law passed in 1910 restricted the height of new buildings
to ensure that the monument will remain the tallest structure in Washington, D.C.—a fitting tribute to the man known as the
“Father of His Country.”
