The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is a Masonic building and memorial located in Alexandria, Virginia, outside Washington, D.C. It is dedicated to the memory of George Washington, the first President of the United States and a Mason. The tower was formed after the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt. The 333-foot (101 m) high altitude sits on top of Shooter's Hill (also known as Shuter's Hill) on Callahan Drive 101. Construction began in 1922, the building was dedicated in 1932, and the interior was finally completed in 1970. In July 2015, it was designated a National Historic Landmark for its architecture, and as one of the greatest personal memorials to honor Washington.
The memorial is served by King Street-Old Town Metro Station on Blue and Yellow Lines at Washington Metro. The station is located about four blocks from the memorial.
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The idea of ​​building a Masonic monument to George Washington was first proposed in 1852 by a "cottage mother" in Washington, Fredericksburg Lodge. 4 (located in Fredericksburg, Virginia). Funds are sought from Grand Lodges (state-level Masonic organizations) across the United States to build a Masonic memorial shrine with large statues in the vestibule. Quite a lot of money was being collected to commission a bronze statue the size of Washington's body with Masoniah's full name of a sculptor named Powers who lives in Rome, Italy. The statue reached Alexandria in early 1861, just before the outbreak of the American Civil War. It remained on display in Alexandria until the summer of 1863, when it was transferred to Richmond, Virginia. The statue was destroyed in a fire that occurred when Richmond surrendered to the Potomac Army on April 3, 1865.
Plans for Masonic memorials moved forward again in 1909 after work on a commemorative warning began. The proposed site for the new memorial is Shooter's Hill, which at one time has been taken seriously by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson as the location of the Capitol building of the United States. On 8 May 1900, the citizens of Alexandria formed the "Washington Monument Association of Alexandria" (WMAA), a nonprofit organization whose mission was to build a memorial to George Washington in the city of Alexandria. Little was achieved in the first few years of organizational life, but in February 1908 WMAA bought the option to purchase 50 hectares (20 acres) of land in and around Shooter's Hill and the nearby Alexandria Golf Course. Most of the land on both sides of King Street is divided into residential and residential channels, with 25 hectares (10 acres) above Shooter's Hill reserved for memorials. Sales of housing subdivisions are paid for the purchase of all channels, with enough left to provide construction of a memorial.
Within a month of purchasing Shooter's Hill, WMAA decided to build a park rather than a memorial. Approximately 15 hectares (6.1 ha) are set aside for the George Washington Memorial Park, while another 4.5 hectares (1.8 ha) are set aside for a small memorial inside the park. The new subdivision, named Fort Ellsworth (after an American Civil War fortress used to occupy Shooter's Hill), was installed in November 1908, and the public streets were laid out. The park was ready to be offered on April 30, 1909 - the 120th anniversary of Washington's inauguration as President. Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 (George Washington Masonic lodge, as well as the cottage he leads as a Worshiping Teacher) is asked to lead his dedication. President William Howard Taft, Vice President James S. Sherman, Board Chairman Joseph Gurney Cannon, Virginia Governor Claude A. Swanson, Lieutenant Governor Virginia J. Taylor Ellyson, District Commissioner of Columbia, Baltimore Mayor J. Barry Mahool, and many other officials attended the ceremony of ratification. (The Sniper Hill was entered into the city of Alexandria on April 1, 1914.)
Maps George Washington Masonic National Memorial
Establishment of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association
There are several reasons why the Masonic body is finally beginning to build a warning. The construction of the George Washington Memorial Park sparked renewed Masoniah interest in building their own monuments. But another reason is the security of goods owned or used by George Washington ("Washingtoniana") and which is now owned by the Alexandria-Washington cottage. The lodge experienced several fires during the previous century, and a number of these historic items were destroyed. Building a fire retaining building that would be safer to store these important items was a key factor in pushing the Masonic monument forward.
In late 1907 or early 1908, Alexandria Revenue Commissioner Charles H. Callahan (vice master of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22) suggested to his Mason friends that, ultimately, a warning to George Washington should be built. Callahan proposed the construction of a $ 10,000 memorial temple. In early 1908, Alexandria-Washington Lodge formed a "local funeral committee" to examine the costs and obstacles involved in building memorial shrines. The committee issued a resolution requesting Joseph Eggleston, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, to approve the creation of a memorial shrine and to help create a national memorial association in which all Masons and Masonic organizations could participate.
On May 7, 1909, the Grand Lodge of Virginia summoned all major lodgings in the United States to meet in Alexandria on February 22, 1910, to discuss plans to organize the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association whose purpose was to build a memorial. Temple. President Taft, Representative of Champ Clark, Secretary of War Jacob M. Dickinson, and Virginia Governor William Hodges Mann all spoke at the February 22 meeting. The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association (GWMNMA) was formed at this meeting, and the plan was adopted to collect $ 500,000 to go to construction costs and $ 500,000 for endowment and maintenance. Thomas J. Shryock, Grand Master of Maryland (and former Treasurer of Maryland and Brigadier General in Maryland National Guard), was elected president of GWMNMA.
At this point, GWMNMA only plans to build Masonic temples, not gigantic monuments. One floor is set aside for use by Masonic lodges, and one or more fireproof rooms, the safe rooms at the temple will be used to display Washingtoniana and historical documents owned by the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. In February 1911, GWMNMA had ruled out all locations except Alexandria as a site for its memorial shrines, and fund-raising activities were being planned. A more formal association structure is also adopted today. But except for fund-raising activities, little is done in the activities of the first five years of the association.
Site selection
Almost everyone involved in this project in the early years agreed that the memorial shrine should be built in Alexandria because of Washington's extensive relationship with the city. The George Washington Memorial Park looks a nice location, but the park is still privately owned by WMAA. In September 1915, Alexandria-Washington Lodge offered to buy a few lots over Shooter's Hill for $ 1,000. At about the same time, the city of Alexandria discussed whether to ask WMAA to surrender the remaining George Washington Memorial Park to the city. The lodge suggested that 28 acres (11 hectares) of the eastern slope of the George Washington Memorial Park be maintained as a public park, while the rest of the channel can be used for whatever purpose the city wants. This plan is not followed up. In December 1915, the city purchased all Shooter's Hill and George Washington Memorial Park from WMAA except for an area of ​​2 hectares (0.81 ha) (many 29 to 38, including, block 5) on the northern slopes of the hill. In October or December 1915 (source disagrees on the date), Alexandria-Washington Lodge purchased the northern slope of Shooter's Hill (an area of ​​about 400 x 200 feet (122 x 61 m)) for $ 1,000. Under the terms of the submission of the deed, Mason was asked to build a memorial shrine (worth no less than $ 100,000) to George Washington at the top of the hill within 10 years or they would be forced to surrender the land to the city of Alexandria.
With the land guaranteed, the Masons began to make plans to build a warning. In 1917, Alexandria-Washington Lodge reported that his intention was to build a $ 500,000 building to house Washingtoniana ($ 2 million) provided by the cottage. GWMNMA has raised $ 5,000, and another $ 20,000 donation is anticipated. GWMNMA President Thomas J. Shyrock died on 3 February 1918, and Louis Arthur Watres (former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and former Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania) was elected president as his successor. At his annual meeting just two weeks later, the association agreed to hire an architect to begin developing a plan for the warning. Watres left for New York City to interview the architects. On the train, he meets Harvey Wiley Corbett from the firm Helmle & amp; Corbett (and accidental Freemasons). GWMNMA chose Corbett to become the main architect.
In February 1922, GWMNMA has radically revised its plan for the memorial. Now the association is planning a building that will cost $ 1.5 million, with an additional $ 400,000 set aside for landscaping and $ 500,000 as a contribution to continuous funeral maintenance. The directors of GWMNMA also approved new charter for the organization, inspected the building site, and approved the blueprint for the building. The state of Virginia approved the charter revision to GWMNMA on March 16, 1922.
Initial design
Corbett planned a three-story memorial temple on it with a three-story tower. The first three floors (which are the temples and tower base) will be built in Neoclassical style, while the towers will be a variation on the popular setbacks in Modern architecture. The structure must be built entirely of masonry, with virtually no metal used in its construction (except for reinforcing sticks in the concrete). The rationale for this decision is that the building built purely of stone is the most permanent structure. Osgood & amp; Osgood from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a consultant engineer. Daniel E. Moran (of the Moran company, Maurice & Proctor of New York) designed the foundation of the building; Gunvald Aus is a structural engineer; firms Clarke, McMullen & amp; Riley (from New York) is a mechanical engineer; and Carl Rust Parker of the Olmsted Brothers are landscape architects. The contractor is generally Percy Cranford Co., but the actual brick work is done by Samuel Miller Co. (both companies are located in Washington, D.C.).
Corbett's initial design was for warnings about 200 feet (61 m) tall. Corbett drew his inspiration from the lighthouse restoration at Ostia Antica harbor near Rome. The first floor is occupied by the main hall with columns on either side and the cemetery window, behind it a large statue of Washington will be located. Historical mural paintings will be painted on the wall. To the right and left of the main hall is a large meeting room (one for the use of Alexandria-Washington Lodge and one for use by other Masonic bodies). To the left of the main hall there will also be a small room containing a replica of the original Masonic settlement space where Washington itself is in charge.
Additional details and real design changes were revealed in July 1922. Although the building is still as high as 200 feet (61 m), the press now reports that the building will be built specifically in the style of Greek and Romanesque Revival and built of white marble and white concrete. The building's atrium (like the first floor main hall now called) is now scheduled to contain spaces along the walls that can be used by Grand Lodges to commemorate their main members, while rooms around the atrium will be dedicated to various Masonic "applicant bodies" (jurisdictional bodies, groups social, youth and women's organizations, etc.). The plan called for a second floor to be used as an art gallery as well as a museum, and for museums not only to honor Washington but also other famous Masons from Virginia. The memorial is still intended to accommodate Washingtoniana and contains a replica of the original Alexandria-Washington Lodge meeting room.
A major revision to the warning plan was made in February 1923. GWMNMA approved the construction of the building entirely of granite (not marble and concrete), a change that increased the cost of the structure to $ 3 million. Including landscaping and endowments, the total cost structure has increased to $ 4 million.
These plans were revised and translated again in April 1923. Now the warning must stand as high as 330 feet (100 m). Atrium on the first floor is set to 45 feet (14 m) wide with a depth of 80 feet (24 m). With a clerestory window, the hall is 60 feet (18 m) high. The meeting room will remain around the atrium. The second story, now 45 x 60 feet (14 by 18 m) in size with high ceilings and vast windows (to let in large amounts of natural light), is still housed in the Washington museum. The third floor destination has not been agreed. The tower above the third floor now contains an observation deck that forms the seventh and final floor at the top of the tower. The new plan specifies that the terrace will lead from the front steps of the monument to the street below. The cost, however, is still budgeted at $ 4 million.
The last major change in the memorial came at the beginning of 1924. The height of the tower has decreased at some point up to 280 feet (85 m). But in February 1924, the architect Corbett raised the height of the tower to 330 feet (100 m).
Building construction
Build foundation
Given the size and severity of the warning, even in the early design phase, a strong foundation for structure is essential. An initial testing hole to Shooter's Hill (which reaches a depth of 200 feet (61 m)) found no bedrock, which caused concerns that the site might not be a suitable location for the building. Daniel E. Moran, foundation engineer, further investigates the earth beneath the building. Moran drills 125 feet (38 m) below the foundation's lowest point, and finds gravel, hard clay, and sand. Land experts in New York City and with the US Geological Survey analyzed the land, and provided assurances (supported by ties) that no deposition of the building would occur due to soil conditions.
The ground for the memorial was broken by noon on June 5, 1922. Louis Watres, president of the association, and Charles H. Callahan, vice president, fell to the ground with heavy rain. Spades and picks are used to break the ground, as well as four small stones from the first two spades of earth turned, preserved by the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. The excavation of the warning foundation began a few days later, with Cranford Paving Co. from Washington, D.C., did the job. The foundation is approximately half the ball to provide the greatest stability, and 25 feet (7.6 m) from the top of the hill is removed (lowers the elevation to only 108 feet (33 m)) to accommodate a 177-foot (54 m) width with a 195- foot (59 m). To ensure that the clay remains moist (and not dry, which will cause the building to settle), a concrete pad 168 with 248 feet (51 x 76 m) is placed on clay. This pad is 9 feet (2.7 m) deep in the center but only 6.5 foot (2.0 m) away at the edge, and consists of 9,000 cubic yards (6,900 m 3 ) of concrete and 720 short tons (650 Â °) reinforced steel bars. Pad was left for several months before work began on the foundation itself. The basement of the building was as large as the first two floors combined, and meant for the mechanical plant's house. Although a vapor spade is used to dig foundations, the earth is carried away by carts drawn by rats. The wide road was built to the top of Shooter's Hill to allow the hauling of the earth from its location and construction materials to the top of the hill.
In July 1922, GWMNMA had received $ 700,000 in donations and another $ 900,000 in pledges. Some time in the spring of 1922, GWMNMA also acquired ownership rights over a 32-hectare (13-hectare) channel covering the rest of Shooter's Hill. Approximately 22 acres (8.9 ha) of tracts, valued at $ 1 million, were purchased from the city of Alexandria at almost no cost (essentially making it a gift from the city). The total size of channels owned by Masons is now 36 acres (15 ha).
In January 1923 the foundation was almost finished and the granite walls for the first floor rose. The work went on very quickly until June. In February 1923, $ 1 million had been spent on building foundations and walls and landscaping. Topsoil for landscaping comes from Earl Strong Co. of Alexandria, the grass seed of O.M. Scotts and Sons of Ohio, and other trees, shrubs, and landscape products from C.F. Armiger of Washington, D.C. Earnings easily outweigh these expenses, as $ 1.8 million has been received in donations and appointments. In the same month, GWMNMA expanded its board of directors from nine to 12. In April 1923, the foundation was fully excavated and the foundation walls were built. The Washington Post reports that the concrete foundation is the largest player ever in a single section. The foundation (girder articulate design) is 39,000 square feet (3,600 m 2 ) in size, 4.5 to 9 feet (1.4 to 2.7 m) thick, and contains 9,000 cubic meters (6,900 m 3 ) of the concrete. The plow drawn by the donkey has reshaped the hillside into its terraced shape, and most landscapes have now been completed. Total cash donations received in April 1923 amounted to more than $ 1 million. Concrete for the first floor was poured in June 1923, and afterwards mounted eight columns of 20 ton green granite (18 Â °) granite in the atrium. Each green marble column is 40.5 feet (12.3 m) tall and 2.5 feet (0.76 m) in diameter when finished. To prevent the column from rotating or slipping, a mortise and tenon are used. A 3-foot (0.91 m) deep dike was created on the floor, and the spines carved on the bottom of the column base. A small amount of mortar, mixed with a flat metal plate, is used to help fix tenon into mortise. Between the bottom and the first drum (or part of the column), between the drum, and between the top drum and the capital are placed thin slabs tin slices to inhibit slippage. On October 15th, the first floor and granite outer walls are complete.
Grounding laying
The laying of the first stone occurred on November 1, 1923. Planners initially proposed that the foundation be laid on November 4, 1923 - the 170th anniversary of George Washington's initiation into Freemasonry. But as November 4th falls on a Sunday in 1923, the ceremony is scheduled for November 1st. The ceremony almost did not happen. Not long before the event, the contractors found that the memorial stone for the warning had been cut too small. A new platform is quickly created and completed on time. Alexandria Mayor William Allen Smoot announced the holidays, and all businesses were closed except for US banks and post offices. Lightweight cruisers of the United States Navy USS Richmond and destroyers of the US Navy anchored at the torpedo factory of Alexandria as part of the celebrations. The train ran every three minutes to the city of Alexandria to accommodate the crowds.
An estimated 14,000 Masons, officials, US armed forces personnel, police, and others marched in a parade from the seafront of Alexandria to Shooter's Hill to begin the event. During the parade, four United States Air Force aircraft were on top. Among the officials present at 1:00 pm. the first stone laying ceremony was President Calvin Coolidge, now-United States Justice Chief William Howard Taft, Virginia Governor Elbert Lee Trinkle, and Alexandria Mayor Smoot. Charles H. Callahan is the host, and Rt. Pdt. James Edward Freeman, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, offers prayers and prayers. President Coolidge laid the capstone by using the same shovel that Washington used on September 18, 1793, to lay the foundation stone of the US Capitol building (the shovel was owned by Alexandria-Washington Lodge). The loudspeaker was used to broadcast speeches of President Coolidge and other speakers to the crowd, and a temporary radio station (operated by WCAP radio station) was established at Shooter's Hill to broadcast a national event. (Both loudspeakers and temporary radio stations are the same that President Warren G. Harding had used during the laying of the first stone for the Lincoln Memorial.)
Each US state keeps items to the capstone. Other items kept on a stepping stone are American flags; a bronze medal celebrating the inauguration of Warren G. Harding; a bronze plaque containing the names of architects, architect consultants, landscape architects, engineers, and contractors working on monuments; a Christian Bible; sheepskin apron; copy of William Joseph Williams' 1794 portrait of George Washington in the Masonic regalia; several books and pamphlets on Washington's life and the history of Freemasonry in America; and the name of the board of directors and officials of GWMNMA. Under the capstone is another container, which stores several dimes, copies of the Constitution, copies of the Declaration of Independence, books, and other items.
Construction milestones
Construction is running slow after the runway is laid. This is because construction stops every winter to ensure that the warnings remain free of moisture, frost damage, and cooling effects (to improve the compatibility between stones). The Helmle & amp; The Corbett architecture company undertook extensive study of stone buildings in Europe, and decided that working during good weather is the best way to build long-lasting buildings. During 1923, GWMNMA collected another $ 500,000 in cash donations, resulting in a total received up to $ 2 million. The granite for warning comes from mining in New Hampshire, and is supplied by Maine & amp; New Hampshire Granite Corp Some of this block is 20 feet (6.1 m) long.
At the GWMNMA annual meeting in February 1924, the construction on the first floor was almost complete. The first five terraces above the street ("bottom terrace") were built using Potomac bluestone for the walls, while the streets were pebbled. The top sixth terrace (the "upper terrace", which surrounds the main building and entrance) is built with Conway Pink Granite for a base. The base is 13.875 feet (4,229 m) high and 3.33 feet (1.01 m) thick. The top of this wall is concrete. More than 2,200 cubic meters (1,700 m 3 ) of concrete and 60 short tons (54 tt) of steel reinforcement are used in this section of the wall. GWMNMA believes that the second floor will be completed by the end of the construction season in the fall of 1924, and the entire structure will be carried out at the end of 1927 or early 1928. The association also ruled that a Washington statue should be placed. in a warning atrium, and that this statue should be a marble copy of a statue of Jean-Antoine Houdon 1788 George Washington (which stands on the Virginia State Capitol rotunda in Richmond). In May 1924, the GWMNMA handed back the terrace and spent $ 6,000 at the new gate and into the monument at the foot of Shooter's Hill.
The 1924 construction ended in December with the installation of eight green marble columns (each weighing 11 to 18 short tons (10.0 to 16.3 Â ° t)) in the first floor atrium. Each column is 18 feet (5.5 m) tall and 4.5 feet (1.4 m) in diameter, and arrives at Union Station Alexandria by train from Redstone, New Hampshire. One part of the column was damaged, and given to the Veterans of Foreign War Veterans (VFW) Assistant. VFW turned it into a warning for the death of the American war, and was founded in front of Union Station in Alexandria. In December 1924, it was estimated that the building would be completed in three to six years.
Work in the building slowed down in 1925 because of the difficult nature of finishing the roof and raising the tower. Around 5,500 cubic feet (160 m 3 ) of Conway pink granite (also milled near Redstone) was received in May 1925 and used to construct a memorial room on the second floor. The walls of the hall have been 32 feet (9.8 m) tall, and about 14 feet (4.3 m) of granite that needs to be raised on the northeast side and south of the hall to complete. (They were 50 feet (15 m) when finished in December 1925.) Sixteen columns of St. Marble. Genevieve, dug in Missouri, was acquired and placed around a second floor auditorium to help support the roof of the auditorium. Each column is 18.5 feet (5.6 m) tall and 2.3 feet (0.70 m) in diameter, and weighs 56 ton short (51 t). Once the columns are in place, a jack arch is built on top of them. The arch has two cross members (each consisting of five stones with a total weight of 70 short tons (64Ã, t)) supported by four 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide, 50 feet (15 m) long steel rods placed in a groove shallow at the bottom. GWMNMA anticipates spending $ 595,000 in construction funds in 1925, and collected another $ 500,000 in cash donations.
In 1926, GWMNMA used $ 500,000 to continue development on the anniversary. The first event held at the memorial was February 22, 1926, the annual meeting of GWMNMA. The group reported that $ 2 million in cash donations has been received so far, and $ 1.8 million is spent. Eight columns of pink Conway granite - each 40 feet (12 m) tall and 68 tonnes short (62 Â °) - for the porch were elevated to the position in October 1926, almost completing this part of the structure. Also nearing completion are the massive relief sculptures of Washington's heads in profiling, designed by sculptor Gail Sherman Corbett (wife of architect Harvey W. Corbett). G. Fred Coles, who helped execute the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial, carved a sculpture in place in the summer of 1927 from the Corbett model.
At a February 1927 group meeting, GWMNMA officers reported a collection of $ 125,000 cash donations. Six months later, the roof above the first three floors was installed. The concrete roof was designed by Gunvald Aus, who also designed the Woolworth Building in New York City. Poured concrete roofs started on August 22, 1927, and finished on August 30th. Steel for roof is provided by Concrete Steel Co. from Washington, DC Vulcanite Portland Cement Co. from Philadelphia provides cement, and Cranford Construction Co. pours the roof. A total of 71 short tons (64 tt) of reinforcing steel were used on the roof, which contained 953 cubic meters (729 m 3 ) of concrete. The roof is 74.75 feet (22.78 m) wide and 110 feet (34 m) long - reportedly the world's largest concrete roof at the time. The roof is supported by four steel reinforced concrete blocks, each weighing 72 feet (22 m) and 14.5 feet (4.4 m). Each beam varies from 1 to 5 feet (0.30 to 1.52 m) in thickness, containing 7.5 ton short (6.8 tt) of reinforcing steel, and weighed 98 short tons (89 t)). The blocks were supported at the front of the building by four of Conway's pink granite columns. In the four corners of the roof there is a concrete pier, each measuring 9 feet square (0.84 m 2 ). Spandrel beams between columns - 6.3 feet (1.9 m) wide at the bottom, 9 feet (2.7 m) wide at the top, and 24 feet (7.3 m) deep - also support the roof. The roof was watertight, sealed, and covered with copper tarp by New York Roofing Co. and Ehret-Warren Co. In August 1927, it was believed the building would be completed in three to five years.
At the annual meeting of February 1928, GWMNMA agreed to spend another $ 500,000 in the coming year for construction costs. The Association also agreed to raise endowment funds to $ 1.5 million, with a total development cost, a base, and a $ 5 million donation. At the moment, it is estimated that the building could be completed if another $ 500,000 was raised in 1929. The Grand Lodge of the state of Virginia announced at a meeting that they had agreed to finance the construction of a bronze door for a warning at a cost of $ 10,000. At the close of the meeting, the GWMNMA set the date of official devotion of 1932 for a warning.
In February 1929, GWMNMA learned that $ 400,000 in cash donations was received in 1928. When work on structures began again in March 1929, terraces and grass were rejuvenated. The first Masonic title was given in an unfinished memorial in mid-October 1929. The first Blue Lodge meeting held on the memorial took place on November 14, 1929. With so many skilled workers unemployed due to the Great Depression, the association was able to hire more men on a salary lower than before. In February 1930, the tower section had risen to 190 feet (58 m) above the altitude, 50 feet (15 m) more than the anticipated construction schedule. At the GWMNMA annual meeting, the association chooses to establish a perpetual fund of $ 1 million to defend the funeral upon completion. In 1930, the association spent $ 225,000 on the warning. In the same year, President GWMNMA Watres donated a set of large bells like Celesta for the memorial tower. The tower was finished, and the floor for the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors were installed.
Working on the outside of the memorial ended on February 8, 1931. Grand Chapter of Virginia of Royal Arch Masonry donated a double-keystone aluminum and light symbol at the top of the building. The fixture, the largest of its kind in the world at the time, was already in February 1929 but it has not been illuminated (since the exterior lighting system is still installed). The $ 17,000 lamp has a height of 19 feet (5.8 m), made of aluminum, and has its own power supply. Claude Haynes, a steelworker who worked on a memorial since 1923 and a member of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. 22, finishing the light by installing aluminum sheets on it on February 8th. Construction of decorative items, flooring, landscape drainage, marble walls and pipelines continued throughout 1931 and is expected to be completed in February 1932. Working on additional building housing memorial boiler rooms began in late March 1931. The brick building was built by Temple B Greenstreet Co. from Washington, DC, and chimneys made from Alphonse Custodis Co. from New York. A steam tunnel 8 times 8 feet (2.4 times 2.4 m) square and 600 feet (180 m) long brings heat to the building. Two low-pressure boilers from outside the building and the inner radiator of the memorial are provided and installed by the heating and ventilation units of Radiator Co American Radiator Co. The interior is supplied by BF Sturtevant Co., Benjamin F. Shore Co., and Buffalo Forge Co. The modern thermostat provided by Johnson Service Co. used to control heating and cooling. The furnace uses heating oil for fuel, and is installed by Washington Automatic Heating Company, D.C.
Dedication
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial was dedicated on May 12, 1932. Planners had hoped for a date of devotion February 22, 1932 - the 200th birthday of Washington. But the structure was not ready in time, because many interior details have not been agreed or installed, electrical and plumbing work has not reached the third floor, and the George Washington National Family Commission has scheduled many programs for February. Initially, May 13 - the 325th anniversary of the establishment of a British settlement in Jamestown, Virginia - was chosen as the date for dedication. But since number 13 was deemed unlucky, May 12 was chosen instead.
Even with an additional two months, the contractors are still rushing to finish the building. The large granite steps leading to the main entrance are not in place (and will not be until 1940). Among the rooms prepared at the last minute was a 1,000-seat circular auditorium on the back of the second floor. The worker puts a cement floor for the auditorium (though this will later be replaced with marble). The marble wall material in the auditorium comes from Hilgartner Marble Co of Baltimore, while the seating and timber comes from American Seating Co. of Grand Rapids. The fan-shaped ceilings and decorations in the auditorium were designed by Louis Ludwig of Washington, D.C., while ceiling and decoration installation was done by A.W. Lee Co. from Washington. The contractors were also busy installing sashes, windows and vents throughout the building, and laid the cement floor in the memorial hall on the second floor. Bronze is used for belts, doors, doorjambs, and other exterior work where connection to granite is required, and these items are installed by William H. Jackson Co. from New York. Iron interior and exterior are supplied by Alexandria Iron Works and Washington Stair and Ornamental Iron Co. In addition to the auditorium, no effort was made to complete the first floor, second-floor inn rooms, or one of the tower rooms in time for dedication.
The memorial was built without any debt. From the start of the project, the Masonic body involved in the warning construction decided not to sign any contracts or start any work until money for such an effort was in hand. At the time of devotion, no bonds were sold or loans sought to finance the construction of the building.
A number of special events marked the dedication ceremony. More than 100 special trains bring about 150,000 spectators to Alexandria. Many participants slept on the sleeping car trains (which remained parked at the city's railway station) because the hotel accommodation was lacking. The US Navy sailed heavy fleets made of wood, flayed with three pillars of the USS Constitution to Alexandria for dedication. Three American Coast Guard cutter and US Navy submarine are also anchored in the Potomac River for the ceremony. The US Post Office Department establishes a temporary postal ceremony post office at the memorial site to post letters and postcards under the name and location of the memorial and the date of the ordination ceremony. (More than 200,000 letters were stamped at the ceremony station that day.) The United States House of Representatives postponed because most of the Council members attended the service. Most members of the United States Senate also went to dedication, as did a number of foreign ambassadors.
Heavy rains constantly reduce 12 May celebrations. Only about 20,000 people (not the 150,000 anticipated) marched on Alexandria's streets to see the parade. Originally estimated to include 20,000 participants, only 15,000 marched in a parade through Alexandria to a memorial before the ordination ceremony. More than 5,000 US military personnel and 3,000 Knights Templars (the third part of the Masonic degree system of the Masonic Rite) lined up in the procession. The contingent took more than two hours to pass the checkpoint. Representatives from every branch of Freemasons in the US attended, and many representatives of the Masonic lodges abroad were also present. President Hoover and most of his Cabinet attended the service. When the President and his party arrive at the memorial site, the Constitution , three Coast Guard ships, and the 16th Square Artillery battery fired 21 pistols of respect.
Due to heavy rain, the ceremony was moved from the memorial portico to the newly completed auditorium. Several items from Washingtoniana were employed during the dedication. Among these are the bible used by Washington when it was initiated into Fredericksburg Lodge. 4 on 1752; shovels and hammers used by Washington when laying the foundations of the US Capitol building; The Bible in which Washington takes the oath of presidency; and a silver jar made by Paul Revere containing Washington's locks. Special Masonic rituals are written for dedication. The ceremony incorporates a 4 foot (1.2 m) tall memorial model made by inmates at Lorton Reformatory), and pours grapes, oil, and corn (Masonic symbols) from gold and silver to the model. The pitcher was made by metalmith Olaf Saugstadt. The prayer was given by Rt. Pdt. W. Bertrand Stevens, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. The prayer was given by Dr. William J. Morton, Rector of Christ Church, Alexandria (the church where Washington worship).
Interior construction
1930s
Construction on some exterior and almost all interior warnings continued after the dedication of May 1932. Metal sheets for interior window sashes, doorjambs, and other molds, fixtures, and fixtures were provided by G.O. Robertson from Delaware; Ernest Gichner from Washington, D.C.; and E. Van Norden Co. from New York. The Hires-Turner Glass Co. from Rosslyn, Virginia, provides windows and stained glass. Lighting supplies are supplied by Sterling Bronze Works, while power supplies are supplied by National Electrical Supply Co. from Washington and A.L. Ladd from Alexandria. Four companies oversee plumbing and waste work: Earl Riley, D.C. Engineering Co., Potomac Clay Works, and Thos. Somerville Co. The heavy hardware interior as well as some heavy internal equipment supplied by Henry H. Meyer & Co. of Washington, D.C., while the lighter hardware and equipment supplied by Worth Hulfish & amp; Children of Alexandria; Baldwin-Stuart Co. from Hartford, Connecticut; and Sargent & amp; Co of New York. Many non-marble floors are covered with cork (supplied and installed by David E. Kennedy Co.), and carpets provided by Woodward & amp; Lothrop (department store chain). Acoustic tiles are used in many rooms to absorb the echoes produced by granite walls. This tile is provided by George P. Little Co. Terrazzo (imitation marble floors) worked by V. Foscato Co. from New York. Most of the interior wood is supplied by W.A. Smoot & amp; Co of Alexandria. Interior painting is done by W.W. MacCallum Co. from Alexandria, while the terracotta (unglazed baked ceramic) decoration was provided by Ernest Simpson of Alexandria. Aluminum for interior work is supplied by Aerocrete Company, and works and is formed into a form by the American Aluminum Company. The pink Tennessee and gold marble plate was used to coat the first floor atrium walls and the second floor memorial hall, and the ceilings on both floors were plastered. But at the end of 1933, no heating was installed in the second floor hall.
Despite the immediate work of the memorial after dedication, its construction and interior decorations slowed significantly over the next two decades. The Great Depression and World War II left funds and building materials in limited supply.
The association wanted to complete the memorial hall, the northern cottage room, and the Alexandria-Washington replica cabin room on the second floor of the memorial. To finish the room and the hallway leading to them will cost about $ 193,000. Although fundraising for the business began, in 1936 the organization learned that they had to complete the library and the elevator in the tower first. In February 1931, Florence M. Lemert, widow of Rae John Lemert, Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Montana, donated more than 6,000 books and manuscripts on the history of Masonry and Masonry to a memorial as a means of establishing a national Masonic library. With these books in danger of deterioration, libraries should be built immediately and at least one lift is installed to reach the library room in the tower. Additional landscaping must be done to reduce the fire hazard in the area, the walls should be erected around the ground to prevent the community from cutting the property, and roads should be regulated and maintained.
In 1935, GWMNMA set aside the fourth floor as the "State Memorial Hall" (where the Grand Lodge of each country can recognize the famous Masons), the sixth floor as the Masonic library, and the eighth floor as a museum. The third, fifth and seventh floors have not been functioned yet. But this plan is not done. After Louis Watres's death in June 1937, Dr. Elmer R. Arn, Professor of the Ohio Past, was elected president of the association as his successor. Four large lighting sconces were added to the second floor memorial floor in 1938, at a cost of $ 4,000 of their installations paid by General Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star Order. In 1939, granite steps led up to the porch, a wall containing a porch that surrounded the memorial, and a stone fence for granite steps were installed. Several hundred plants were also added to the landscape.
1940s
In February 1941, the association reported the first major fundraising season since the dedication of the memorial, receiving $ 100,000 in cash donations. In 1941, the association raised an additional $ 70,000, leaving it with a total of $ 225,000 in hands. Now, the total cost of completion of the structure has increased to $ 6 million. GWMNMA agreed to spend $ 60,000 in 1942 to finish the south cottage room on the second floor and dedicate it to the Blue Lodge. The amount will also cover the cost of completing a room on the southwest corner of the second floor for Washingtoniana Alexandria-Washington Lodge's home. Five vacant lots at Shooter's Hill were also purchased in 1942, so a large building could not be built next to a memorial. In addition, the United States Department of Commerce provides, for free, equipment for building lighting and towers as aids to flights. Association paid for installing equipment. In February 1942, the representative of Sol Bloom donated an oil painting from Washington in full to the Masoniah regime to the anniversary of that year. Bloom is a member of Pacific Lodge No. 233 in New York state, and had served as director of the Washington Bicentennial Commission. Artist Hattie Elizabeth Burdette painted the picture in 1932. Actor Tefft Johnson imitated the portrait, posing in a Masonic apron and wearing the same gem Washington wore. The seat in the painting also belongs to Washington, and the backing and backing fabric is owned by the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. The painting has been used to advertise Washington Bicentennial, and Bloom donated it to a memorial to remember his wife (who died in 1941).
The Blue Lodge room and the Alexandria-Washington Lodge replica room completed in late 1942. During the following year, one of the granite columns in the monument was cracked and repaired.
Working on the interior did not really begin in earnest until after the war. It was not until May 1945 that the room dedicated to the Ancient Arab Order of the Noble Mystical Temple (Shriners) on the north side of the first floor began. Placed in the finished room is the original oil painting founder of William J. Florence Temple (worth $ 5,000), copy of Shrine Ritual in handwriting co-founder Walter M. Fleming, gem collection, and other items. Later, Shriners will provide two more rooms on the ground floor for a total cost of $ 168,000. In 1946, the association received a large donation of approximately $ 154,700 which went to its maintenance fund (which now must be at least $ 3 million to generate sufficient funds to keep the structure maintained).
At the GWMNMA annual meeting in February 1947, the Alexandria-Washington Lodge Replication Room was dedicated. The Association also chose to distribute one of the rooms in the unfinished tower to the Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophet of Nature Enchanted (also known as "Grotto"), which has raised $ 25,000 to complete the room. The Supreme Council, Scottish Rite (Southern Jurisdiction, USA) donated $ 100,000 to complete the northern lodge room on the second floor and dedicated it to Cryptic Masonry. Prior to this donation, the association was not sure whether the Freemasonry support body should be allowed to occupy rooms on the memorial. The South Jurisdiction's contribution effectively ended the debate. It also encouraged many Masonry's Grand Lodges (state organizations) to make a major contribution to the memorial, bringing new life to a warning fund-raising effort. The Association also agreed to spend funds to build a kitchen and dining room, hang bronze doors on the first floor, and install bronze roasting equipment for heating and ventilation systems on the first floor. Two other major decisions were made in 1947 as well. The old warning architect Harvey W. Corbett presented his plans to complete the interior memorial, and sculptor Bryant Baker discussed his plans for a George Washington-size statue to decorate the memorial hall. The Order of DeMolay, a youth affiliate of Freemasonry, had won the association's approval for the campaign to raise money for George Washington's bronze statue in 1934. Baker proposed a marble statue that would cost $ 50,000 to $ 60,000 and stand on a pedestal worth $ 7,000 to $ 10,000. The association also started working on the first elevator. The Otis Elevator Company was awarded this contract on October 23, 1947. Designed for entry into the southeast staircase, the company overcame a 7.5 degree slope of the ladder by placing the wheel on one side of the car lift to keep it vertical. The memorial dining room was completed in late 1947, and its first use was for the GWMNMA meeting in February 1948.
The Grotto dedicated a finished room (designed to store its archives) on the third floor of the building in February 1948. The association, meanwhile, completed the first floor auditorium with handrails and bronze windows and an HVAC ventilator. The Association also made the decision to start raising funds for a number of other projects on the memorial. This includes designing, making and installing stained glass windows in the second floor memorial hall; designing and painting murals on the walls of the memorial hall; finish the roof over the auditorium and porch; put marble on rough cement on the inner staircase; and replaced the large wooden door at the entrance of the memorial with a bronze door. In the same year, President Harry S. Truman presented the memorial with a Great Seal of the United States replica of 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter and lit from within. The sign was originally on top of the US Government Printing Center office, but had been damaged by lightning. Removed and registered as a memo, a Freemason noticed a sign in the government warehouse and requested that it be donated to the cemetery. A handover ceremony was set on June 24, 1948. Truman's arrival at the presentation was significantly delayed, as he had spent the morning giving military orders to start the Berlin air freight.
In September 1949, the memorial was still "almost done." None of the tower rooms on the third floor to nine finish, although the observation deck is under construction. The Scottish Rite agreed to fund the observation deck. The observation deck is only accessible by a circular staircase. In late 1949, the Cryptic Room Lodge (also known as "The North Room") was completed and two elevators were installed on the north and south sides of the building. The room contained seating for 450 and organs (which was used for the first time during a room dedication ceremony). To avoid stabbing the second floor memorial hall, the elevator is tilted inward at 7.5 degrees. They are 61 feet (19 m) apart on the first floor, but only 4.5 feet (1.4 m) apart on the observation deck. They are the only oblique elevators in the world when mounted, and the motor for them has to be passed through the shaft to take them to the roof. Other decorative changes were made in late 1949 as well. Persian woven rugs, the largest in the world and worth $ 1 million, was donated for memorial by Sarkis Nahigian (Masonic member from Chicago). (It was installed in the Replica Alexandria-Washington Apartment Room but it had to be folded to fit in the room, which caused it to be worn on the carpet.The carpet had been removed after a few years and reinstalled in the warning room on both floors.) In Memorial Hall, solder designed and manufactured by Robert M. Metcalf is being installed. Bronze doors, grillwork, and belt windows have been installed all over the first floor, the first floor meeting hall is completed, the kitchen and dining room are completed, the north and south corridors on the first floor are finished, and additionally for heating plant installations. The "Hall of Presidents" is also completed. This path at the top of the auditorium contains a plaque depicting the President of the United States who is the Mason. The Shriners, too, completed their rooms on the first floor.
At some point during 1949, Bryan Baker's George Washington statue was transformed from marble to bronze. The statue and the statue were both paid for that year.
1950s
The 17-foot tall (5.2 m) Baker's bronze statue in Washington was finally unveiled on February 22, 1950. President Truman, passing Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, dedicated the statue and delivered a major foreign policy speech at its opening. That same year, Allyn Cox mural painter was employed to paint mural throughout memorials depicting Masonic events of allegory from history as well as scenes from the life of George Washington. Grand Lodge of California donated funds for these murals. Cox also designed six stained glass windows for mounting on a mural, each depicting a famous Masonic patriot (such as Benjamin Franklin and Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette). The window was executed and installed by stained glass artist Robert Metcalf.
In 1951, General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Mason agreed to fund the completion of the room on the fifth floor and dedicated it to Holy Royal Arch Masonry. In the same year, two Metcalf windows were installed in the memorial room, the bells were installed on the 10th floor, and the stairs (acting as stairs) were placed to provide access to the 10th floor of the ninth floor. A water tank is installed on the fifth floor (to help ensure high pressure) and the pipe is extended to the eighth floor, and the air conditioner is placed in the second floor South Lodge Room. A spiral staircase is added between the third and ninth floors to provide an emergency exit. It was also in 1951 that the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania sponsored the completion of the sixth floor library of memorials. Outside the memorial, the parking lot in the northwest was paved and two flagpoles were placed outside the main entrance.
The memorial work continued in 1952, although most of the work was not completed until a year later. The ninth floor observation deck remained unfinished (although money had been donated to attach it to a suicide-resistant iron cage), and only two floors were open to the public. But the sixth floor library was dedicated on Feb. 22, and later that year the Allyn Cox sketch for the mural space warning was approved. Finally, with the second floor auditorium almost complete, the memorial association endorsed the expenditure of Moller Organ Co.. to start the design and construction of pipe organ for this space. However, in early 1953, the observation deck was completed and opened for use, and a second slanted lift began to be installed. Problems with the axis, however, delay the completion. Additional internal construction is also completed at this time. The development plan had requested two sets of stairs to descend from the second floor memorial hall to the first floor meeting hall. These stairs have never been completed, and the space has been used for storage for many years. Now funds are available for building stairs. To do so, the unfinished space under the main porch is converted into storage space, and the ladder is installed. The contractor also sealed the outside of the tower and the second floor roof barrier to prevent water from leaking into the memorial. At the end of 1953, the stained glass windows remaining in the memorial room were installed.
In 1954, 42-ranked Moller organs were installed in the main auditorium. $ 50,000 for the organ was donated by the Grand Lodge of New Jersey in 1930. The marble staircase between the first and second floors was also completed, and the fifth floor with the Royal Arch Masonry room was almost finished as well. The memorial association is now beginning to reconsider some of its plans. It is clear now that there is no need for a "State Memorial Room" on the fourth floor, and that the eighth floor does not have enough room to accommodate all Washingtoniana in the possession of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. So the association decided to make the fourth floor into a Washington museum, while leaving the eighth floor open.
Allyn Cox Mural on the south wall of the memorial hall was completed in early 1955. Although the mural on the ceiling of the memorial hall had also been long planned, the association decided to forgo this. In February 1955, Theodor Vogel, Grand Master of United Grand Lodges of Germany, presented a memorial association with intricate woodcuts depicting the Four Martyrs of the Crown (in this case, Claudius, Castorius, Nicostratus, and Symphorian). The carvings were hung in the memorial library. In the same year, the Knights Templar requested that the assigned chamber be moved from the seventh floor to the eighth. This request was quickly granted, despite leaving the seventh floor vacant. Throughout the year, Allyn Cox continued to work on the mural in the Royal Arch room of Masonry and in the mural on the north wall of the memorial hall. At the end of the year, the north and south steps from the parking lot to the first floor are completed. William and Annetta Childs of Oklahoma donated an electronic, automated carillon to a memorial, mounted on the tenth floor.
The following year, the north side lift finally finished. With elevators being freed from the need to bring construction materials and workers, the tower was eventually opened to the public. However, a number of exterior projects remain: granite facing the upper terrace wall, bronze trim for the main door, bronze lighting standard for the porch, granite facing the lower terrace wall, and granite facing the back of the auditorium. Some interior work is also needed. For example, holes have been drilled on the marble floors of the memorial hall so that the power plugs can be installed for light fixtures. The unassigned seventh floor finally found sponsors as well. That year, the Central Board of Cryptic Masonry agreed to sponsor the floor, and by the end of the year had collected half of the funds needed to complete and equip the floor.
The Royal Arch Room was dedicated on April 20, 1957, by United States Vice President Richard Nixon. The four bays in the room remained unfinished for years, and closed. That same year, Southern and Northern Jurisdictions of the Scottish Rite present the George Washington museum on the fourth floor of the memorial (though there are no storefronts or other furnishings to allow Washington museums to open). The day before Easter (April 20), the Knights Templars dedicate their eighth-floor chapel. At the end of the year, the second of the Allyn Cox mural for the warning hall has been completed.
Working in the seventh floor Masonry Cryptic room was well under way at the end of 1957 and the room was dedicated on February 12, 1958. Changes were also made on the porch that year. The porch has been designed so that large bronze plaques can be mounted on both sides of the main door. Fundraising for this plaque did not go well, leaving two gaping holes in the marble wall. The memorial association decided that marble, rather than bronze, plaques were installed in these spaces. Excerpts from the George Washington Masonic correspondence have been selected and written on this marble plaque. In addition, the bronze doors for both sets of elevators are also installed (at a cost of $ 18,000). At the end of the year, the memorial association spent over $ 108,000 to complete the granite facing the auditorium.
In 1959, a large bronze statue of Washington by sculptor Donald De Lue (commissioned by Grand Lodge of Louisiana, and originally destined for their headquarters) was donated to the museum. The Scottish Rite offers to finance the completion of the fourth floor museum.
1960s and 1970s
In 1962, artists Dwight Franklin and Robert N.S. Whitelaw completed 12 dioramas (worth $ 75,000) to be placed in the meeting hall and that described key incidents in Washington's life. This diorama has become part of the original decorative scheme for memorials, with eight dioramas (two for each corner) to be placed in the meeting hall. Due to the disputes over the subject matter, 12 of the eight dioramas were ordered. Air conditioning was added to the North Lodge Room (Cryptic Lodge form) in 1963.
But despite this achievement, in 1964, the memorial was still unfinished. More than 150,000 people annually visit the memorial, but the Washington museum is still unfinished. The big push to finish the museum came after 1966, when the offspring of Washington - Anne Madison and Patty Willis Washington - donated a collection of Papers and memorabilia of the Washington family to the museum. The donations included great portraits of George Washington and his family, as well as the Washington family Bible. Only after this donation has been made, the funds for the museum's completion have finally increased.
The late 1960s saw the completion of a warning. In February 1966, Senator Everett Dirksen (a Mason) dedicated the George Washington museum on the fourth floor of the memorial. Dedication means that the last room in the tower is now complete and open to the public. In 1967, the city of Alexandria changed the way the layout around the memorial. As part of this change, this memorial provides a 12-foot (or 3.7 m) wide access road between the memorial access road and Park Road. Because the auditorium's rear wall is never confronted with granite, the reinforcing steel rods are rusted. It was removed in 1968, because they were no longer worthy of use. Finally, in 1970, a 40-year-old oil burner heater was replaced with a natural gas boiler burning, the city of Alexandria donated a backup power generator to keep the tower on in case of power outages, additional lighting for towers installed, and additional landscaping work completed.
The warning was deemed completed in 1970. However, the granite faced is still incomplete. The memorial association eventually raised funds to settle facing in July 1972, and faced completion in March 1973. The tower, too, remained only partially illuminated. But the Grand Lodge of New York provided funds to complete the lighting, and the final exterior tower lighting finished in the summer of 1973.
About building
George Washington Masonic National Memorial of Neoclassical style. Parts of the building are also in the style of the Greek Awakening and the Rise of Romanesque. The columns that form the foyer, are in the first floor meeting hall and the main hall of the second floor, and in the first level the tower is Doric. However, the columns on the second layer of the tower are Ionic, and the columns on the third tier of the tower are Corinthian.
The memorial consists of nine floors. The first floor (or "ground") appears, from the outside, being part of the foundation. In the middle of the first floor is the Grand Masonic Hall. The Grand Masonic Hall features eight large green granite columns, four on each side of the hall. The Grand Masonic Hall is 66 feet (20 m) in length, 66 feet (20 m) wide, and 20 feet (6.1 m) tall. The 12 dioramas assigned in the mid-1960s are located in this hall. At the west end of the hall are short steps leading to a niche where George Washington's bronze statue was placed in 2008. The semicircular alcove surrounding the statue contains a mural depicting a Masonic event in Washington's life. For years, the Great Seal of the United States donated by President Truman to a memorial in 1948 was featured in this hall, but was removed in the late 1990s. Large, medium, and small meeting rooms are on the north and south sides of the Grand Masonic Hall. All three rooms on the north side contain exhibits documenting the history and activities of Shriners. Many of the models in these rooms illustrate the Shriner charity, and one model is a miniature version of the Shriners parade. Medium-sized space in the southwest corner of the memorial contains exhibits on Freemasonry in general. Medium-sized meeting rooms (George Washington Room) and large meeting room (Andrew Jackson Room) on the south side are generally closed to the public but can be rented as meeting rooms.
The second (or "main") floor appears, from the outside, to the primary level of warning. The Parthenon-inspired portico with Doric columns forms the main entrance to the memorial. The porch is supported by eight pink Conway grid columns of 5.92 feet (1.80 m) in diameter and 33 feet (10 m) tall, each weighing 63 short tons (57 t). The basic Washington relief medallion in the profile inserted into the pediment above the foyer is 7 feet (2.1 m) across. The bronze door leads the way to the memorial. Once inside the memorial, on the left there is a Replica Room of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge No 1. 22, who faithfully duplicates the look of the cottage room as Washington leads the cabin. This room contains some of Washington's items as well as historic items (like furniture) from Alexandria-Washington Lodge. Behind Master Mason's chair in this room is a portrait of William Joseph Williams from Washington in his Masonic outfit. Along the south side of this floor is the South Lodge Room, which replicates the N view
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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