Washington Monument State Park is a public recreation area located approximately southeast of Boonsboro,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. The park preserves the Washington Monument, a tower honoring

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

, the first

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

. The monument sits along the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian ...

near the summit of South Mountain's Monument Knob. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1972. The park is managed by the

Maryland Department of Natural Resources The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources including state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife, and recreation areas. I ...

History

Built in 1827, the original tower was the first monument dedicated to George Washington to be completed. The

Washington Monument The Washington Monument is an obelisk shaped building within the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and th ...

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

was completed two years later, although it had been started considerably earlier in 1815. The famous

in the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

was not completed until 1885. The dry-laid stone tower was built on July 4, 1827, by the citizens of Boonsboro who marched to the site ''en masse'' after assembling in the town square at 7 a.m. At the end of that day, the tower stood at high on a base in circumference. Later that year, "after the busy season", workmen returned to complete the tower to a height of . Owen Brown was the son of Abolitionist John Brown and the highest ranking surviving, uncaptured member of the party assembled for John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry. Owen led a party of five escapees from the failed raid to safety in the north. On or about the night of October 23, 1859 these men ascended the slope of South Mountain after circling around Turner's Gap to avoid the men and dogs lying in wait for them in the mountain pass. To their astonishment, there on the crest of the mountain was an odd stone tower. Owen Brown retold the experience during his only known interview in 1873, both he and the interviewer then still apparently unaware the men had stumbled upon Washington's Monument. Although it was a popular meeting place for the citizenry of Boonsboro, weather and vandalism reduced the monument to rubble. In that condition, it was used by the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

as a signal station during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

First restoration

In 1882, the Odd Fellows Lodge of Boonsboro sponsored the tower's restoration. A canopy was added and a vehicle road built up the mountainside. A decade later, however, the tower again fell into ruin when a crack in the wall was not repaired.

State park

The Washington County Historical Society purchased the site in 1920 and deeded it to the state for use as a state park in 1934.

CCC restoration

The tower was rebuilt in its present form by members of the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

. Workers set in place the original cornerstone and a facsimile of the dedication tablet (pictured at right), and a third dedication ceremony was held on July 4, 1936.

Activities and amenities

The park offers access to the Appalachian Trail, picnicking facilities, and a museum with exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the area.

References

External links

Washington Monument State Park
Maryland Department of Natural Resources {{authority control State parks of Maryland Parks in Washington County, Maryland Monuments and memorials to George Washington in the United States Monuments and memorials in Maryland Mountain monuments and memorials Buildings and structures in Washington County, Maryland South Mountain Range (Maryland−Pennsylvania) State parks of the Appalachians Monuments and memorials on the National Register of Historic Places in Maryland National Register of Historic Places in Washington County, Maryland Buildings and structures completed in 1827 1827 establishments in Maryland Civilian Conservation Corps in Maryland Protected areas established in 1934 IUCN Category III