The Lincoln Memorial
| The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War (1861-1865). The nation's bloodiest conflict, the Civil War, which followed the secession of southern states, was the supreme test of the durability of the Union created by the founding fathers. Lincoln's stewardship of the Union cause contributed to the final victory of the Union and the abolishment of slavery in the United States. These victories earned him the sobriquets of "Savior of the Union." Lincoln was assassinated while attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. For many he then became a martyr to the causes of union and emancipation. In 1911, Congress authorized the building of the Lincoln Memorial on the undeveloped west end of the Mall. Construction took place between 1914 and 1922. President Warren G. Harding attended the 1922 dedication. In 1933, the Lincoln Memorial was transferred to the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Architect Henry Bacon modeled his design for the building after the Greek Parthenon. Built into the design are symbols of Union like the 36 exterior Doric columns representing the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death--the Union he had fought to preserve. Those states are listed on the frieze above the columns. Above those states are listed the 48 states in the Union when the memorial was built, making the memorial a tribute to the Union as much as a tribute to Lincoln himself. Alaska and Hawaii are represented with a plaque on the front steps. The exterior is made of Colorado Yule marble with a walkway made out of Massachusetts granite and Potomac River stones. The interior walls and columns are Indiana limestone, the floor Tennessee Pink marble, and the ceiling is made of panels of Alabama marble soaked in paraffin to make them translucent. Dominating the interior is Daniel Chester French's Lincoln statue along with allegorical murals by Jules Guerin, and carved inscriptions of two of Lincoln's most important speeches. Damaged over the years by heavy visitation and environmental factors, the Lincoln Memorial is currently undergoing a major restoration. |
