American Monuments
The purpose of a monument is to remind, inform, and inspire the viewer. The United States is fortunate to have some of the most beautiful and dramatic monuments in the world. This reading set takes the reader on a armchair tour of some of the most iconic American monuments.
Designed by Frenchman Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the construction of The Statue of Liberty began in the 1870s. Originally named “Liberty Enlightening the World,” the statue was erected in New York Harbor and officially dedicated on October 28, 1886. However, bad weather postponed the fireworks display that had been planned for…
The granite faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln tower amidst southwestern South Dakota’s pine-covered mountains. Sometimes called the Shrine of Democracy, Mt. Rushmore National Monument is one of the most recognized monuments or memorials in the United States. The story behind this beloved monument is complicated…
The Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. took many years to build. The cornerstone was laid in 1848, the obelisk was completed in 1884, and the entire building was finished in 1888. Below is an article from the Wisconsin State Journal in January 1885 regarding the completion of the obelisk. As…
This poem appears at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The opening is comparing the statue to the ancient Colossus of Rhodes. ——————————————- Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates…
Finished in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. is dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln. Below is the announcement of the planned dedication of the memorial from the Tucson (AZ) Daily Citizen newspaper on February 27, 1922. For reference purposes, $1 in 1922 is equivalent to about $14 in today’s…
Jerry was excited as the taxi hurtled its way through the city streets. He’d never been in a taxi before, and this one was yellow and black with a TV screen in it. The driver didn’t say much, but he was probably concentrating, because he was going so fast! He…