12 interesting facts about the Lincoln Memorial you might not know

The Lincoln Memorial has stood as one of the most recognizable landmarks in Washington, D.C. It's also one of the more popular monuments on the National Mall with millions of people visiting every year and wanting to know more about the Lincoln Memorial. You can go visit this landmark at any given time of day - or night - and there's likely to be a crowd.  

This monument is a memorial to President Abraham Lincoln, the 16^th president and the man who served his terms during a very difficult time in U.S. history - the American Civil War. President Lincoln was assassinated in nearby Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth. 

12 interesting facts about the Lincoln Memorial you might not know

1. When was the idea for a memorial for President Lincoln conceived?

Congress approved funding for a memorial dedicated to Abraham Lincoln in 1910, although it was first proposed decades earlier - back in 1867.

2. How much did the Lincoln Memorial cost to build? 

Initially, $2 million was appropriated for the Lincoln Memorial project, but the end cost was $3 million.

3. When was the Lincoln Memorial built? 

While it took a few decades and a turn of the century to get started, work on the Lincoln Memorial commenced in 1915, and it was completed in 1922.

4. Who sculpted the memorial's statue?

The Abraham Lincoln statue was sculpted by Daniel Chester French. It is 19-feet tall.

5. Who was the designer?

Architect Henry Bacon designed the building that houses the Lincoln statue. It has 36 columns, each representing a state that was a part of the union at the time of Lincoln's death.   

6. How many steps to reach the top of the memorial?

There are 87 steps to get to the top of the memorial before you reach the Abraham Lincoln statue, commemorating our 16th President's famous "four score and seven years ago" from the Gettysburg Address.

7. What about the artwork?

Jules Guerin painted the two large murals that rest above the engraved speeches. 

8. What are the dimensions?

The Lincoln Memorial measures 204 feet long, 134 feet wide, and reaches 99 feet in height.  

9. When was the memorial to Lincoln completed?

The memorial was dedicated on May 30, 1922. Present at the event were Lincoln's only surviving son, Robert Todd Lincoln, hundreds of Civil War veterans, and about 50,000 people in all. 

10. Why are carvings for some states missing?

Being several more states had joined the union since Lincoln's time, all 48 states are carved on the upper part of the main chamber. Plaques of Alaska and Hawaii were later additions. 

11. Even memorials sometimes have mistakes!

The original inscription of Lincoln's second inaugural speech was carved in the interior of the memorial once contained a typo. An "E" was carved where it should have been an "F". This was corrected by filling in part of the "E".

12. The monument almost was another shape

The current design of the Lincoln Memorial might be very different if another architect had been chosen. John Russell Pope, who was well-known, had proposed a huge circular structure or, alternatively, a pyramid of all things!

An attractive memorial, you can walk the stairs to the top or take the elevator located off to the left-hand side of the memorial. Once inside the Greek-style structure, a massive statue of Lincoln, along with two of his key speeches inscribed on the walls can be viewed. There is also a bookstore/gift shop on the upper level of the monument. 

The Lincoln Memorial is open 24 hours a day. NPS staff is present on-site from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Parking near Lincoln Memorial can be tricky, so it's best to try and park on Constitution Avenue or along one of the side roads to get to the closest point.

Dedication to Lincoln is inscribed behind the statue