Lincoln Memorial

WASHINGTON, D. C. The Architecture 14-foot granite wall. This wall on the The exterior of the Memorial symbol­ east and west sides is 256 feet 10 inches Lincoln Memorial izes the Union of the United States of long and 187 feet long on the north and America. Surrounding the walls of the south sides. The walls of the Memorial WASHINGTON, D. C. Memorial Hall is a colonnade of the States are enclosed by a continuous colonnade of the Union, the frieze above it bearing 188 feet 4 inches long and 118 feet 6 inches UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR the names of the 36 States existing at the wide. The 38 columns in the colonnade, HAROLD L. ICKES, Secretary time of Lincoln's death. On the attic including the two standing in the entrance, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, NEWTON B. DRURY, Director walls above the colonnade are inscribed are 44 feet high, 7 feet 5 inches in diameter NATIONAL CAPITAL PARKS the names of the 48 States existing today. at the base, and the shafts are composed of These walls and columns enclose the sanc­ 11 drums each. Congress for such a monument, or me­ Had Lincoln been an ordinary ruler— tuary containing three memorials to Greek Ionic columns 50 feet high and morial, was made in December 1901. even an ordinary hero — an ordinary Abraham Lincoln. The place of honor 5 feet 6 inches in diameter at the base Numerous additional efforts were made in monument would have sufficed and doubt­ is occupied by a colossal marble statue of divide the interior of the Memorial into the following years, but it was not until less would have been built quickly. More the man himself, facing the Washington three chambers. The walls of the interior February 1911, with the passage of a bill than half a century elapsed before a fitting Monument and Capitol. On the north are Indiana limestone, and the ceiling, "To provide a Commission to secure memorial was dedicated to this simple, wall to the right of the central space where which is 60 feet above the finished floor, plans and designs for a Monument or heroic man whose name has penetrated to the statue is placed, and separated from it is designed with bronze girders orna­ Memorial to the memory of Abraham the ends of the earth and universally by a row of columns, is inscribed Lincoln's mented with laurel and pine leaves. The Lincoln," that these efforts were crowned called to mind with reverence and hope Second Inaugural Address. Similarly, on panels between the girders are of Alabama with success. wherever aspiration kindles the heart of the south wall the Gettysburg Speech is marble saturated with melted beeswax to The Commission created by the act youth, or tyranny oppresses mankind. memorialized. produce translucency. The interior floor held its first meeting on March 4, 1911. and the wall base are of pink Tennessee The Memorial, neither palace nor temple There are some architectual refine­ At its tenth meeting on February 3, 1912, marble. The central chamber, contain­ nor tomb, but partaking of the nature of ments in the work not common in modern the Commission decided to locate the ing the Lincoln Statue, is 60 feet wide and all, seems to gather within its marble walls buildings. The columns are not vertical, Memorial in Potomac Park on the axis 74 feet deep. The side chambers are the very essence of his upright character, but are slightly tilted inward toward the of the Capitol and Washington Monu­ each 63 feet wide and 38 feet deep. steeped in tolerance and the belief that building, and the tilt of the four corner ment, as recommended by the Commission all people should be free—free to think, columns is even more exaggerated. The The two tripods on the two buttresses of Fine Arts. After viewing designs free to express themselves, and free to outside face above the columns is also flanking the steps leading up to the View of the interior looking toward the south wall through the Ionic columns prepared at its invitation by Henry Bacon apply themselves to various enterprises. inclined inward, but less than the columns. entrance to the Memorial are each 11 feet and John Russell Pope, architects of New The wall of the Memorial Hall inclines high. Each is cut from a single block of York, the Commission at its fourteenth position in the place of honor, it pre­ The carving of the statue was done by Inception and History inward least of all. This was done to pink Tennessee marble. The carving meeting selected Henry Bacon to prepare dominates. The statue represents Lincoln Piccirrilli Brothers in their shops at New avoid the optical illusion of bulging at upon them was done by Piccirrilli Brothers a final design, which Congress approved as the war President seated in a great York, where it was also worked on by The first concerted effort looking to the the top. of New York. The decorative carving erection in Washington of a monument January 29, 1913. Ground was broken on the stonework of the building was armchair 12}( feet high, over the back of Mr. French personally. Some 4 years in honor of Abraham Lincoln appears to for the foundations of the Memorial on The Building executed by Ernest C. Bairstow of which a flag has been draped. The were devoted to the work. The statue have been made about 2 years after his February 12, 1914, and the cornerstone The foundations of the Memorial rest Washington. gentleness, power, and determination of rests upon an oblong pedestal of Ten­ death by an act of Congress, approved was laid February 12, 1915. At sub­ upon bedrock from 44 to 65 feet below the man have been wonderfully expressed nessee marble 10 feet high, 16 feet wide, sequent meetings, Daniel Chester French by the scupltor, not only in the face but and 17 feet deep (which in turn rests upon March 29, 1867, which incorporated the the original grade The superstructure The Statue Lincoln Monument Association. An was selected as sculptor for the Lincoln of white Colorado-Yule marble is approxi­ also in the hands which grip the arms of a platform of Tennessee marble). On appeal for subscriptions was sent out. statue, and Jules Guerin as architect to mately 80 feet high and rests on a base The outstanding feature of the Memorial the massive seat. Twenty-eight large the wall above the statue is the inscrip­ Plans were submitted but no practical design and execute the murals for the end composed of three immense marble steps. is the statue of Abraham Lincoln, designed blocks of Georgia white marble compose tion: "In this temple as in the hearts of results appear to have been accomplished walls and the ornamentation on the bronze Masonry approaches from the direction and modeled by Daniel Chester French. the statue, which is 19 feet high from head the people for whom he saved the Union from this legislation. ceiling beams. The Memorial was dedi­ of the Washington Monument and the It is placed in the central hall of the to foot. The extreme width, including the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever." The next effort to secure authority from cated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1922. Capitol ascend a terrace retained by a Memorial where, by virtue of its imposing the drapery over the chair, is 19 feet. The Murals The two murals by Jules Guerin typify allegorically the principles which were evident in the life of Lincoln. They are affixed to the north and south walls above the Memorial addresses and are each 60 feet long and 12 feet high. The piece of canvas upon which each was painted weighed 600 pounds, and about 300 pounds of paint were used. The mural above the Gettysburg Address (south wall) centers around a group portraying Emancipation. An Angel of Truth is freeing a slave. To the left and right are groups typifying Justice and Immortality. Above the Second Inaugural Address (north wall) the mural has for its central theme Unity. An Angel of Truth is joining the hands of the laurel-crowned figures of North and South and is flanked by Fraternity (left group) and Charity.

Administration and Visitor Service The Lincoln Memorial is administered by the National Capital Parks for the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. All inquiries should be ad­ dressed to the Superintendent, National Capital Parks, Washington, D. C. This national memorial is open daily from 9 a. m. to 9:30 p. m., closing only on Christmas Day. Lincoln Memorial

WASHINGTON, D. C.

Washington Monument and Capitol from

south colonnade of Lincoln Memorial U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1941— O-326472 The Lincoln Statue by Daniel Chester French