The Washington Monument was once the world’s tallest building, but is now the tallest free-standing masonry structure. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is currently the tallest free-standing structure, with much debate over what constitutes a building versus a structure. Other odd “tallest” winners include the Great Pyramid of Giza, Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe, and Valle de […]
The Washington Monument is a well-known monument in Washington, DC, built to commemorate George Washington. Designed by Robert Mills, construction began in 1848 and was completed in 1884. It is 555 feet tall, with 900 steps to the top. The monument is open to the public and welcomes over half a million visitors annually. The […]
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the Hudson River, connecting Manhattan Island to northeastern New Jersey. Designed by Othmar Ammann, it features two steel towers and four main cables. Construction began in 1927 and it opened in 1931. The upper level has eight lanes of traffic and the lower level has […]
The George Washington Carver Museum in Dothan, Alabama honors African American inventors, explorers, and scientists, including George Washington Carver himself. Exhibits showcase early black invention in the Southern US, scientific contributions, and explorations. The museum also highlights the inventions of numerous black inventors, including the blood bank, the lawn mower, and the refrigerator. Carver’s work […]
Peyton Randolph was the first elected president of the Continental Congress, preceding George Washington as the first official president of the United States. The position was largely ceremonial and had no relation to the current office of the US president. Randolph died before the Declaration of Independence and was Thomas Jefferson’s first cousin. He was […]
George Washington provided each Continental Army soldier with a daily ration of one pound of bread, half a pound of beef and half a pound of pork, one pint of milk or a half a cup of rice, one quart of beer, and a half cup of peas or beans. The American Revolution depleted the […]
George Washington Carver was an African American scientist born into slavery in the 19th century. He was raised by his owners, who encouraged his intellectual pursuits. He studied agriculture and became a teacher in Tuskegee, Alabama, where he helped poor farmers improve their crops and lives. He discovered over 100 uses for sweet potatoes and […]
George Washington’s plantation manager convinced him to start a whiskey distillery at Mount Vernon, which became very profitable. The whiskey produced was not aged and intended for an ordinary clientele. The distillery was refurbished in 2009 and still uses 18th-century methods. America’s first president was 65 when his eight years in office came to an […]
George Washington was the first US president, a planter and land surveyor. He supported the American Revolutionary War, helped draft the Constitution, established an executive department, and signed the Jay Treaty. He owned slaves but never sold them and left a statement declaring them free after his wife’s death. He died of pneumonia and is […]
Washington Irving was a 19th-century American author known for his short stories “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle.” He also wrote essays, biographies, and historical works, and worked as a lawyer and diplomat in England and Spain. Irving achieved critical acclaim overseas and influenced later American authors. He was born in Manhattan […]
