Why is it called the Washington Monument and not Washington Memorial?

Why is it Washington Monument and not Washington Memorial? - By Rashid Fehmi

When you land at Washington Reagan International it is hard to miss the sight of the great Washington Monument.  Waiting for our flight to depart we could see the planes passing the monument, although the distance between the plane and the monument was not to be worried about but from a distance it looked much closer.  

Construction started in 1848 and had to be halted due to lack of funds.  It was not till 1888 that the monument was officially opened.  When opened it was the tallest obelisk structure standing at close to 555 feet.  The initial drawings for the monument were very different.  Nothing happened for over 22 years when the construction was stopped and it was not clear how and when the monument will be finished.

From a distance it is not that obvious but as you get closer to the monument you can see the difference in the marble color.  

Or one would say Before and After.

This is what the monument looked like when the construction was stopped.  Since 22 years passed it was difficult to match the color of the marble, so the nearest possible marble was used.

When you look closely it is easy to visualize the portion that became the base for the final tower.

Now to the question as to why is it a Monument and not a Memorial.  General consensus is that there is no Washington Statue or Memorial at the site, so it is known as Washington Monument.  There is also an argument that, on September 23, 1835, the board of managers of the society that was working on building a monument described their expectations:

It is proposed that the contemplated monument shall be like him in whose honor it is to be constructed, unparalleled in the world, and commensurate with the gratitude, liberality, and patriotism of the people by whom it is to be erected ... [It] should blend stupendousness with elegance, and be of such magnitude and beauty as to be an object of pride to the American people, and of admiration to all who see it. Its material is intended to be wholly American, and to be of marble and granite brought from each state, that each state may participate in the glory of contributing material as well as in funds to its construction.

As the idea of some kind of monument had started while George Washington was alive, even though construction did not start almost 49 years after his death, the site is known as a monument as it was contemplated.  If contemplated after the death then it would have been a memorial.  

Foe people planning a trip any time soon - do not expect to get into the monument as the elevator is being replaced.  The interior has an iron stair well that people have been climbing.  But the Park Management has decided against allowing the public to walk up the stair wells.  

Plan is to re-open the monument sometime in Spring of 2019.  Tickets to the monument sell out online so please plan your trip well in advance so as not to be disappointed when you get to the monument.  Check Parks and Services Website

Whether you are able to get to the top or not just being near this Majestic Structure over looking the Capitol is a beauty and is an admiration for all who see it. 

Want to read about African American Museum click here

https://shebaskitchen.blogspot.com/2018/12/african-american-museum-written-and.html