George Washington Masonic National Memorial
| George Washington Masonic National Memorial | |
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 Location within Alexandria, Virginia
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| General information | |
| Type | Museum, observation |
| Location | 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 38°48′27″N 77°03′58″W / 38.80748°N 77.06598°WCoordinates: 38°48′27″N 77°03′58″W / 38.80748°N 77.06598°W |
| Construction started | June 5, 1922 |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Opening | May 12, 1932 |
| Cost | $600 million |
| Owner | George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association |
| Height | |
| Roof | 333 ft (101 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 9 |
| Lifts/elevators | 2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Harvey Wiley Corbett of Helmle & Corbett |
| Structural engineer | Osgood & Osgood, Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Main contractor | Percy Cranford Co., Washington, D.C. |
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George Washington Masonic National Memorial
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Location in Virginia
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| NRHP Reference # | 15000622 |
| Designated NHL | July 21, 2015 |
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is a Masonic building and memorial located in Alexandria, Virginia, outside Washington, D.C. It is dedicated to the memory of George Washington, the first President of the United States and a Mason. The tower is fashioned after the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt. The 333-foot (101 m) tall memorial sits atop Shooter's Hill (also known as Shuter's Hill) at 101 Callahan Drive. Construction began in 1922, the building was dedicated in 1932, and the interior finally completed in 1970. In July 2015, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
The memorial is served by the King Street – Old Town Metro station on the Blue and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro. The station is located about four blocks from the memorial.
The idea to construct a Masonic memorial for George Washington was first proposed in 1852 by the Washington area's "mother lodge," Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 (located in Fredericksburg, Virginia). Funds were sought from Grand Lodges (state-level Masonic organizations) throughout the United States to construct a memorial Masonic Temple with a large statue in the vestibule. Enough funds were raised to commission a life-size bronze statue of Washington in full Masonic regalia from a sculptor named Powers who was living in Rome, Italy. The statue reached Alexandria in early 1861, just before the outbreak of the American Civil War. It remained on display in Alexandria until the summer of 1863, when it was moved to Richmond, Virginia. The statue was destroyed in the fire which occurred as Richmond surrendered to the Army of the Potomac on April 3, 1865.
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