Strange Facts About The Washington Monument

Suicides, Know-Nothings, and One Bumbling Terrorist

WEIRD FACT ONE: Construction on the Washington Monument began in 1848. The Fourth of July cornerstone-laying ceremony was hosted by Freemasons. Washington was a member of this controversial secret society, adding further fuel to various one-world-government conspiracy theories both then and now.

WEIRD FACT TWO: The Washington National Monument was not completed until 1884; 30 years after the death of its architect, Robert Mills. The reasons for the long delay: funding money ran out several times; the Civil War broke out, disrupting all Washington DC construction; and the Know-Nothings took over the construction project.

WEIRD FACT THREE: Who are the Know-Nothings? Also known as the American Party, the Know-Nothings were a nativist political party established in the 1850's. They spouted an anti-immigrant and, in particular, anti-Catholic platform, believing yet one more conspiracy theory, this one accusing the Roman Pope and the rapidly growing Irish Catholic immigrant population of attempting to take over the United States.

The supposed origin of their nickname "Know-nothing" was that a member of this semi-secret organization, when asked about it, replied "I know nothing."

And what did the Know-Nothings have to do with the Washington Monument? When the Monument Committee ran out of funding, as they had before, they solicited money for inscribed stone blocks from donors that included American states, Indian tribes, foreign countries, and Pope Pius IX. The Vatican's marble block contribution, also known as "The Pope Stone", enraged the Know-Nothings to the point where they stole and then destroyed it. Some believe that the marble block was either smashed into pieces or dumped into the Potomac River.