History

Dedicated to George Washington, the first president of the United States, the large monument in the heart of the city of Baltimore was the first heroic and civic monument of its kind for the nation. Designed by Robert Mills, the monument took only fifteen years to build, with construction starting in 1815 and completing in 1829.

Centered on a large traffic circle and lined with marble pavers, the monument is comprised of a square ground-level building from which a Doric-style column rises 178 feet. Poised on top of the column is a colossal statue of George Washington. Ascending the winding 228 marble steps to the observational level at the top of the column, visitors can enjoy 360-degree views of the city.

In preparation for the 200th anniversary of the inception of the mounment, the City of Baltimore developed a partnership with the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy to address the much needed repairs and maintenance of the structure.

Description

Worcester Eisenbrandt, Inc. (WEI) restoration scope included repointing the entire exterior, select repointing of the interior, cleaning the marble, removing and reinstalling the pavers, and performing additional stone repairs. Worcester Eisenbrandt, Inc Conservators were involved with quality control and documentation of conditions, material testing, mock-up design, in addition to performing condition assessment and treatment of the statue at the top of the monument.