The "Some United States History With A Twist!" Story

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, District of Columbia

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at photos of one of my favorite monuments in Washington, D.C., the Lincoln Memorial.  "The Lincoln" stands at the west end of the National Mall as a monument to America's 16th President, Abraham Lincoln.  

The Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial

In front of the Lincoln Memorial are reflecting pools with paths that you can walk around the pools as well as relax under the shade trees along th paths.  The reflecting pool in the front of the Lincoln Memorial was designed by Henry Bacon and was constructed in 1922 into 1923.  It was recently renovated and reopened in 2012.  

The statue of President Abraham Lincoln with the Gettysburg Address behind him

The actual statue of Abraham Lincoln was carved by the Piccirilli brothers under the supervision of sculptor Daniel Chester French.  If you have ever walked around the base of the Lincoln Memorial you more than likely felt dwarfed by the 38 massive marble columns that are seven feet in diameter and reach 44 feet into the sky.  Mr. Bacon tried to make it appear like a Greek temple.  The Lincoln Memorial continues to be a symbol of freedom and is the site of large gatherings and protests in Washington, D.C.  But, don't be alarmed with the large crowds or the size of the monument as you stand beneath it, since you can still feel alone with Abe if you care to stand at the foot of his seat.  The sculpture weighs 175 tons and is made of Tennessee marble and took four years to complete.

President Abraham Lincoln stands watch at his monument.  This sculpture weighs 175 tons!

 The statue is accompanied by inscriptions of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and one of his most famous speeches, the Second Inaugural Address.  When the Monument was finally opened to the public, President Lincoln's son Robert Todd Lincoln helped commissioning President William H. Taft in dedicating the Lincoln Memorial.  

Visitors are dwarfed by the immense size of the statue of President Abraham Lincoln.

The star of the Memorial naturally is President Lincoln sitting in a chair and looking out with a stern face at the public who are staring back at him.  I have read that there is one very unusual feature that you may be able to see if you stand to the side of the memorial and look at the back of the head President Lincoln.  

Can you see Robert E. Lee on the left of this photograph?
Dead center, looking left, is his nose!  How good is your imagination?

Hidden in the carved locks of the President can be seen the face of his nemesis, Robert E. Lee who appears to be looking toward his old home on the other side of the Potomac River.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.