Washington Monument State Park

Washington Monument State Park is a public recreation area located approximately 4mi east of Boonsboro, Maryland. The park preserves the Washington Monument, a 40ft tower honoring George Washington, the first President of the United States. The monument, which sits near the summit of South Mountain's Monument Knob, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The park is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.HistoryBuilt in 1827, the original tower was the first monument dedicated to George Washington to be completed. The Baltimore Washington Monument was completed two years later, although it had been started considerably earlier in 1815. The famous Washington Monument in the District of Columbia was not completed until 1885.The dry-laid stone tower was built on July 4, 1827, by the citizens of Boonsboro who marched to the site en masse after assembling in the town square at 7 a.m. At the end of that day, the tower stood at high on a base 54ft in circumference. Later that year, "after the busy season", workmen returned to complete the tower to a height of 30ft.