https://mallhistory.org/files/original/3fcd8940cced19319d09b3cd4bdcb12c.jpg e5f0030016383c5ee7ae5d9020941a40 People An individual, biographical data, birth and death, etc. Biographical Text Although people had discussed the idea of a monument to George Washington since 1783 and especially after his death in 1799, nothing had been built as his 100th birthday approached in 1832. A group of Washington citizens came together to form the Washington National Monument Society with the intention of finally moving forward with a monument. The original Board of Managers were Daniel Brent, James Kearney, Joseph Gales, Joseph Gales Jr., William W. Seaton, George Watterston, John McClelland, Pishey Thompson, Thomas Carberry, and Peter Force. They solicited donations from the public and had raised $28,000 by 1836. From 1836 until the mid 1840s the Society held a design competition where American artists and architects could submit their ideas for the monument. They settled on a design by Robert Mills. In 1854, Congress transferred the land on the Mall to the Society so it could being construction, and the cornerstone was laid in July of that year. By 1854, however, the Society had run out of money. Attempts to raise funds from public donations or a Congressional appropriation met with little success. As the national centennial approached, pressure increased to complete the monument. Finally, in 1876, Congress passed a joint resolution taking charge of the completion of the monument. The Society ceded back the land on the Mall and acted as advisors to the Joint Committee in charge of completing construction. They helped review a number of proposed completion designs but ultimately decided on the obelisk we have today. The capstone of the monument was set in December 1884. Last Name for nav purposes Washington National Monument Society Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Washington National Monument Society Description An account of the resource Formed in 1833, the Washington National Monument Society took charge of creating a memorial to <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/152">George Washington</a> on the National Mall. They raised money through public donations and awarded the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/280">design contract </a>to architect <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/114">Robert Mills</a>. In 1854, Congress transferred the land on the Mall to the Society and the Monument <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/196">cornerstone was laid</a> in July of that year. The Society quickly ran out of money, however, and fundraising campaigns were unsuccessful. The Society returned the land and the unfinished monument to Congress in 1876, then serving as advisors to the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/281">Congressional committee charged with completing the Monument</a>. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. <a href="http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2006678338/">View original image.</a> Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1830-1859 1860-1889 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Washington National Monument Society building the mall design & monuments