Washington Monument State Park

Washington Monument State Park

This park is not named for the famous monument in Washington, D.C., but for a 34 feet tall tower on the peak of South Mountain. The rough stone tower was the first monument in the United States dedicated to George Washington.

Built in 1827, it was the first Washington monument completed. The Baltimore Washington Monument was completed two years later, although it had been started considerably earlier in 1815.

The stone tower was built and dedicated to the first president by the citizens of Boonsboro on July 4, 1827. but over the years, weather and vandalism reduced it to a pile of rubble. In 1882, the monument was restored, a canopy was added, and a roadway for vehicles was built up the mountainside to the site. A decade later the rugged tower was marred by the development of a crack in the wall.

Because it was not repaired, the monument again fell in ruins. The tower was rebuilt in 1934 when the site was declared a State Park. In 1920, the one acre site was purchased by the Washington County Historical Society, and in 1934 it was deeded to the State of Maryland for use as a State Park.

The tower was rebuilt in its present form by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, who set in place the original cornerstone and a facsimile of the dedication tablet.

Location

Four miles East of the Boonsboro
Washington County, Maryland
USA

Getting There

Washington Monument State Park is located in Maryland, USA, and is situated approximately 10 miles east of Hagerstown. Unfortunately, there are no public transportation options available to get directly to the park. The best way to reach the park is by car or taxi. However, there are some public transportation options to Hagerstown, which is the nearest city to the park. From Hagerstown, you can take a taxi or rental car to the park.

Greyhound and Maryland Transit Administration both offer bus services to Hagerstown. You can take a bus from various cities in Maryland, as well as from other states such as New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, to Hagerstown. The Hagerstown Regional Airport is also located nearby and offers flights from various cities across the country. Once you arrive in Hagerstown, you can rent a car or take a taxi to reach the Washington Monument State Park.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Maryland that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.