Emblem of Freemasonry / Groundbreaking

The square, compass, and letter "G" are the standard emblem of American Freemasonry. The square teaches Masons to be honest and true in their actions, the compass teaches them to circumscribe their desires and act in moderation, and the "G" represents geometry and is an initial for a name of Deity, expressing that just as geometry is central to understanding the physical world, so is God central to Masons' lives. In 1922 construction began on the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. A year later the Masonic Grand Lodge of Virginia conducted its cornerstone ceremony with more than 12,000 Freemasons from every corner of America attending. Work continued through the 1920s as Freemasons' donations grew. When completed in 1932, the 333 foot high Memorial cost nearly $4 million. In the 1920s, it stood on the edge of Old Town Alexandria near the main railroad line, where thousands of passengers passed by every day, while steam locomotives delivered millions of tons of granite, steel, and machinery to the job site during construction.

Alexandria, Virginia · United States