Linked in Memory

Near the center of Washington Square stands a statue of George Washington keeping vigil at the tomb of an unknown soldier who died during the War for Independence. Revolution linked them in life, and this shrine joins them in memory. In 1825, the city renamed its five public squares, and this one became Washington Square. Organizers raising money for a suitable monument hoped for success as the 1832 centennial of Washington's birth approached. They laid a cornerstone in 1833 but failed to raise enough money for a statue, and success did not come for more than a century. A new drive begun in 1953 finally funded the joint memorial seen today.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States