The Washington Monument and Mount Vernon Place with Their Rich History Have an Important Place in the Cultural Development of Baltimore and the Nation.
For over two-hundred years, Mount Vernon Place has contributed to life in the city of Baltimore. When a group of private Baltimore citizens came together in 1809 to erect the first monument to George Washington in the country, they likely did not know that its construction in the woods of Revolutionary War hero John Eager Howard’s Belvidere estate, would reorient the development of their city, and create a place as unique as Mount Vernon Place.
For two centuries residents and visitors have toured the Monument and climbed to its top, and the surrounding squares of Mount Vernon Place have hosted important civic events. Explore its history through the following resources.