In 1854, work on the Washington Monument stalled at 156 feet. It stood unfinished for over two decades, and marble from 3 quarries still shows slightly different colors.

By 1854 the Washington Monument had reached 156 feet, then work stalled. It stood unfinished for more than two decades.

The monument was built in two phases, the National Park Service explains: a private phase from 1848 to 1854 and a public phase from 1876 to 1884. In between, funding ran out, and the nation's attention turned to the sectional crisis and then the Civil War.

A seam you can still see

When construction resumed, the original stone was no longer available. The builders tried a quarry in Massachusetts, then one near Baltimore. The stone never matched exactly, and the three slightly different colors from the three quarries are still distinguishable.

Completed in 1884 at 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches, it was the tallest building in the world.

In 1854, work on the Washington Monument stalled at 156 feet. It stood unfinished for over two decades, and marble from 3 quarries still shows slightly different colors.

A seam you can still see

More facts

The 19th Amendment, barring denial of the vote on account of sex, was first introduced in Congress in 1878. It was not ratified until August 18, 1920.

On May 23, 1934, Bonnie and Clyde were killed in a police ambush near Sailes, Louisiana, ending one of the biggest manhunts the nation had seen, the FBI says.

The statue inside the Lincoln Memorial is made of 28 pieces of marble. It stands 19 feet tall and weighs 120 tons, the National Park Service says.