The Washington Monument changes color about a third of the way up, and the line isn't dirt or a shadow. It marks where construction stopped for over two decades.

• ✓NPS: Washington Monument history, FAQ, construction timeline
• ✓USGS: Building Stones of Our Nation's Capital
• ✓LOC Brady-Handy LC-DIG-cwpbh-03248

The Washington Monument changes color about a third of the way up. It's not dirt, and it's not a shadow. The line runs level, all the way around, about 150 feet up. That's where work stopped in 1854. The money ran out, then came the Civil War. When Army engineers took over in 1878, they had to strengthen the foundation first. And the original Maryland quarry was no longer available. They tried marble from Massachusetts, but it arrived late and didn't match. After just four rows, they gave up on it. The rest came from another Maryland quarry, but the two marbles weathered differently. That line isn't dirt. It's where the monument sat unfinished for 26 years. Subscribe for a fact every day.