On this day in 1884, the Washington monument, the 550-foot obelisk that stands in the middle of Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Mall was completed. Plans for the architectural tribute were started only 10 days after Washington’s death. Designers in competition for the design were challenged to reflect Washington’s “stupendousness and elegance.” The winning architect was Robert Mills from South Carolina.

Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, a former slave, made this Liberty Medallion quilt around 1870 in Washington, D.C. The 85.5” square silk quilt is pieced, appliqued and embroidered. It was documented by its owner during the Kentucky Quilt Project.

View this quilt on The Quilt Index to find out! Read more about its history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view or click the “See full record” link to see a larger image and all the data entered about that quilt.

Source:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/monument-to-washington-completed

Posted by Amy E. Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org