Continuing on my hunt for ‘Where has George Washington been” in Alexandria, Virginia (VA). My hunt takes me a street with a tower that has construction scaffolding around the building. The tower is part of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria VA. So, why care about another monument? Why care about, George Washington Masonic National Memorial?
George Washington Masonic National Memorial
If I flash back to colonial times, George Washington and the Mason’s led the fight for America’s freedom during colonial times. This movement later evolved and emancipated our country from England. Next, the founding Mason inner circle incorporated their values to forge our country’s values. They did this by incorporating their ‘Masonic values’ into our Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Our Rights, Liberty, and Freedom are based on Masonic principles.
To memorialize their heritage, Masons raised private donations to build the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Interestingly, in this time of government subsidies, private funding still pays for the Memorial.
As we all, reflect on the election, let’s focus on the peaceful transfer of power, a principle we each can demonstrate as we interact with those who disagree with our point of view. Let’s lead by example as our Founding Fathers did.
Now, fast forward to Mason’s today. As an act of service, the Mason’s along with other volunteers and contributors keep the monument open to the public seven days a week. Masons continue to serve.
Maybe most importantly, our founding father’s Masonic principles are still the basis of our American values. We cherish freedom and love liberty. And currently, Americans are the most generous people in the world.
More than a large memorial or museum
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is more than a large memorial and museum. The Memorial is a living history of the Freemasons’ service. Since colonial times, George Washington’s Masons provide community service. Therefore, because of their service, the Masons continue to impact all Americans.
The Tour
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is located in Alexandria, Virginia. It is easy to get to when you are in Virginia. My daughter and I saw the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in November. On this day, it was snowing lightly. The holiday decorations were on the trees in Alexandria. The Christmas lights lit the town at night, as the weather became cold and brisk.
If you decide to take the tour, the tour is excellent for solo female travelers, and travelers 50+. However, the memorial isn’t ideal for small children and crying babies. The reason why it’s less than ideal for children is because of the sound design. Since the building is designed to carry voices across the hall and chambers, it is very loud inside. So if your baby cries, it will be louder than every before. Therefore, it’s perfect for the hearing impaired.
During winter, it’s a beautiful building with historical displays, and the tower offers some of the best views of Alexandria.
Next, here are some photos through the glass as a light snow began to fall.
Unfortunately, Washington Monument in the distance is a little blurry. So sorry my camera couldn’t do justice to the view through the glass.
After reading about the Masons and taking the tour, I admire the Mason’s contributions to American society. We learned that the Mason philosophy and beliefs impact us today. Our Masonic founding fathers understood what America could be and would become eventually.
Masonic Artifacts
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This post was last modified on July 29, 2017 4:33 pm