The day after Pearl Harbor this is what the Lincoln Memorial looked like. Reminds me a little of what downtown Washington looked like the day after 9/11.

What a fascinating and bizarre old photo from 1923. You’ll clearly never see something like this again, not unlike the one we shared from the White House of an airplane taking off. Source: Library of Congress

is this one of the most impressive photos of the Lincoln Memorial? Source: Library of Congress 

GoDCers, can you help out? When do you think this image of the Lincoln Memorial was taken? Source: bluebird87

Check out this cool image from 1930. This is a military C-41 blimp floating near the Lincoln Memorial in honor of Abe Lincoln’s birthday. Also, you can check out film footage of this at Critical Past.

This is cool. It’s some old stock film footage of the Lincoln Memorial from 1939, courtesy of Archive.org. Source: Archive.org

This is a terrific old photo that we found on Flickr. It shows the Lincoln Memorial as viewed across the Memorial Bridge from Virginia. Source: Library of  Congress on Flickr

This is a great little find. We dug it up at the Boston Public Library (no, not actually in their building … on Flickr). Source: Boston Public Library

I’m busy watching playoff baseball (sadly, not our Nats) … cranking through the posts for next week and I wanted to share one immediately. Unfortunately, because of this government shutdown, you can’t replicate what this family is doing. Source: Boston Public Library

Here’s a terrific photo from the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. MLK is waving to the crowd from the Lincoln Memorial. Don’t forget to check out this amazing one from the same day.

This is what the Lincoln Memorial looked like in its early days. This photo is from 1917, during construction of the memorial. Source: Library of Congress Also, don’t forget to check out this post on the dedication of the memorial with Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd, in attendance.

Check out these great drawings that we dug up at the Library of Congress. These two sketches are early drawings by Henry Bacon, the architect of the Lincoln Memorial. Source: Library of Congress

What an incredible photograph. This is a shot over Lincoln’s left shoulder, down onto the massive crowd watching the “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Source: Shorpy

We were unaware. This is pretty cool, and it would be so cool to check it out. Have any GoDCers been lucky enough to visit the basement of the Lincoln Memorial? Source: Library of Congress Source: Library of Congress Source: Library of Congress

Here are a couple great photographs from the cornerstone laying of the Lincoln Memorial. The ceremony was held on February 15th, 1915.

I’m pissed that someone threw paint on the Lincoln Memorial. It is the most epic form of disrespect in recent memory. Why the hell would you desecrate the sacred memorial to Abraham Lincoln? Are you a Confederate rebel? On a more positive note, here is a great old image we dug up of an unvandalized […]

I took a trip down to the Lincoln Memorial this past weekend for the first time in quite a while. So, I thought it was appropriate to dig up an old photograph from the days when it was being built.

In 1912, these designs were proposed for the new Lincoln Memorial. They were never built.

Great photo. Speaks for itself. Sadly, no larger version. Thanks Smithsonian.

Here is a nice photo from the late 1920s of two young women skating on the reflecting pool, with the Lincoln Memorial in the background. I think it’s safe to say, this isn’t something you’re likely to see today.