The Jefferson Memorial History

Overview
The Jefferson Memorial honors Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, first secretary of state, and third president of the United States. Located on the Tidal Basin next to the National Mall in Washington, DC, the memorial's circular, colonnaded structure that is modeled after the Roman Pantheon.

Architect John Russell Pope designed the building. Inside the structure, a 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson stand at the center.

The corner stone was layed in November 1939, the monument was officially dedicated in April 1943.

History 
In June 1934, Congress passed an act to created the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission to direct the erection of a monument to Thomas Jefferson. The present day location at the Tidal basin was selected in 1937.

Placement of the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin, directly south of the White House and Washington monument created a north-south axis that complemented the east-west axis that existed among the Capitol, Washington Monument and Lincoln memorial.

Pope's design drew sharp criticism from modernist adherents who argued that building Greek and Roman edifices in the 20th century constituted a tired architectural lie. Composed of circular marble steps, a portico, a circular colonnade of Ionic order columns, and a shallow dome, the building is modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. Architect John Russell Pope used Jefferson's own architectural tastes in Roman Architecture a style that Jefferson introduced to the country to create the building. The memorial clearly exhibits the characteristics of buildings designed by Jefferson including Monticello and the Rotunda at University of Virginia. Pope intended to imbue the memorial with a synthesis of Jefferson's contribution as a statesman, architect, president, University of Virginia founder. Upon the death of Pope in August of 1937, Architects Daniel O Higgins and Ottio Eggers took over supervision of the design and construction of the building.

On November 15, 1939, President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the memorial. Danby Imperial marble from Vermont was used for ther the exterior walls and columns, Tennessee pink marble for the interior floor, Georgian white marble for the interior wall panels, and Missouri gray marble for the pedestal.

The interior of the memorial features a 19 foot (5.8 m) tall, 10,000 pound (5 ton) bronze statue of Jefferson by sculptor Rudulph Evans. Added four years after the dedication, the statue represents the Age of Enlightenment and Jefferson as a philosopher and statesman.(With metal rationed during the Second World War, a plaster statue of Jefferson was initially used. After the war, the plaster statue was replaced by a 19ft / 6m tall statue in bronze.)

The interior walls hold four inscription panels presenting excerpts from Jefferson's writing on freedom, education, and the need for change in the laws and institutions of democracy. 

Officially dedicated on April 13, 1943--the 200th anniversary of Jefferson birthday, the monument had a construction cost of slightly more than $3 million.

Each year the Jefferson Memorial is the site of various ceremonies, including Easter Sunrise Services and the popular Cherry Blossom Festival.