Inspired by the beauty and proportions of classic Greek temples, Henry Bacon designed the Lincoln Memorial in 1912. The marble, granite, and limestone structure features 36 Doric columns, each of which represents a state of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death in 1865. The columns surround a central chamber in which sits a majestic, 19 foot tall statue of Lincoln, designed by Daniel Chester French. Carved above Lincoln is the inscription, "In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever." The Memorial was dedicated on Lincoln's birthday, February 12th, in 1922. Years later, during the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. chose this inspirational setting to deliver his unforgettable "I Have a Dream" speech. Our Lincoln Memorial is decorated in opal lacquers and hologram glitter. Tiny crystals adorn the center of each bow motif at the top of the memorial.
