Construction proceeded slowly after the cornerstone was laid.
 This was because construction stopped every winter to ensure that the memorial remained free of moisture, frost damage, and the effects of cooling (to improve the fit between stones).
The Helmle & Corbett architectural firm did an extensive study of stone buildings in Europe, and determined that working during good weather was the best way to construct a durable building.
During 1923, the GWMNMA raised another $500,000 in cash donations, which brought the total received to $2 million.
The granite for the memorial came from quarries in New Hampshire, and was provided by the Maine & New Hampshire Granite Corp. Some of these blocks were as much as 20 feet (6.1 m) long.

By the time of the GWMNMA's annual meeting in February 1924, construction on the first floor was almost complete.
The first five terraces above the street (the "lower terrace") were built using Potomac bluestone for the walls, while the walks were graveled.
The topmost sixth terrace (the "upper terrace", which encircled the building and its main entrance) was constructed with Conway Pink Granite for a base.
The base was 13.875 feet (4.229 m) high and 3.33 feet (1.01 m) thick.
 The upper portion of this wall was concrete.
More than 2,200 cubic yards (1,700 m³) of concrete and 60 short tons (54 t) of steel reinforcing bars were used in this part of the wall.
The GWMNMA believed that the second floor would be finished by the end of the construction season in the fall of 1924, and that the entire structure would be done by late 1927 or early 1928.
The association also decided that a statue of Washington should be placed in the memorial atrium, and that this statue should be a marble copy of Jean-Antoine Houdon's 1788 statue of George Washington (which stood in the rotunda of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond).
In May 1924, the GWMNMA resodded the terrace and spent $6,000 on a new gateway and entrance to the memorial at the foot of Shooter's Hill.

The 1924 construction year ended in December with the installation of eight green marble columns (each weighing 11 to 18 short tons (10.0 to 16.3 t)) in the first floor atrium.
Each column was 18 feet (5.5 m) high and 4.5 feet (1.4 m) in diameter, and arrived at Alexandria's Union Station by train from Redstone, New Hampshire.
One columnar section was damaged, and given to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
The VFW turned it into a memorial to American war dead, and erected it in front of Alexandria's Union Station.
In December 1924, it was estimated that the building would be complete in three to six years.

Work on the building slowed in 1925 due to the difficult nature of completing the roof and raising the tower.
About 5,500 cubic feet (160 m³) of pink Conway granite (also quarried near Redstone) was received in May 1925 and used to build the memorial hall on the second floor.
The walls of the hall were already 32 feet (9.8 m) high, and about 14 feet (4.3 m) of granite needed to be raised on the northeast and south sides of the hall to complete them. (
They were 50 feet (15 m) when finished in December 1925.)
Sixteen columns of St. Genevieve marble, quarried in Missouri, were procured and placed around the perimeter of the second floor auditorium to help support the auditorium roof.
Each column was 18.5 feet (5.6 m) high and 2.3 feet (0.70 m) in diameter, and weighed 56 short tons (51 t).
Once the columns were in place, a jack arch was constructed above them.
 The arch had two cross-members (each consisting of five stones weighing a total of 70 short tons (64 t)) supported by four 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide, 50 feet (15 m) long steel rods placed in shallow grooves on the underside.
The GWMNMA anticipated spending $595,000 in construction funds in 1925, and raised another $500,000 in cash donations.

In 1926, the GWMNMA appropriated another $500,000 to continue construction on the memorial.
The first event held in the memorial was the February 22, 1926, GWMNMA annual meeting.
The group reported that $2 million in cash donations had b
Construction proceeded slowly after the cornerstone was laid.  This was because construction stopped every winter to ensure that the memorial remained free of moisture, frost damage, and the effects of cooling (to improve the fit between stones). The Helmle & Corbett architectural firm did an extensive study of stone buildings in Europe, and determined that working during good weather was the best way to construct a durable building. During 1923, the GWMNMA raised another $500,000 in cash donations, which brought the total received to $2 million. The granite for the memorial came from quarries in New Hampshire, and was provided by the Maine & New Hampshire Granite Corp. Some of these blocks were as much as 20 feet (6.1 m) long.
By the time of the GWMNMA's annual meeting in February 1924, construction on the first floor was almost complete. The first five terraces above the street (the "lower terrace") were built using Potomac bluestone for the walls, while the walks were graveled. The topmost sixth terrace (the "upper terrace", which encircled the building and its main entrance) was constructed with Conway Pink Granite for a base. The base was 13.875 feet (4.229 m) high and 3.33 feet (1.01 m) thick.  The upper portion of this wall was concrete. More than 2,200 cubic yards (1,700 m³) of concrete and 60 short tons (54 t) of steel reinforcing bars were used in this part of the wall. The GWMNMA believed that the second floor would be finished by the end of the construction season in the fall of 1924, and that the entire structure would be done by late 1927 or early 1928. The association also decided that a statue of Washington should be placed in the memorial atrium, and that this statue should be a marble copy of Jean-Antoine Houdon's 1788 statue of George Washington (which stood in the rotunda of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond). In May 1924, the GWMNMA resodded the terrace and spent $6,000 on a new gateway and entrance to the memorial at the foot of Shooter's Hill.
The 1924 construction year ended in December with the installation of eight green marble columns (each weighing 11 to 18 short tons (10.0 to 16.3 t)) in the first floor atrium. Each column was 18 feet (5.5 m) high and 4.5 feet (1.4 m) in diameter, and arrived at Alexandria's Union Station by train from Redstone, New Hampshire. One columnar section was damaged, and given to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). The VFW turned it into a memorial to American war dead, and erected it in front of Alexandria's Union Station. In December 1924, it was estimated that the building would be complete in three to six years.
Work on the building slowed in 1925 due to the difficult nature of completing the roof and raising the tower. About 5,500 cubic feet (160 m³) of pink Conway granite (also quarried near Redstone) was received in May 1925 and used to build the memorial hall on the second floor. The walls of the hall were already 32 feet (9.8 m) high, and about 14 feet (4.3 m) of granite needed to be raised on the northeast and south sides of the hall to complete them. (They were 50 feet (15 m) when finished in December 1925.) Sixteen columns of St. Genevieve marble, quarried in Missouri, were procured and placed around the perimeter of the second floor auditorium to help support the auditorium roof. Each column was 18.5 feet (5.6 m) high and 2.3 feet (0.70 m) in diameter, and weighed 56 short tons (51 t). Once the columns were in place, a jack arch was constructed above them.  The arch had two cross-members (each consisting of five stones weighing a total of 70 short tons (64 t)) supported by four 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide, 50 feet (15 m) long steel rods placed in shallow grooves on the underside. The GWMNMA anticipated spending $595,000 in construction funds in 1925, and raised another $500,000 in cash donations.
In 1926, the GWMNMA appropriated another $500,000 to continue construction on the memorial. The first event held in the memorial was the February 22, 1926, GWMNMA annual meeting. The group reported that $2 million in cash donations had b
George Washington Masonic National Memorial