Washington Monument
Memorial stones
### Memorial stones

[thumb\|upright\=1\|alt\=Photo of the Washington Monument Memorial Stone from Utah (State of Deseret)\|Memorial stone from [Utah](/wiki/Utah "Utah"), representing the former provisional [State of Deseret](/wiki/State_of_Deseret "State of Deseret")](/wiki/File:Washington_Monument_Deseret_Stone_in_2000.jpg "Washington Monument Deseret Stone in 2000.jpg")
States, cities, foreign countries, benevolent societies, other organizations, and individuals have contributed 194 memorial stones, all inserted into the east and west interior walls above stair landings or levels for easy viewing, except one on the south interior wall between stairs that is difficult to view. The sources disagree on the number of stones for two reasons: whether one or both "height stones" are included, and stones not yet on display at the time of a source's publication cannot be included. The "height stones" refer to two stones that indicate height: during the first phase of construction a stone with an inscription that includes the phrase "from the foundation to this height 100 feet" () was installed just below the  stairway and high above the  stairway; during the second phase of construction a stone with a horizontal line and the phrase "top of statue on Capitol" was installed on the  level.

The *Historic Structure Report* (HSR, 2004\) named 194 "memorial stones" by level, including both height stones. Jacob (2005\) described in detail and pictured 193 "commemorative stones", including the  stone but not the [Capitol](/wiki/United_States_Capitol "United States Capitol") stone.Judith M. Jacob, [*The Washington Monument: A technical history and catalog of the commemorative stones*](http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/wamo/stones.pdf) , 2005\. The *Historic American Buildings Survey* (HABS, 1994\) showed the location of 193 "memorial stones" but did not describe or name any. HABS showed both height stones but did not show one stone not yet installed in 1994\. Olszewski (1971\) named 190 "memorial stones" by level, including the Capitol stone but not the 100\-foot stone. Olszewski did not include three stones not yet installed in 1971\.

Of 194 stones, 94 are marble, 40 are granite, 29 are limestone, 8 are sandstone, with 23 miscellaneous types, including stones with two types of material and those whose materials are not identified. Unusual materials include [native copper](/wiki/Native_copper "Native copper") ([Michigan](/wiki/Michigan "Michigan")), [pipestone](/wiki/Catlinite "Catlinite") ([Minnesota](/wiki/Minnesota "Minnesota")), [petrified wood](/wiki/Petrified_wood "Petrified wood") ([Arizona](/wiki/Arizona "Arizona")), and [jadeite](/wiki/Jadeite "Jadeite") ([Alaska](/wiki/Alaska "Alaska")). The stones vary in size from about  square ([Carthage](/wiki/Carthage "Carthage")) to about  ([Philadelphia](/wiki/Philadelphia "Philadelphia") and New York City).

[Utah](/wiki/Utah "Utah") contributed one stone as a territory and another as a state, both with inscriptions that include its pre\-territorial name, [Deseret](/wiki/State_of_Deseret "State of Deseret"), both located on the  level.

A stone at the  level of the monument is inscribed in  (My Language, My Country, My Nation, Welsh forever). The stone, imported from Wales, was donated by Welsh citizens of [New York](/wiki/New_York_%28state%29 "New York (state)").*[The Cambrian](https://books.google.com/books?id=cXgOAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Fy+iaith%22&pg=RA1-PA139)*, vol. XVII, p. 139\. 1897\. Two other stones were presented by the Sunday Schools of the [Methodist Episcopal](/wiki/Methodist_Episcopal "Methodist Episcopal") Church in New York and the Sabbath School children of the Methodist Episcopal Church in [Philadelphia](/wiki/Philadelphia "Philadelphia")—the former quotes from the Bible verse Proverbs 10:7, "The memory of the just is blessed".

[Ottoman](/wiki/Ottoman_Empire "Ottoman Empire") [Sultan](/wiki/Sultan "Sultan") [Abdul Mejid I](/wiki/Abdul_Mejid_I "Abdul Mejid I") donated $30,000 toward the construction of the Washington monument. The Sultans' donation was the largest single donation toward the building of the Washington Monument. The Sultan's intention was to bridge peace between the Ottomans and the Americans. The stone containing the [Turkish](/wiki/Ottoman_Turkish "Ottoman Turkish") inscriptions commemorating this event is on the  level. The abbreviated translation of the inscriptions states, "So as to strengthen the friendship between the two countries. Abdul\-Mejid Kahn has also had his name written on the monument to Washington." It combines the works of two eminent [calligraphers](/wiki/Islamic_calligraphy "Islamic calligraphy"): an imperial *[tughra](/wiki/Tughra "Tughra")* by [Mustafa Rakım](/wiki/Mustafa_R%C3%A2kim "Mustafa Râkim")'s student Haşim Efendi, and an inscription in *jalī ta'līq* script by [Kazasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi](/wiki/Kazasker_Mustafa_Izzet_Efendi "Kazasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi"), the calligrapher who wrote the giant medallions at [Hagia Sophia](/wiki/Hagia_Sophia "Hagia Sophia") in [Istanbul](/wiki/Istanbul "Istanbul").[Kadiasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi (1801–1876\)](https://web.archive.org/web/20110119073113/http://calligrapher.wordpress.com/2007/04/06/kadiasker-mustafa-izzet-efendi-1801-%E2%80%93-1876-2/) *Journal of Ottoman Calligraphy*

One stone was donated by the [Ryukyu Kingdom](/wiki/Ryukyu_Kingdom "Ryukyu Kingdom") and brought back by Commodore [Matthew C. Perry](/wiki/Matthew_C._Perry "Matthew C. Perry"),Kerr, George H. *Okinawa: The History of an Island People*. (revised ed.) Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2003\. p337n. but never arrived in Washington (it was replaced in 1989\).
Many of the stones donated for the monument carried inscriptions that did not commemorate George Washington. For example, one from the [Templars of Honor and Temperance](/wiki/Templars_of_Honor_and_Temperance "Templars of Honor and Temperance") stated "We will not make, buy, sell, or use as a beverage, any spiritous or malt liquors, Wine, Cider, or any other Alcoholic Liquor." (George Washington himself had owned a whiskey distillery which operated at [Mount Vernon](/wiki/Mount_Vernon "Mount Vernon") after he left the presidency.)


Did George Washington ever visit or have direct involvement with the Ryukyu Kingdom?