Many Americans honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on Presidents’ Day, which falls on February 21 this year. Both of the former presidents were born in February. But this year’s celebration of Lincoln will last a lot longer. That’s because 2022 is the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Lincoln Memorial.
The monument is the most popular tourist site in Washington, D.C., with close to 8 million visitors in most years. It was built as a tribute to the 16th U.S. president, who led the nation during the Civil War (1861-1865).
The white marble monument is modeled after an ancient Greek temple. Construction of the Lincoln Memorial started in 1914 and took eight years to finish. It officially opened to the public in May 1922.
In honor of its 100th birthday, the landmark is getting a makeover. The updates include a new visitor space under the memorial—including views of graffiti left by construction workers a century ago.