Historic Yorktown

— Colonial National Historical Park —

"Resolved, That ? Congress ? will cause to be erected at York, in Virginia, a marble column, adorned with emblems of the alliance between the United States and his Most Christian Majesty; and inscribed with a succinct narrative of the surrender of Earl Cornwallis to his excellency General George Washington ? to his excellency the Count de Rochambeau ? and his excellency the Count de Grasse ?." Journals of Congress, October 29, 1781

Just 10 days after the victory at Yorktown, the Continental Congress directed a monument be built to commemorate the siege and the American-French alliance. However, funds were not legislated for its construction until 1880, as the continental anniversary of the battle approached.

A congressional committee of legislators from the original 13 colonies delegated oversight of the project to the Secretary of War, who in turn, chose architects, Richard M. Hunt and Henry Van Brunt, and sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward to design the new monument. The country's spirit of reconciliation in the aftermath of the Civil War affected the design, as evidenced by the inscription, "One Country, One Constitution, One Destiny" on the monument's shaft.

On October 18, 1881, the cornerstone for the monument was dedicated during events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the siege.

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Show me all markers in:  Yorktown, VA  |  York County  |  23690  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

Yorktown
Yorktown Victory Monument
Monument to the Alliance and Victory
Tobacco Road
Home of Thomas Nelson
Yorktown
Dudley Digges House, circa 1760
Yorke Village
Cornwallis Headquarters
Yorktown's Sunken Fleet

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