Lincoln Memorial Commission

Lincoln Memorial Commission. The Lincoln Memorial Commission was a federal body established by the United States Congress in 1911 to oversee the creation of a national monument to President Abraham Lincoln. Its primary responsibilities included selecting the site and design, managing the project's substantial budget, and coordinating the efforts of the nation's leading artists and architects. The commission's work culminated in the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922, a defining landmark on the National Mall in Washington, D.C..

History and establishment

The movement for a major memorial to Abraham Lincoln began shortly after his assassination in 1865, but concerted congressional action did not occur for decades. Following years of proposals and the establishment of other monuments like the Washington Monument, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a joint resolution in 1911 authorizing the formation of the commission. President William H. Taft signed the legislation, which charged the new body with the duty to "secure plans and designs" and "construct a memorial" worthy of the sixteenth president. This act followed the precedent of earlier commemorative bodies like the Commission of Fine Arts, reflecting the growing formalization of federal artistic oversight in the capital.

Membership and organization

The commission's membership, as stipulated by Congress, comprised prominent political and artistic leaders. Its first chairman was President William H. Taft, and after he ascended to the Chief Justiceship, leadership passed to later presidents including Warren G. Harding. Membership included key congressional figures such as Senator Shelby M. Cullom and Representative Joseph G. Cannon. The body worked closely with established advisory agencies, most notably the Commission of Fine Arts under the leadership of Daniel Burnham and later Charles Moore. The commission formally appointed the New York architectural firm of Henry Bacon as the principal architect and the sculptor Daniel Chester French for the central statue, relying on their esteemed reputations.

Design and construction oversight

After considering multiple proposals and sites, including Potomac Park, the commission approved Henry Bacon's neoclassical design inspired by the Parthenon in Athens. This choice aligned with the City Beautiful movement and the aesthetic preferences of the Commission of Fine Arts. The commission supervised all artistic elements, approving French's monumental seated statue of Lincoln and the interior murals by painter Jules Guerin. It managed the construction contract with the George A. Fuller Company, a major firm that had also worked on the Flatiron Building. The selection of materials, including Colorado Yule marble and Indiana limestone, and the integration of symbolic features like the 36 columns representing the states of the Union at Lincoln's death, were all under its purview.

Fundraising and financial management

Congress initially appropriated $300,000 for the project, but the final cost exceeded $3 million, requiring significant additional funding. The commission was responsible for securing these funds through subsequent legislative acts approved by presidents including Woodrow Wilson. It managed a complex budget covering expenses from land reclamation on the Potomac River marshlands to the intricate carving by the Piccirilli Brothers studio. Financial oversight involved close coordination with the Treasury Department and reporting to congressional committees like the Senate Committee on Appropriations, ensuring all expenditures were authorized for the monumental project.

Dedication and legacy

The commission presided over the memorial's dedication ceremony on May 30, 1922, a major national event. The principal address was delivered by Dr. Robert Russa Moton, president of the Tuskegee Institute, before a crowd that included President Warren G. Harding, Chief Justice William Howard Taft, and Lincoln's son, Robert Todd Lincoln. With its work complete, the commission was effectively dissolved, leaving the maintenance of the site to the War Department and later the National Park Service. The resulting Lincoln Memorial became an iconic symbol of the nation, later serving as the backdrop for historic events like the 1939 Marian Anderson concert and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963, cementing the commission's lasting impact on the American landscape.

Category:1911 establishments in Washington, D.C. Category:Defunct agencies of the United States government Category:Monuments and memorials in Washington, D.C. Category:Abraham Lincoln