DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL MONUMENT

The Presidential Monument is made of cast silicon bronze and polished granite. It stands 17 feet tall and weighs 27 tons.

Sculpted by Brett-Livingstone Strong, it depicts the American bald eagle with a wingspan of 13 feet, raising the American flag on a flagpole that is a spear of national strength. The bald eagle soars above the ground (representing the wildlife of the nation) and over a colorful Shield of Defense. The olive branch of peace and goodwill in the bird's left talon counter-balances the spear of might in the right talon.

Replicas of all the Presidents' signatures (and their dates of office), from George Washington on, appear on the Monument on a circular section of pure black granite, beneath the bronze bald eagle. President Clinton's signature will appear directly beneath the words: THE PRESIDENTS.

The base of the Monument has eight panels containing the Presidential Seal, each of the four pages of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, a crystal portrait of George Washington, and also a crystal portrait of the immediate past President. The reproductions of the documents are exact in size and detail, even including the tears in the pages and the stains and spills of ink from the quill pens.

The two Presidential portraits are etched into beveled crystal which is set into the polished black granite. Each Presidential portrait is the size of the Presidential Seal. The President's name is inlaid in gold, with a ring of stars and the words "President of the United States of America."

Presently, a second row of signatures appears in the black granite below the Presidential signatures containing the signers of the Constitution. Those names will be replaced one by one, over the course of the next two hundred years, with the names and terms of office of future Presidents.

The base of the Monument is sized to fit perfectly on the base of the fountain at the old ceremonial entrance to the White House which was the initially specified location for the Monument.

The interior of the Monument is a time capsule.