U.S. landmarks may seem straightforward at first glance, with statues, memorials and towering tributes carrying clear-cut names and meanings. But often hidden within their marble walls and steel frames are secret details.
“Like a lot of things in history, small details overlooked by historians and scholars for the big stories provide a source of mysterious curiosities that seem to grab the attention of generation after generation,” says Laura Macaluso, a public historian who researches and writes about monuments. Here are some of the lesser-known details built into and left behind on some of America’s most iconic landmarks.
The Letters ‘EBL’ at the Lincoln Memorial
Carved into the north wall of the Lincoln Memorial are the initials “EBL.” They belong to Evelyn Beatrice Longman, the sculptor who designed the memorial’s ornamental border. Longman was the first woman sculptor elected as a full member of the National Academy of Design. Her initials are easy to miss but mark a rare recognition of a woman’s contribution to one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks.