The Lincoln Memorial, which alone had nearly 6.2 million visitors last
year, is not just the most visited presidential monument or memorial in
the country, but the most visited memorial or monument of any kind in
the country. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed some of the other memorials and
monuments devoted to the U.S. presidents. Each site gets an average of
more than 100,000 visitors each year, and combined, they get more than
13 million a year. Based on numbers from the National Park Service, 24/7
Wall St. reviewed the seven presidential monuments and memorials that
had the most visitors last year.
States Sending the Most People to Prison
While most presidents, particularly the famous ones, have several
historic visitor sites located all over the country, these are usually
located at places that are specifically notable to the life of the
president they are honoring. An example is the Abraham Lincoln
Birthplace National Historical Park, which gets more than 150,000
visitors each year.
These seven monuments and memorials, on the
other hand, are based primarily in Washington, D.C., where these men
served, and where a larger number of visitors can be expected. The top
five memorials are all located in Washington on or nearby the National
Mall.
Most of these monuments were built in the late 19th century or in the
first half of the 20th century. These monuments are all large, marble
structures with columns. The few built after the 1950s, including the
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Lyndon Baines Johnson
Memorial Grove, are less traditional. The FDR Memorial features a group
of statues forming a bread line, commemorating the president’s actions
during the Great Depression.
Combined, these memorials and monuments dedicated to presidents
account for close to half of the combined 30.5 million visitors to
national memorials and monuments each year. Other popular locations
include sites dedicated to wars, like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the
World War II Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. Martin Luther King
Jr.’s memorial also receives more than 2.6 million visitors each year.
The Most Corrupt Countries in the World
Based on the National Park
Service’s database of places, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the seven most
popular memorials dedicated to presidents. To make the list, the site
needed to receive more than 100,000 visitors each year, based on a
five-year average between 2008 and 2012.
7. General Grant National Memorial
> Cornerstone laid: 1891
> Construction compete: 1897
> Cost to build: $600,000
> Admission fee: None
> Average annual visitors (2008-2012): 101,832