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The Monument

The Story of Our Rising Star

An illustration of the San Jacinto Monument

None higher

The world’s tallest war memorial, the San Jacinto Monument at 567.31 ft. is nearly 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument. Learn how wily Jesse H. Jones outfoxed the Feds to achieve this feat.

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Ultimate Lone Star

The 34-ft-tall star weighs a whopping 220 tons! It was built in situ, and the entire process took twenty days. Not one of the star’s stones is plumb or level due to its iconic shape.

The Eye of Texas

Experience one spectacular view like no other from the live Monument Cam overlooking the Houston Ship Channel. Provided by EarthCam.

Room With a View

A photo showing a viewing telescope within the room with a view

Stand beneath the massive Lone Star of Texas and witness what its heroes created. Enjoy a 360° view of the battlefield and drop 50¢ into one of our telescope viewers to zoom in to this historic site.

Happy anniversary!

The Monument was begun in 1936 to commemorate the centennial of Sam Houston’s defeat of the Mexican army on April 21, 1836, which made Texas a free and independent republic ten years before joining the United States of America.

What a Bargain

W. S. Bellows Construction Company of Dallas and Houston submitted the winning bid for the monument’s construction — $888,300. That’s over 22 million in today’s dollars!

Grande Pour

The continuous pour of the monument’s base took 5,700 cubic yards of concrete. 150 men worked round the clock for 57 hours in eight-hour shifts and consumed 3,800 sandwiches and 5,700 cups of coffee. Only 35 of the men had ever worked in construction before.

Made in the Mesozoic

A close up photo of Texas Cordova shellstone

The Texas Cordova shellstone which forms the walls of the Monument was formed over 105,000,000 years ago. The stone is known geologically as “Whitestone Lentil.”

Moderne Friezes

The 8 carved panels around the bottom of the shaft depict important moments in the history of Texas. The Art Moderne-style monument’s base is inscribed with the story of the War of Texas Independence, writ large in less than 600 words.

The Star Attraction

On April 20-21, 1939, the Monument was dedicated to the heroes who fought at San Jacinto and elsewhere to gain Texas’s independence. Over 1,000,000 people visited the museum in its first three years, averaging more than 1,000 visitors a day in 1941.

Texian Battle Flags

Flying over the battlefield are the 6 battle flags of the Texas Revolution. While San Jacinto and the Alamo are the most famous battles, there are stories to be told in Gonzales, Goliad, San Felipe de Austin, and Washington-on-the-Brazos.

View from the Top

A webcam atop the San Jacinto Monument streams live images of the Reflection Pool and the bustling Houston Ship Channel as it passes through La Porte, Texas. The Eye of Texas is upon you, courtesy of EarthCam.

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Bigger in Texas

Today, the world's tallest war memorial stands at San Jacinto, honoring all those who fought for Texas's independence. Here's how it compares to some other well-known monuments around the world.

San Jacinto Monument

La Porte, Texas, U.S.A.
567.31 ft.

Washington Monument

Washington D.C., USA
555 ft.
The Statue of Liberty

New York, New York, USA
305 ft.
The Motherland Calls

Volgograd, Russia
279 ft.
Bunker Hill Memorial

Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
221 ft.
Arc de Triomphe

Paris, France
164 ft.
Monument to the People's Heroes

Beijing, China
124.5 ft.
Marine Corps War Memorial

Washington D.C., USA
78 ft.
National Memorial Arch

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
60 ft.

A Vision for the Future

“In future time, then may the pilgrim's eye

See here an obelisk, pointed to the sky...”

— James Burchett Ransom

This prediction was penned in the poem “Ode to San Jacinto” during the days of the Republic of Texas. Today, the world's tallest war memorial stands at San Jacinto, honoring all those who fought for Texas's independence. Immediately after the battle, the land — then privately owned — commanded respect from all who walked on its soil. The Texas Veteran Association began planning a formal monument, and the state was finally able to purchase the land in the 1890s.

After years of pushing by the Sons and Daughters of the Republic of Texas, as well as help from President Roosevelt's Secretary of Commerce, Jesse H. Jones — a prominent Houstonian — its proponents raised enough money to build a fitting monument. With San Jacinto's 100-year anniversary at hand, the time was right. Explore the gallery below to learn more about the monument's origin story.

Design and Construction

The monument’s design was conceived by architect Alfred C. Finn and engineer Robert J. Cummins, both Houstonians. The general contractor was W. S. Bellows Construction Co. of Dallas and Houston. The impressive structure alone is worth a trip to San Jacinto Battleground. This Texas giant is one of the finest examples of Art Moderne architecture in the United States, and is recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. This gallery provides a window into this epic undertaking.

Grand Opening

The Grand Opening of the San Jacinto Monument, which took place over the course of two days, from April 20 to 21 in 1939, was a magnificent affair. The event unfolded first on the steps of the northwest side of the monument on the 20th, and then moved to the northeast side the following day.

The grand event featured Governor W. Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel as the keynote speaker on April 21. His speech resonated with Texans across the state, being broadcast on radios to reach as many citizens as possible. Houston firefighters committed themselves to the event by volunteering as security guards on the opening day, ensuring the event ran smoothly and securely.

Adding to the festive atmosphere, music echoed across the event on the 21st, played by a marching band assembled from various Houston high schools. The band marched along the Reflection Pool, leading up to the Monument. The grandeur of this event was marked by the international attention it attracted, with representatives hailing from Great Britain, France, Italy, China, the Dominican Republic, and even the Vatican. Post the museum’s opening, the monument saw a staggering influx of visitors — over 175,000 people visiting in the first six months alone. These visitors didn't just come from Texas or nearby states, but from all 48 states and from 40 foreign countries, cementing the significance of the monument in history.

Museum and Library

The San Jacinto Museum, located in the base of the San Jacinto Monument, offers a 4D experience of over 500 years of history. The museum chronicles the region’s journey, from pre-European arrival through various eras of growth and conflict, represented by over 17,000 artifacts. Key historical events like the Battle of San Jacinto symbolize Texan independence and its global significance. The museum also houses the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library with 30,000 volumes and 400,000 pages of manuscripts.

Friezes

The carved panels around the octagonal base are rendered in the Art Moderne style, depicting important moments in the War of Texas Independence and the Battle of San Jacinto.

Inscriptions

The walls of the Monument’s base are inscribed with the story of the War of Texas Independence, writ large, in less than 600 words.