Yorktown Victory Monument

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The Yorktown Victory Monument stands as a testament to the historic surrender of Earl Cornwallis' army on October 19th, 1781, at the hands of George Washington. The cornerstone was laid with great fanfare on October 18, 1881, marking the beginning of the Yorktown Centennial Celebration, and after three years of meticulous construction, the monument was finally completed on January 5, 1885. This imposing structure serves as a powerful symbol of the monumental victory achieved through the unbreakable bond between France and America at Yorktown. Today, it proudly showcases its "emblems" and "inscriptions," carefully specified by Congress in 1781 and reinforced in 1880, still standing tall after a century, commanding attention from a vantage point in Yorktown. Strategically situated within the original defensive line of Cornwallis, the monument's grounds occupy four historic lots that once formed the heart of Yorktown. Rising to an impressive height of 100 feet, it towers above the harbor of the York River, a constant reminder of the pivotal moment in history that forever changed the course of American fortunes.