Yorktown Victory Monument

A 98-foot neoclassical column completed in 1884, authorized by Congress in 1781 but not constructed for a century. The monument stands at the center of the old Yorktown battlefield and bears the inscription "One Country, One Constitution, One Destiny." The delay between authorization and construction mirrors the slow consolidation of American national identity the monument celebrates. Thirteen female figures representing the original states encircle the base; a figure of Liberty stands at the summit. The surrounding area features interpretive markers explaining the siege's key phases.