I know I sometimes get on 'Welsh' kicks, this is a nice bit of American based trivia to share.

[Siwsan]

This is from one of the NUMEROUS Welsh/American groups I'm a member of on Face Book. I've been to the monument several times, and never knew this. Now I have a good reason to go, again.
......

The Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, was opened October 9th 1888. Halfway up, there is a stone which was donated by the people of Wales. Its inscription reads; Fy Iaith, Fy Ngwlad, Fy Nghenedl. WALES. Cymry am byth. (My Language, My Country, My People. WALES. The Welsh Forever).

George Washington once declared "good Welshman make good Americans".

A unique feature of the Washington Monument is the 193 memorial stones that adorn the east and west interior walls of the monument. The Washington National Monument Society invited countries, states, cities and patriotic societies to contribute Memorial Stones. to pay tribute to the character and achievements of George Washington.

[abqtommy]

1. I love DU. I learn interesting things here every day!

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

2. Cool. Another bit of Wales in DC...

Unique to Wales was the manufacturing of steel using local anthracite coal - the steel roof structure of the White House was made in Pontardawe, south Wales in the late 19th century..

https://gov.wales/wales-helped-build-america-its-founding-ideals-must-be-allowed-to-endure

[Siwsan]

3. VERY interesting!

My paternal family came over from the coal mines of Wales to work in the coal mines of Maryland. After my grandfather was caught in a mine cave in, he decided that was not the life he wanted for his sons, so he moved the family to Flint where he went to work for Buick Motors.

My great father and at least one great uncle died of black lung.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

4. Wow. Interesting. I believe Welsh experts came over here both advising US mining

concerns and starting their own. It's a mixed blessing, as with a lot of industries, because so many families depended on mining jobs, but those jobs have always been difficult & risky. And of course there's the fossil fuels problem.

I only began learning about Wales & the Welsh via some genealogy research of my own. I don't believe I have any Welsh ancestry, but some of my Baltimore relatives were involved via work. It's been a few years now, but I think it was the copper smelting plant they worked in that benefitted from Welsh expertise.

I also discovered more about the Welsh settlements near Philly through research on the picturesque area where a graveyard I did research in was located. I had only previously known that the odd spellings of places like Bala Cynwyd & Bryn Mawr were of Welsh origin.