Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Rectangular pool in Washington, D.C.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is the largest of the many reflecting pools in Washington, D.C. It is a 2,030-by-167-foot (619 by 51 m) concrete-bottomed rectangular pool located on the National Mall, directly east of the Lincoln Memorial, with the World War II Memorial and Washington Monument to the east of the Reflecting Pool.[1]
The Reflecting Pool hosts many of the 24 million visitors who visit the National Mall annually.[2] It is lined by walking paths and shade trees on both sides. Depending on the viewer's vantage point, it reflects the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Mall's trees, and the sky.[3]
Many marches and events have been held at the Reflecting Pool, such as the March on Washington[4] and the Commitment March[5]. A celebration of the then soon to occur inauguration of Barack Obama named the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial was held in the area on the 18th of January, 2009.[6]
Description
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was designed by Henry Bacon, and was constructed in 1922 and 1923, following the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial.[3] During its construction, it was nicknamed by some sources as a 'water mirror'.[7] When originally constructed, it was approximately 2,028 feet (618 m; 3⁄8 mi) long and 167 feet (51 m) wide.[8] The perimeter of the pool was therefore 4,392 feet (1,339 meters; 13⁄16 mile) around. It had a depth of approximately 18 in (46 cm) on the sides and 30 in (76 cm) in the center. It held approximately 6,750,000 U.S. gallons (25,600,000 liters) of water.[9] It was completely rebuilt between 2009 and 2012.[10] How much water the pool currently holds since the 2009 restoration is unknown. The pool was originally built with an asphalt and tile bottom,[11] but was replaced with concrete in the 2009 restoration.[12] The nearby walkways and the rim of the Reflecting Pool are also made of granite.[12]
2009 restoration
Using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the National Park Service reconstructed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.[10] The pool's water supply system was updated to eliminate stagnant water by circulating water from the Tidal Basin; the pool was formerly filled using potable water from the city.[10] Paved walking paths were added to the north and south sides of the pool to replace worn grass and to prevent further erosion.[13] Construction on the 18-month, $30.74 million project began in November 2010. In May 2011, workers began sinking the first of 2,133 wood pilings into a 40-foot-deep (12-meter) layer of soft, marshy river clay and some dredged material atop bedrock to support a new pool.[14] The pool reopened on August 31, 2012. The project was managed by the Louis Berger Group.[15]
Post-restoration operation
Within weeks of the pool's reopening in 2012, it had to be drained and cleaned at a cost of $100,000 due to algae in the pool. The algae growth was so extensive it almost completely covered the surface of the pool.[16] Using an ozone disinfectant system installed during the renovation,[17] the National Park Service said it would double the amount of algae-killing ozone in the pool to control future outbreaks.[16]
In 2013, construction on the National World War II Memorial damaged the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool. NPS workers closed the eastern 30 feet (9 meters) of the pool in August 2015 to repair the basin, work that was completed in the summer of 2016.[18]
The Reflecting Pool was completely drained in June 2017 to control a schistosome outbreak. The parasite, which causes swimmer's itch, infected the snails that inhabited the pool, and ultimately killed more than 80 ducks and ducklings in a few weeks during spring 2017.[19]
2026 works
In April 2026, President Donald Trump announced the resurfacing of the concrete bottom of the pool, in a color he called "American flag blue", had begun.[20][21] While the exact color remains unknown, some sources have suggested that this color could be "Old Glory Blue" or some other similar color.[22] Trump chose the color, contractor and other factors without typical reviews by federal agencies, opportunity for public comment, or congressional approval.[23] Atlantic Industrial Coatings was provided a no-bid contract to fix leaks from the dozens of joints and waterproof the concrete bottom.[24][25] On May 8th, the Interior Department said they planned to pay $13.1 million for the project.[26] On May 11, the nonprofit group The Cultural Landscape Foundation sued the Trump administration to prevent the project from continuing.[27] By June 5, the resurfacing work had been completed and the Reflecting Pool had begun to be refilled with water.[28]
Historic events
The area of and around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been the site of many historic events, including:
- In 1939, singer Marian Anderson was denied permission to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington because she was African American. An open-air concert was held on Easter Sunday, with a crowd of over 75,000 people.[29]
- On August 28, 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom used the area for its Civil Rights rally. It was there that Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered to a crowd of 250,000 people.[4]
- On October 21, 1967, 100,000 anti-Vietnam War protesters met at the pool and memorial to begin the March on the Pentagon.[30]
- In 2009, We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial was held, with a crowd of 400,000 people.[6]
- On August 28, 2010, the Restoring Honor rally was held. Notable speakers included Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and the event's organizer Glenn Beck.[31]
- In November 2010 the restoration project began.[10]
- On August 31, 2012, the restoration project was completed and the pool was reopened.[10]
- On August 28, 2013, the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech was commemorated by an all-day event.[32] The event featured various speakers including then President Barack Obama and John Lewis, the only living speaker from the original rally.[33]
- On August 28, 2020, the Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks was organized and held by Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III. The March came in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests. Speakers included Sharpton, King, then vice-president nominee Kamala Harris, as well as family members of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, and other victims of racial violence.[5]
- On January 19, 2021, then president-elect Joe Biden and then vice president-elect Kamala Harris held a memorial honoring the 400,000 Americans who had by that time died in the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[34]
Gallery
Lincoln Memorial with crowd along Reflecting Pool in May 1922
Ice covering the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after the February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool before reconstruction in April 2010
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool undergoing reconstruction in June 2011
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool at sunset in August 2015
The Washington Monument seen in the Reflecting Pool from the roof of the Lincoln Memorial in June 2010
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In popular culture
- The Reflecting Pool featured in the 1994 Academy Award winner for Best Motion Picture Forrest Gump.[35]
- The Reflecting Pool featured in the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier.[36]
