Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Refilling After Repairs
The National Park Service (NPS) posted a sign on the premises stating that the pool is being refilled as the NPS and contractors complete the“historic effort to clean, repair, and beautify this iconic national landmark.” The sign also noted that the water might appear temporarily cloudy before clearing as part of the normal refilling process.
Earlier this year, a new coating applied during restoration began to peel, necessitating a second round of repairs. President Donald Trump had described the initial paint color as“American Flag Blue” and declared the work“totally complete” before the peeling began. Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which secured a no-bid contract for the renovation, confirmed on its website that warranty repairs were finished on October 2, adding that it had been“an honor to serve our great nation!”
The basin, enclosed by fencing and displaying its slate-blue hue, remained exposed throughout the summer. This period highlighted ongoing issues, including a significant algae bloom, disputed contract awards, and the flaking paint. The Trump administration initially attributed the coating's peeling to vandalism, leading to criminal charges against several individuals, including former Olympic canoeist David Hearn.
The Justice Department dropped the case against Hearn in July, determining that the coating's installation was“botched.” Despite evidence contradicting the vandalism claims and a ruling preventing Hearn's re-prosecution, President Trump reiterated at a Tuesday press conference that vandals had damaged the basin.“We had vandalism there, and we have it about as vandal-proof as you can get,” he stated, adding,“But only sick people do that, and we have their pictures.”
The project has also faced legal action. In May, The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF), a nonprofit education and advocacy organization, filed a lawsuit against the NPS, its acting director Jessica Bowron, the Department of the Interior, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The suit alleged that the defendants bypassed required historic-preservation review for a poorly planned renovation.
Regarding the basin's“American Flag Blue” color, the lawsuit highlighted that the pool's original gray color maintained visual continuity between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Charles A. Birnbaum, TCLF's president and chief executive, commented,“A blue-tinted basin is more appropriate to a resort or theme park.”
Source: ARTnews
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