Washington's Monuments Are Coming Back. So Is American Memory
In the 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the idealistic young congressman’s first steps in Washington, D.C., are through the doors of Union Station, where he is greeted by the Columbus fountain and, beyond it, the Capitol dome.
TL;DR
- The Columbus Circle fountain in Washington D.C. has been restored after being non-functional since 2007.
- The "Making DC Safe & Beautiful" initiative is restoring various monuments, including the Meridian Hill Park fountain and the World War II Memorial.
- The National Mall's reflecting pool resealing project is expected to be completed before July 4th.
- The restoration of monuments is framed as a crucial act of preserving shared history and national memory.
- The article criticizes partisan tendencies that twist national history and argues against neglecting historical preservation.
- The importance of monuments is likened to the Biblical call to 'fill the earth and subdue it,' including preserving history and building a legacy.