Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

So Surreal!

Still visiting places that weren’t on our Roadtrippers itinerary, my son and I decided to spend day 7 of our trip at the National Mall.

We lucked out and found a parking spot real close to the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, so that was where we started our journey of the day.  It was early enough in the morning that there wasn’t too big of a crowd around the pool, but there were a few people wandering about.

I thought it was neat how we could stand at the top of the steps and see the Washington Monument and the Capital building all in one shot.

My son and I talked about whether he recognized where we were and what had happened here in our nation’s history.  He thought it was super cool that we were in such a historic spot.

The Reflection Pool was so surreal.  Having seen it in the Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech and various other historical events, I’m always a bit humbled when I visit this spot.  And I try to visit it every time I come to DC.

About Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Even stunning at night

There are several reflecting pools in Washington DC, this one is the largest.  Designed by Henry Bacon, it was constructed in 1922 and 1923, following the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial.

The pool was originally filled using 6,750,000 U.S. gallons of potable water from the city.  However, the National Park Service reconstructed the pool using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

As part of the reconstruction, the water supply system was updated to circulate water from the Tidal Basin in an effort to eliminate stagnant water.  Paved walking paths were also added to the north and south sides of the pool to get rid of worn grass and prevent further corrosion.

Many events have been held at the Reflecting Pool, just at the base of the Lincoln Memorial steps, such as:

• Marian Anderson performance on Easter Sunday in 1939
• Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” Speech in 1963
• Barrack Obama’s We Are One celebration in 2009
• Restoring Honor rally in 2010
• Night Watch & Freedom Vigil in 2012
• 50th Anniversary Celebration of March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 2013
• COVID-19 Pandemic Memorial in 2021

Located at 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW, Washington DC 20024, the Reflection Pool is free to visit and open 24/7/365.  Phone: (202) 426-6841.

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Summary

Such a cool spot to be

This is one of my favorite spots in DC.  It is a highly iconic stop and one should not pass that up if they are in the area.  A lot of history was made here.

I do highly recommend this stop.  If you do visit, please be respectful of the memorial.  While we don’t agree with all of our historical figures, or with each other, it is important that we remember our history and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.  This is the only way we keep from repeating the same mistakes.

Defacing or destroying our memorials does not solve anything and is not a constructive way to deal with conflict.  It is not an efficient means of conflict resolution.  Lets be proud that we have come a long way in implementing freedom and continue working toward equality for all humans.

Have you been there?  I’d love to hear what you thought of it.

Please drop a few lines in the comments box below and let me know how your visit went.

In the meantime, safe travels!

~Kris M.

P.S.  If you happen to use travel journals, be sure to check out the travel journal I created for my future Washington DC Road Trips.

Written by Kris M.