See the latest on reflecting pools from President Trump’s repainting project
USA TODAY’s Michelle Del Rey explores the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which is undergoing renovations.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues to reflect the Washington Monument after more than a month of renovations that included redoing the pool sinks.
On Monday, June 8th, I visited the monument to see the progress of the construction project that started in April. President Donald Trump hired a pool contractor to do the work, according to a lawsuit filed May 11 by the Cultural Landscape Foundation with the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The complaint takes issue with the color of the basin, which the group says has been a feature of the pool since it opened in 1924. The basin in the reflecting pool was previously painted a neutral gray color.
The nonprofit organization, citing the National Park Service’s Cultural Landscape Report published in August 1999, said the previous colors created the illusion of greater depth and deeper reflections.
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, the National Park Service said it painted the basin “American flag blue,” or a deep navy. The agency said the color will improve the pool’s reflectivity compared to the existing gray concrete.
According to the agency, concrete collects algae and turns a slimy green color.
Before it had a concrete bottom, the pool was black asphalt. The agency said in some areas the water had been dyed to improve reflection.
How was the pool on Monday June 8th?
On Monday, the pool provided a decent reflection of the monument as it continued to fill with water. Additionally, some construction workers were seen wearing “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) hats.
In a June 4 X post, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum shared a photo of the Reflecting Pool with the Washington Monument glistening in the water, indicating that despite the new color, the Reflecting Pool will maintain its purpose.
Michelle Del Rey is a popular news reporter. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com..
