Washington Monument Staying Closed! About This Page:

[emtpej]

The National Park Service is saying that the Monument may remain closed till Spring 2014.

Earthquake-damaged Washington Monument may be closed into 2014 - The Washington Post

[jimmymac]

Very sad. Building an access road is going to be a real eyesore but it's got to be done

[CinderAbby]

Hey EJ, long time no see. How have you been?

Thanks for the news on the Washington Monument. It's a shame it's closed but safety first.

[B.M.]

Wow! I hadn't even known about the earth quake...
We were actually hoping to head up the East Coast next summer (2013) and spend several days in DC; the Washington Monument is/was high on my to do list as the younger kids have never even been....

[Colexis Mom]

Well that's disappointing!

[EddieCVS]

Didn't know the damage would keep it closed that long.

[Carousel96]

Originally Posted by B.M.

Wow! I hadn't even known about the earth quake...
We were actually hoping to head up the East Coast next summer (2013) and spend several days in DC; the Washington Monument is/was high on my to do list as the younger kids have never even been....

You can still get a good view of the city from the Post Office tower. Not quite the same, but it'll do. Besides, the lines are shorter, it's free and you can get a snack when you get off the elevator.

[chezp]

Wow, it obviously was badly damaged.

[Carousel96]

I was in DC the last week of June. The theory by the "locals" -- hotel workers, cab drivers, etc. -- is that the rehab will be more than just repairing earthquake damage.

Apparently there's been nothing visible at the site since the days the inspectors rapelled down. No shoring up, no safety fencing, nothing. If it were dangerously unstable, there would have been a hefty zone created around it, a structural shell created, something.

If you walked by the monument and didn't know that you used to be allowed to the top, you'd never know anything was wrong.

The last time there was a rehab of the monument, a major corporation (I think it was Target) donated a lot of money so that the scaffolding/screening could be constructed in a way to make the monument partially visible. I hope they do it again.

[Happymommy]

This is so sad. We took a trip to DC last summer, and the quake was a week before our trip. I had a reservation time to go up the monument....so bummed.

[emtpej]

Originally Posted by CinderAbby

Hey EJ, long time no see. How have you been?

Thanks for the news on the Washington Monument. It's a shame it's closed but safety first.

I've been busy as a one-armed paperhanger! We have been dealing with a college freshman and the "little one" who has been going to football camp.
I have been on facebook a LOT more than here (like most folks, I think). I have also been answering questions on yahoo answers.

How are y'all doin?

[emtpej]

here is an article that summarizes what's going on downtown -- I think they are trying to get some stuff done before the Inaugural next year.
Tourists find D.C. landmarks closed | WashingtonExaminer.com
It may be slow to load - I think there is an embedded video...

[CinderAbby]

Originally Posted by emtpej

I've been busy as a one-armed paperhanger! We have been dealing with a college freshman and the "little one" who has been going to football camp.
I have been on facebook a LOT more than here (like most folks, I think). I have also been answering questions on yahoo answers.

How are y'all doin?

You have been busy. We've been good and mostly it's been same old, same old. I don't have a FB account but that would explain why we haven't seen you much. There's quite a few people from here that spend a lot of time there so you're definitely in good company. Don't be such a stranger though.

[emtpej]

Originally Posted by CinderAbby

You have been busy. We've been good and mostly it's been same old, same old. I don't have a FB account but that would explain why we haven't seen you much. There's quite a few people from here that spend a lot of time there so you're definitely in good company. Don't be such a stranger though.

Hey Darlene - Abby is getting to be a chip off the 'ol block!

[emtpej]

They have also been doing a lot of work on the grassy part of The Mall - but most of it will be done by the Inaugural, it appears.