Opening in 1923 the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was designed by Henry Bacon. Intended to visually connect the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington monument the project broke ground in 1914.
Built directly over reclaimed tidal marshland (Kidwell Flats), the pool was originally fed by the city’s drinking water supply.
Starting in 2009, the pool was completely rebuilt and the bottom was replaced with concrete slabs supported by timber pilings. The Reflecting Pool was also changed to be supplied with water from the Tidal Basin, instead of the earlier-used D.C. potable water.
The pool has served as a massive backdrop for civic assembly, most notably during the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech, and anti-Vietnam War protests in the 1970s. Famously portrayed in movies and TV shows like Forrest Gump.
Recently, it has been the subject of controversy as the current administration has attempted to resurface the pool. Originally thought to have been vandalized this year, the administration has backtracked on that claim. Ultimately to blame bad work from the original contractor. The pool is currently still under construction, and due to open soon.
