A picture from Thursday's trip to Washington DC. This is the Washington Monument as seen from Constitution Avenue. A visit to the monument was not on this year's schedule as it has been closed for repairs since August. Fortunately a generous benefactor stepped forward and will help fund repairs to the monument. Here is the story excerpted from the Washington Post's account:
Billionaire philanthropist David M. Rubenstein will donate $7.5 million to help fix the shuttered, earthquake-damaged Washington Monument.
The 555-foot-tall monument was extensively damaged during the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the area Aug. 23, and it’s been closed ever since. The quake shook the monument violently, especially near the top, severely cracking and chipping its stone blocks. The obelisk’s elevator was also damaged but has since been partially repaired. The National Park Service has said it does not know how long the monument will be closed.
Rubenstein, the son of a Baltimore postal worker, is co-founder and managing director of the Carlyle Group, a global asset-management firm that handles $148 billion in assets, according to its Web site.
He is also a member of the board of regents at the Smithsonian and chairman of Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he is the single largest donor in its history, with gifts totaling $25 million. Forbes magazine estimates his worth at $2.7 billion.
In an interview, Rubenstein, 62, said he agreed to split the estimated $15 million repair bill with the federal government. Congress has already allocated the government’s share.
Rubenstein said he admires George Washington and considers the monument honoring him a symbol of the United States and democratic government.
“What greater symbol is there in Washington of our country?” he said. “I just thought it would be a good thing for the country to have it back as soon as possible.
“And I also think public-private partnerships are a good thing,” he said. “And more and more things, probably the private sector will have to help with, because the government doesn’t have all the money that it used to have.”
Next month, the National Archives plans to unveil the copy of the Magna Carta he bought in 2007 for $21 million in a new, state-of-the-art display case he funded for $322,000.
He also purchased a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, now in the White House, in 2008; a copy of the Declaration of Independence, now at the State Department, in 2009; and a rare, early map of the United States, now in the Library of Congress.
Unfortunately I only saw it once from a highway passing by. didn't hear about the damage...great that someone stepped forward. so repairs are underway.
Nice shot of the monument, and interesting article about it too. Good to know there are people who want to help protect the heritage - even if they do have more money than the rest of the country put together in the first place...
Pretty monument photo. I heard the news the other day that some history billionaire is giving $7.5 million to repair it ... hope to go up in it again some day.
