In the 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the idealistic young congressman’s first steps in Washington, D.C., are through the doors of Union Station, where he is greeted by the Columbus fountain and, beyond it, the Capitol dome.That same fountain was renovated this year in the span of just five months, after sitting non-functional since 2007, nearly two decades and three presidencies later. It had been stained by graffiti, rusted by disuse, and battered by pigeon droppings. The landmark had become so unrecognizable that residents believed it was a statue, not a fountain.Whatever one’s politics, one must admit the city is not just safer now but cleaner than in years past. The recent “Making DC Safe & Beautiful” initiative is restoring Columbus Circle, once defaced by protesters, and other monuments such as the Meridian Hill Park fountain and the World War II Memorial. One of the most extensive projects, resealing the National Mall’s reflecting pool, is expected to be completed before July 4.
As the nation’s capital, Washington’s marble mask is shining once again after decades of disrepair. It is only fitting that these repairs are made ahead of the country’s semiquincentennial, as Americans rush to celebrate our nation’s founding.
