THE NATIONAL MALL: An Illustrated History
V. The Mall Today and the Need for Protection
Today, the Mall’s historic open public space and symbolic meaning are under assault. New multi-acre memorials block off formerly open space and vistas. Security barriers and surveillance cameras cast a pall of insecurity and fear over the monuments, memorials, and public space. Commercial events and advertising banners cheapen the Mall’s dignity as our premier symbol of American cultural values.
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| FIGURE 13: Upper left: Commercial advertisements on fences enclosing the Mall for the September 2003 NFL-Pepsi Kickoff on the Mall; lower left: The 7.4-acred World War II Memorial located between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial; right: Construction fence for security barrier work at the Washington Monument. (Photos: Judy Scott Feldman) |
The National Mall Conservancy Initiative is dedicated to conserving the concepts and values of the National Mall established by the President in 1791 through the L’Enfant Plan and revived by the Congress in 1901 in the McMillan Plan, and to renewing the vitality of this great national space and consummate work of public art through creative planning for a third millennium.
Next: Selected Bibliography
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