Earthquake Puts Crack In Washington Monument (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- The National Park Service says engineers have found a crack near the top of the Washington Monument presumably caused by a magnitude-5.8 earthquake that shook the East Coast.

Park service spokesman Bill Line said Tuesday night that structural engineers found the crack where the 555-foot landmark narrows considerably.

He says the monument will be closed indefinitely to keep the public safe.

An outside engineering service will study the crack on Wednesday.

The 91,000-ton monument is made of Maryland marble.

Comments

[whodo1952]

08:56 AM on 08/27/2011

Symbolically, this iconic phallic, obelisk was / is offensive to some of those who realize the symbolism of such publicly erected monuments.

There is a whole other language, complete with hidden lexicons that we, the laymen are totally unaware of. I know enough to become confused inside of the cube, but not enough to get myself out.

There are those who read these purposely designed, erected monuments like a book, but a book that they buy into as having legitimate rights to lord and rule over all others.

If they considered other points of view, their knowledge would assume a whole other, just as legitimate, relative, perspecitve, opposite of what they have all bought into.
A razors edge so to say.

I don't buy into any of the religious or ruling class dogma, so it all offends me.

I am suspicious about the statue of liberty closing down for a year beginning in october, and now the washington monument being closed, I can't help feeling that there's something happening here, that we are all unaware of, for now.

[dwwill]

03:52 PM on 08/26/2011

I was confused for a minute.I thought Marion Barry brought the crack to washington.

[Thursdays Child]

02:53 PM on 08/26/2011

There was probably already a hairline crack in the marble. If so, the vibration from the earthquake would have just caused it to split. But as long as we are on the subject of the Washington Monument, what the hell is it supposed to be anyway? It certainly isn't art. Did someone say, "Hey, let's build a giant stick out of marble to remind us of George Washington?" What does a marble obelisk have to do with GW? Personally, I would have liked to see a colossal set of dentures carved out of wood (earthquake, but not termite-proof). Bite on that thought, will you.

[Arielman]

01:32 PM on 08/26/2011

I watched a documentary (Catholics, Elke Sommer, et al.) about it once. At the time of construction various groups and organizations donated a stone or two(?) to the Washington Monument. One, contributed by US Catholics, was stolen and reputed to be dumped into the Potomac River, and never a part of the Washington Monument. Maybe they could find it and replace the cracked one from the donated stone. If you know more about it, please leave me a comment.

[Thursdays Child]

03:07 PM on 08/26/2011

Unfortunately, that stone marks the final resting place for Jimmy Hoffa, so, as fitting as it might be, it can't be moved.

But you know Hsu, it isn't a game of Jenga. They will just shoot resin mixed with pulverized marble into the crack and make it stronger than it was. Damn, I mean, if the Washington Monument make such a strong comeback after being destroyed in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, Mars Attacks! and 2012, it most certainly can survive a small crack.

[Arielman]

05:57 PM on 08/26/2011

“It was not replaced until 1982.” - Homilies and Occasional Thoughts

[sandhillsrider]

11:07 AM on 08/25/2011

Send Davey Crockett to fix the monument. Afterall, he did patch up the crack in the Liberty Bell! Remember that?

[triplettam]

03:55 AM on 08/25/2011

The new memo just came in at Fox.com. It was all Obama's fault. Something about a golf ball he hit.

[Freedom Lives]

01:11 AM on 08/25/2011

Countless Leftist-Pregressives would have no problem if the monument crumbled.

George Washington was no doubt a T-Party type intellectual-

which we all know Leftists despise.

[Tom Horne]

03:02 AM on 08/25/2011

" The United States of America should have a foundation free from the influence of the clergy " George Washington

[lvogt]

08:43 AM on 08/25/2011

That kind of absurd nonsense is why the current Tparty crowd is a dangerous joke

[TimeisTicking]

12:09 AM on 08/25/2011

It bothers me to know this happened to one of our great monuments. I hope it can be repaired and made sound again,

[canoeal]

01:08 AM on 08/25/2011

and our country...

[druschhai]

09:20 AM on 08/27/2011

Yes, but we must make the clear distinction between "country" and "State." You can have a country without a State.

[p456]

10:25 PM on 08/24/2011

"A crack in the Washington Monument" I thought Perry was drinking protein shakes.

[conspiracy112263]

10:13 PM on 08/24/2011

ok now the capitals phallic symbol is broke....no comment

[canoeal]

11:59 PM on 08/24/2011

Who? Obama?

[revokin]

10:06 PM on 08/24/2011

the "crack" dear friends, is not in our monument, but in ourselves.

[druschhai]

09:19 AM on 08/27/2011

Ain't my monument. It's a pagan obelisk to the glory of man.

[preklow]

10:03 PM on 08/24/2011

FIRST THE FAILED STIMULUS THEN THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL HEALTH CARE WAS BOUGHT AND FORCED ON THE NATION THEN HE LOST OUR CREDIT RATING NOW HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A CRACK IN THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT THATS HAS STOOD FOR OVER A HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS WITH NOT EVER HAVING A PROBLEM NOW OBAMA HAS IT WITH A CRACK IN IT

[Nila Brooks]

10:57 PM on 08/24/2011

And you really think he REALLY could've made an earthquake that caused a crack in it?

[canoeal]

11:59 PM on 08/24/2011

Hasn't made anything else that worked...

[JaneDoe3000]

02:35 AM on 08/25/2011

All hail the great and powerful Obama! It must've been his badass golf swing that caused that earthquake. Sweeet.

[phoebequeen]

09:50 PM on 08/24/2011

Could have been much worse.

[DennnisAP]

09:29 PM on 08/24/2011

AT LEAST THE QUAKE DIDN'T CASUE ANY DAMAGE TO OUR POLITICAL LEADERS. THEY ALREADY HAVE CRACKS IN THEIR HEADS

[revokin]

10:08 PM on 08/24/2011

and we elected them so who can cast the first sone?

[baldguy]

08:31 AM on 08/25/2011

Too bad Congress is out of session. I would have enjoyed seeing the dome drop in for a visit...

[Let ItFly10]

08:45 PM on 08/24/2011

WHEN THE WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN, THEY COMEU CRUMBLIN CRUMBLIN DOWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!