The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., has long been a prominent feature of the city’s monumental core and a gathering place for both historic events and everyday activities. Designed by Henry Bacon, who also designed the Lincoln Memorial, the pool was dedicated in 1922 as part of the McMillan Plan of 1902, which shaped the layout of the National Mall.
Over the decades, the Reflecting Pool has served multiple roles. In the 1960s, it was a physical and symbolic backdrop for civil rights demonstrations and anti-war protests, including the 1968 Poor People's March on Washington, where activists found respite from the summer heat. Beyond its association with activism, the pool and surrounding area host a variety of events that attract large crowds, such as presidential inaugurations—including Bill Clinton’s in 1993—annual prayer gatherings, outdoor yoga sessions, and routine morning runs.
Military commemorations are also a frequent occurrence at the site, with memorials honoring veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War drawing drill teams that perform for veterans and spectators alike. The Reflecting Pool thus serves both as a site of national memory and a space for community engagement.
Though skating on the pool is currently prohibited, there was once a proposal to convert it into the world’s largest ice rink. In 1964, Interior Secretary Stewart L. Udall established a commission to explore this idea, envisioning a rink accommodating 20,000 skaters at a cost of at least $3 million. This plan never materialized, but the frozen pool has remained popular for recreational watching, especially during rare cold spells.
The pool has required maintenance and renovations over time. Notably, in 2010 it was closed for 20 months to repair a leaking bottom and update its water supply system. It has since been drained and refilled periodically. Most recently, a $14 million renovation was completed in mid-2026, but the pool faced challenges soon after reopening, including algae growth that necessitated treatment with hydrogen peroxide, and peeling paint from its new lining.
An intriguing moment in the pool’s history surfaced decades later: a photograph taken in 1974 captured an elaborate birthday breakfast set up on the Reflecting Pool’s surface. The event, only fully explained in 2023, was a celebration for a 27-year-old man with terminal cancer, highlighting the pool’s unexpected role as a place for personal milestones as well as public ones.
Throughout its history, the Reflecting Pool has remained a versatile and symbolic space—serving as a site of remembrance, protest, celebration, and daily recreation—reflecting the diverse ways in which people engage with this iconic part of Washington, D.C.