Earthquake damages Washington monument

After taking a closer look at the Washington monument Tuesday, National Park Service officials found some cracks at the very top of the world's tallest obelisk.

Structural engineers plan to continue examining the monument Wednesday to decide how to best fix the 127-year old structure, which remains closed indefinitely after a 5.8 Earthquake struck Tuesday near Mineral, Virginia.

The monument is the highest profile structure to suffer damage, perhaps because it is also the tallest: 555 feet. The landmark in downtown Washington near the White House is also the world's tallest stone structure.

Other nearby memorials, including the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, are open again after a brief shutdown Tuesday for damage assessment.

Public schools in Washington and some buildings housing federal workers were closed as officials checked for damage. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), is updating the list of specific buildings closed.

The National Park Service plans a dedication ceremony this weekend for the new memorial to slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr, which officially opened this week. The MLK memorial was not damaged.

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The National Cathedral was also damaged during Tuesday's quake. Three of the cathedral's four corner spires on the central tower cracked and fell on the roof.

"Since 1912, the Cathedral has been a national place of worship as well as host to state funerals, presidential memorial services, and served as a spiritual home for our country in times of crisis," the cathedral said in a statement.

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East Coast quake

[notyrants]

Mother nature cracked the man-made phallus.

[noloyalisti]

We need to send the bill for this to the Billionaire Tea Bag Party to see if they approve this expenditure.

[stuwerb]

Good luck in getting the repulbicans to agree to spend the money to fix these. Probably end up having to cut some money out of the school lunch program or something.

[noloyalisti]

You are right, they are patriotic as long as someone else is footing the bill (especially the poor and middle class). As long as their greedy corporate masters don't have to share the burden.

[BookBitch]

"the cathedral said in a statement"
Didn't know cathedral's could talk.

[Transatlantique]

I often wonder who writes this stuff?

[dannislrobinson]

The San Jacinto Monument is dedicated to the "Heroes of the Battle of San Jacinto and all others who contributed to the independence of Texas." The monument is a 570-foot shaft topped by a 34-foot star symbolizing the Lone Star Republic. The building incorporates a number of innovative engineering features not common during the period of its construction. The American Society of Civil Engineers recognized this technology with the prestigious designation of State and National Historic Structure. The monument is listed as the tallest stone column memorial structure in the world, 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.

[silentounce]

Apparently, you don't read the other comments before you post so I'll say this a second time....

The San Jacinto Monument is taller by 11.9 feet (3.6 m), but it is made of reinforced concrete, not stone, even though it has a facade of limestone. It is not a true obelisk, but it is the world's tallest ornamental column.

So, the news article is correct. The Washington Monument is the world's tallest "stone structure" and the world's tallest "obelisk." Those are the only claims that the article makes. San Jacinto is neither an obelisk or a wholly stone structure, it's reinforced concrete with a stone facade.

[pekychu]

wow they closed down plublic schools? i wish they would do that here in L.A
East coast people need to relax... here in the west coast we have to deal with this all the time. just have a meet up spot with your family a radio, flashlight in your car and hope for the best.
good luck.

[darwufche]

It was god's warning to baggers for wearing pointy hats...

[Lifeson2112]

Democrats are the racists. Why else would they constantly be bringing up skin color?

[ToddVincze]

This is direct cause of Natural gas fracking in the hard rock beds.

[Lifeson2112]

Don't be an idiot. It has absolutely nothing to do with that.

[ghendric]

America is headed right down the same road as ancient Rome.. even the buildings are similar.. Ancient Rome finally crumbled under the weight of corruption and spreading itself too thin.. just like America..

[Transatlantique]

Unlike the comment above about "Sodom and Gomorrah," you could be on to something. President Lincoln said that a house divided cannot stand, and we've never been more divided with such an abundance of greed and corruption.

[Jim1900]

Rome was also a giant Ponzi scheme where new peoples had to be continually conquered and brought into the empire to serve as slaves, or at least pay tribute. That is somewhat the way that Wall Street works.

[Buck_N_Farack]

An earth quake may bring down the monument, but BHO is bringing down the whole country.

[signseeker1717]

Yeah, all by his lonesome, a one-man wrecking crew. That's a lot of power for someone who's supposed to be so incompetent. I was waiting for someone to make a "crack" like that. You win the prize.