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National Park Service to Restore and Reinstall Albert Pike Statue in Washington

Restoration crews have begun repairing the statue’s masonry plinth to meet an October reinstallation deadline set under federal preservation law.

Micro-abrasive cleaning of the Albert Pike statue to remove corrosion and paint in order to review the conditions of the bronze prior to repairs
Messages of protest remain after protesters toppled the statue of Albert Pike, amid a series of racial inequality protests, at the Brigadier General Albert Pike Statue site near Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 7, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner/File Photo
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Overview

  • The National Park Service announced on August 4 that it will restore and reinstall the bronze statue of Confederate General Albert Pike in Washington, D.C.
  • The monument has been in secure storage since its removal in 2020 and is undergoing conservation at the Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center.
  • The project follows federal historic preservation requirements and two executive orders from President Trump to beautify the capital and reinstate pre-existing monuments.
  • Protesters toppled and set the statue on fire outside the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in June 2020 during racial justice demonstrations.
  • Congress originally authorized the statue in 1898, and Freemasons required that Pike be depicted in civilian clothing when it was dedicated in 1901.