Today marks the one year anniversary of the earthquake that shook the Mid-Atlantic region. The earthquake, which measured at a 5.8 magnitude, centered in Mineral, VA, which was 87 miles from Washington D.C. Though the earthquake was far away, it had damaging effects on some of Washington’s most historic landmarks.
The earthquake had a strong effect on the Washington Monument including loosening pieces of stone and mortar toward the top of the monument. Since the damage, the monument has been temporarily closed for repairs and is not scheduled to reopen until 2014.
In addition to the Washington Monument, the Washington National Cathedral incurred $20 million of damage from the earthquake. The Cathedral is currently undergoing repairs, and the extensive project may not be completed for the next decade. During the earthquake, stone finials, gargoyles, and crockets loosened and fell from the building. Today, the Lilly Endowment announced that they were giving the Cathedral a $5 million donation. The Lilly family has been closely connected to the Washington Cathedral for a long time, and the Washington National Cathedral is very grateful for their sizeable donation.
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