DC Fountain Overhaul: Plan Mandates Removal of Francis G. Newlands Name from Chevy Chase Circle Monument

This legislation, titled the Francis G. Newlands Memorial Removal Act, is straightforward: it mandates the removal of all references to Senator Francis G. Newlands from the memorial fountain at Chevy Chase Circle in Washington, D.C. The bill specifically directs the Secretary of the Interior to take down the brass plaque bearing Newlands’ name, remove the stone tablet on the south side of the fountain, and either remove or permanently hide the name "Newlands" carved into the top coping stones (Sec. 2).

The Monument Cleanup Crew

Think of this as a very specific public works project with clear instructions. The bill doesn't just ask for a general cleanup; it lists the exact items that need to go. For people living near or passing through Chevy Chase Circle, this means a physical change to a prominent public landmark. The goal is to scrub the monument of its association with Newlands, a figure whose legacy, particularly regarding race and land policies, has drawn modern criticism. The clarity of the bill is high, meaning there's little room for interpretation on what the Secretary has to do.

What Happens to the Artifacts?

Once the plaque and stone pieces are removed, they don't just get tossed in a dumpster. The Act sets up a 60-day window during which the removed items must be offered to the descendants of Francis Griffith Newlands. This is a practical, if slightly unusual, provision that addresses the historical artifacts directly. If the descendants don't claim these items within those two months, the National Park Service steps in. They take ownership and add the items to the Rock Creek Park museum collection (Sec. 2).

Real-World Impact: History and Public Space

For the average person, this bill is about how we choose to use and memorialize our public spaces. It reflects a growing trend of re-evaluating historical figures honored in public monuments. While the immediate impact is local to D.C., the process itself—identifying, removing, and curating historical markers—is relevant to communities everywhere dealing with similar questions about their own statues and plaques. The bill offers a clear, structured path for making this change, addressing the logistics of both the physical removal and the disposition of the historical items, ensuring they are preserved, even if they are no longer displayed publicly.