The National Park Service will restore and reinstall the bronze statue of Albert Pike, which was toppled and vandalized during riots in June 2020.
The restoration aligns with federal responsibilities under historic preservation law as well as recent executive orders to beautify the nation’s capital and re-instate pre-existing statues.
Originally authorized by Congress in 1898 and dedicated in 1901, the statue honors Pike’s leadership in Freemasonry, including his 32 years as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Ancient Rite of Scottish Freemasonry. The statue has been in secure storage since its removal and is currently undergoing restoration by the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center.
Site preparation to repair the statue’s damaged masonry plinth will begin shortly, with crews repairing broken stone, mortar joints, and mounting elements. The NPS is targeting October 2025 for completing the reinstallment of the fully restored statue.
Main Image: 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 Courtesey NPS
NPS photo