Acid Rain and Our Nation's Capital: A Guide to Effects on Buildings and Monuments

The nation's most iconic monuments are being slowly dissolved by the sky above them. This gripping guide reveals the invisible chemistry attacking Washington's marble and limestone landmarks: sulfur and nitrogen oxides from power plants and vehicles transform into acidic precipitation that eats away at the very stone commemorating Jefferson, Lincoln, and the Capitol's dome. McGee transforms environmental science into detective work, explaining exactly how pollution transforms into rain that etches grooves into monument facades, blurs inscriptions, and turns crisp architectural details fuzzy and worn. The book then becomes a walking tour, directing readers to specific buildings where the damage is visible: the National Gallery's marble steps, the Jefferson Memorial's columns, the Capitol's exterior. What makes this book compelling is its dual nature as both scientific explanation and call to awareness. You will never look at the Mall the same way again after understanding that the pitting and staining you see is not age but ongoing chemical warfare waged by emissions from distant factories. A sobering, accessible portrait of how we are failing to protect our architectural heritage.