True to its original intended purpose as a “place of general resort” for the American public, the Mall over the years has been a popular place for all kinds of sports and recreation — swimming, tennis, kickball, soccer, ice skating, even yoga — as shown in this photo gallery below. Today local residents and tourists alike play pick-up games, join leagues, connect with groups like Congressional Softball, Ultimate Frisbee, and DC Fray that help organize, schedule dates, and get permits. There’s nothing like the exhilarating feeling one gets playing ball or throwing a Frisbee against the backdrop of the Capitol Building, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument.
But recent restrictions on public use by the National Park Service, including a proposed ban on sports on the Mall, in order to protect the new turf grass, threaten the Mall’s historic and cultural purpose. This recent article calls for a reevaluation of priorities to preserve the Mall’s role as a stage for American democracy.
(Photograph courtesy of Library of Congress)
