Melting Wax Statue of Abraham Lincoln Literally Loses Its Head amid Soaring Temperatures in D.C.
“Me too wax Lincoln… meeeee too,” one social media user quipped
Allison Robbert/The Washington Post via Getty
The recent summer heatwave in Washington, D.C. has even affected a wax statue honoring Abraham Lincoln.
The 3,000-pound statue outside Garrison Elementary has begun to melt due to near-triple-digit temperatures, according to multiple news outlets.
Lincoln’s head started melting first, followed by a leg and a foot. Officials from CulturalDC, the organization behind the statue, decided to remove Lincoln’s head to prevent it from breaking off.
The group noted that the statue, known as “40 Acres: Camp Barker,” was designed to change over time, much like a candle burning down. However, the extreme heat sped up this process significantly.
Allison Robbert/The Washington Post via Getty
“With this record-level heat, Lincoln has slumped into his chair more than we anticipated!” the organization stated. They added that all the wax is leaning back due to the extreme temperatures and the state of our warming planet.
Looking ahead, the group admitted they can’t ensure the statue will remain upright in the coming months, humorously adding, “but who really will be?”
The situation has sparked many jokes online. One user cheekily commented, “Me too wax Lincoln… meeeee too,” while another posted, “How your email finds me,” alongside a photo of the melting sculpture.
Allison Robbert/The Washington Post via Getty
Sculptor Sandy Williams IV mentioned to Newsweek that they expected the artwork to melt eventually but not in this particular way. Williams half-joked that the worsening climate would turn these sculptures into environmental art, not thinking that day would come so soon.
While there’s no immediate plan to repair the statue, Kristi Maiselman, Curator and Executive Director of CulturalDC, told USA Today it would be taken down before school resumes in August. Although private collectors and galleries have shown interest in acquiring the piece, no final decision has been made regarding its future home.
