Abraham Lincoln’s Wax Statue Melts in DC Heat, Loses Head and Limbs

Abraham Lincoln’s six-foot-tall wax monument lost its head and other elements as it melted in Washington DC’s extreme heat over the weekend. Reports state that the Lincoln Memorial replica had its head taken off, legs split from the body, and the right foot melted by Monday.

On Saturday, Washington DC had temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Made by US artist Sandy Williams IV, the white wax statue was placed outside an elementary school in Northwest Washington in February this year.

“Our staff has purposely removed Lincoln’s head to prevent it from falling and breaking,” said CulturalDC, the non-profit entity commissioning the monument. The company clarified that although the 3,000-pound wax sculpture was meant to evolve with time like a candle, the intense heat hastened this process.

The 140 degrees melting temperature of the wax used in the Abraham Lincoln monument is Originally scheduled to stay at the school until September, the piece was called “40 ACRE: Camp Barker.” The installation comments on DC’s history of Civil War-era Contraband Camps, which housed formerly enslaved and free African Americans, stated CulturalDC. Where Garrison Elementary now stands was Camp Barker.

Extreme temperatures have affected many areas of the US; meteorologists in central and eastern areas have advised their citizens to get ready for the heat. The nation saw more heat waves last year than it has since 1936. Under the continuous heat streaks, officials have once more advised locals to exercise caution.