How did the McMillan Plan change the National Mall and its surrounding area?

The McMillan Plan, led by Daniel Burnham and the Senate Park Commission in 1901, fundamentally reshaped the National Mall and its surrounding area to reflect America's status as a growing world power.12

Key changes and impacts included:

• Redefining the Mall: The plan expanded the Mall westward to the site of the Lincoln Memorial, which was completed in 1922.2
• Centering the Washington Monument: Previously considered the western boundary of the Mall, the Washington Monument was repositioned as the centerpiece of the design.2
• Comprehensive Park System: The commission envisioned a grand, ordered capital featuring a comprehensive system of parks and monuments.1
• Public Gateway: Burnham conceived of Union Station as a formal public gateway to the city’s monumental core, integrating the railway station into the broader city plan.1
• Formal Order: Drawing on precedents from Paris and Rome, the plan utilized principles of balance, axiality, and symmetry to create an ordered, monumental landscape.1

These recommendations set the stage for the Mall's development throughout the 20th century, including the later addition of the Jefferson Memorial and various Smithsonian Institution museums.2