Earthquake-damaged Washington Monument closes indefinitely

Visitors to one of the capital’s most iconic monuments — the Washington Monument — are out of luck: The 5.8-magnitude earthquake that was centered in Virginia on Tuesday and rocked the East Coast from the Carolinas on up to Boston and beyond also caused lasting damage to the world’s tallest obelisk.

The National Park Service reported finding cracks in the stones atop the structure, which is also the world’s tallest stone monument. Standing at just over 555 feet, it’s considered a must-see for visitors to the nation’s capital as well as an immediately recognizable landmark that is visible far and wide. On a normal day, a lucky few ticketholders could take the 70-second ride to an observation deck, which is located at 500 feet…