Friday, May 24th, 2013

Ghosts of DC The lost and untold history of Washington

Amazing Old Photo of Capitol Dome Construction in 1858

Posted by: Ghosts of DC on June 21, 2012 in Notable People & Places 2 Comments

photograph of the Capitol under construction in 1858

photograph of the Capitol under construction in 1858 (Architect of the Capitol)

I came across this gem scanning through the Architect of the Capitol’s website. I had to share it with you tonight. Click on it for the higher resolution image. It’s pretty amazing to take a look at the details and the stores on the left, lining Pennsylvania Ave before the Civil War.

Try and stay cool. It’s ridiculously hot outside.

View of 14th and Pennsylvania Ave. From the Willard Hotel (ghostsofdc.org)
Old Photo Friday: Ford at the Capitol (ghostsofdc.org)

Tagged with: 1850s Architect of the Capitol Capitol Building Pennsylvania Ave. NW

About Ghosts of DC

Ghosts of DC is a blog about the history of Washington, D.C. and its surroundings. We live in a great city, and it's important for everyone to know a little more about their communities, neighborhoods and city.

Related Articles

DCRes

I’m confused. The other photo you just posted on here, which clearly shows the Capitol dome already partially built says 1846. But somehow 12 years later, the dome is gone?
- http://www.ghostsofdc.org Ghosts of DC
  
  The old dome pictured here http://ghostsofdc.org/2012/06/22/capitol-building-john-plumbe-1846/ was the old Bulfinch dome. Congress passed legislation in 1855 to build a newer dome (the current one).
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Capitol_dome

Scroll To Top