Happy Sunday. Below is an amazing photograph, taken around 1880 from the top of the U.S. Capitol. The view is southeast, down Pennsylvania Ave., toward the Anacostia River. It includes a block of five homes at 1st and A St. SE, built around 1800 and razed in 1887 to build the Library of Congress.
view southeast from the U.S. Capitol
Thanks to the Library of Congress for this amazing shot.
3 thoughts on “The View Southeast from the U.S. Capitol, Around 1880”
I wonder what that collection of stele-like objects would be in the left foreground. Anyone know?
I question this because even from the capital dome you have a very long block on Independence Ave before you are on Pennsylvania Ave. Of course having no idea where this was actually taken from on the dome, makes it kind of hard to determine too. However if you check a current map, you will notice that all the triangles on PA Ave are still there!!! Really cool photo!
I believe the row of town houses were called Duff Green’s row house. They rented out rooms to members of congress. Each boarding house attracted like minded representatives. Abraham Lincoln lived here when he was a congressman. He lived with a group of abolitionist minded fellow Republicans and used this space to discuss and plot strategy in Congress.
I wonder what that collection of stele-like objects would be in the left foreground. Anyone know?
I question this because even from the capital dome you have a very long block on Independence Ave before you are on Pennsylvania Ave. Of course having no idea where this was actually taken from on the dome, makes it kind of hard to determine too. However if you check a current map, you will notice that all the triangles on PA Ave are still there!!! Really cool photo!
I believe the row of town houses were called Duff Green’s row house. They rented out rooms to members of congress. Each boarding house attracted like minded representatives. Abraham Lincoln lived here when he was a congressman. He lived with a group of abolitionist minded fellow Republicans and used this space to discuss and plot strategy in Congress.