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1886 Panorama of D.C. from Smithsonian Castle

  • Published December 19, 2013
Third in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right (west to east) taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. The Mall area is covered with trees. The streets on the left perpendicular to the Mall are 12th Street and 11th Street. The long building on the right is Center Market bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue, 7th and 9th Streets, N.W. Up and behind Center Market on the right, the large building is the Pension Bureau Building bounded by F and G Streets, N.W., between 4th and 5th Streets, designed by General Montgomery C. Meigs, completed in 1887, later occupied by many government agencies and now known as the National Building Museum
What an incredible 360-degree panorama of Washington from 1886. This image was taken from the top of the Smithsonian Castle. Don't miss it!
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Here is a series of four great photos from 1886, taken by William Henry Jackson. We dug this up at the Smithsonian’s website.

First in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. Looking toward the Washington Monument, the street in the foreground running from left to right is 12th Street, N.W., which was later tunneled under the Mall. The old Department of Agriculture Building is visible on the left beside 14th Street, N.W. The large grassy area on the right is the Ellipse
First in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. Looking toward the Washington Monument, the street in the foreground running from left to right is 12th Street, N.W., which was later tunneled under the Mall. The old Department of Agriculture Building is visible on the left beside 14th Street, N.W. The large grassy area on the right is the Ellipse
Second in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., moving from left to right, taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. The Mall is in the foreground covered with trees with the buildings of the City of Washington beyond. On the left is the Ellipse just beyond the trees and the large building behind it is the State, War and Navy Building, now known as the Old Executive Office Building
Second in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., moving from left to right, taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. The Mall is in the foreground covered with trees with the buildings of the City of Washington beyond. On the left is the Ellipse just beyond the trees and the large building behind it is the State, War and Navy Building, now known as the Old Executive Office Building
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Third in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right (west to east) taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. The Mall area is covered with trees. The streets on the left perpendicular to the Mall are 12th Street and 11th Street. The long building on the right is Center Market bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue, 7th and 9th Streets, N.W. Up and behind Center Market on the right, the large building is the Pension Bureau Building bounded by F and G Streets, N.W., between 4th and 5th Streets, designed by General Montgomery C. Meigs, completed in 1887, later occupied by many government agencies and now known as the National Building Museum
Third in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right (west to east) taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. The Mall area is covered with trees. The streets on the left perpendicular to the Mall are 12th Street and 11th Street. The long building on the right is Center Market bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue, 7th and 9th Streets, N.W. Up and behind Center Market on the right, the large building is the Pension Bureau Building bounded by F and G Streets, N.W., between 4th and 5th Streets, designed by General Montgomery C. Meigs, completed in 1887, later occupied by many government agencies and now known as the National Building Museum
Fourth in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right (west to east), taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. In the foreground are trees on the Mall. Immediately behind is the long roof of the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad train shed. At the end of the train shed is the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Station. Behind it and to the left, the white building is the Metropolitan Hotel (also known as Brown's Hotel) at Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th Street, N.W, ca. 1805, remodeled and enlarged 1820 and 1850, and razed in 1935. The church with the tall spire is the Metropolitan Methodist Church (erected in 1854 and razed 1935-1936) at C Street and John Marshall Place. The United States Capitol is to the right
Fourth in a series of four panoramic photographs of Washington, D.C., from left to right (west to east), taken from a tower in the Smithsonian Institution Building. In the foreground are trees on the Mall. Immediately behind is the long roof of the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad train shed. At the end of the train shed is the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Station. Behind it and to the left, the white building is the Metropolitan Hotel (also known as Brown’s Hotel) at Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th Street, N.W, ca. 1805, remodeled and enlarged 1820 and 1850, and razed in 1935. The church with the tall spire is the Metropolitan Methodist Church (erected in 1854 and razed 1935-1936) at C Street and John Marshall Place. The United States Capitol is to the right

Source: Smithsonian Institution

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