1860-1889 Items (102 total)

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In 1855, Congress commissioned Thomas Crawford to build a statue to top the cast-iron Capitol dome. Two years later, Crawford created the plaster model in Rome and sent it to the US for casting. The bronze was cast at a foundry in Washington DC under…

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This shed stood south-east of the first Smithsonian building, now called the Castle. Smithsonian staff stored gardening and grounds keeping equipment used on the institution's grounds. This shed was removed in the 1870s when construction of the Arts…

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Much like the food trucks that line the Mall today, food wagons in the late 1800s catered to office workers and tourists. Here a wagon offering "Hot Waffles 6 for 5c" sits on the Mall near the southside of the Treasury Department building.

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During the 1800s the White House was much more accessible than it is today and informal social events were often held at the executive mansion. In this photo, a group is picnicking on the White House grounds with the Treasury Department building…

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The Washington Post published an article highlighting the contributions of laborers who built the Washington Monument. The article included an illustration of the individuals profiled and revealed their occupational backgrounds. Some worked on ships…

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Philip Reed was an enslaved man who worked in the foundry operated by his owner, Clark Mills. The foundry cast the statues of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square and the statue of "Freedom" which tops the Capitol dome. The plaster cast for "Freedom"…

Building on the southwest corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 41/2 Street NW.
The American Colonization Society was a national organization founded in 1817. Its purpose was to encourage the migration of free African Americans and formerly enslaved Africans to Africa. Members of the Society saw this plan both as a way to…

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One of the first office buildings in Washington, this building initially housed the Departments of State, War, and the Navy, as well as the Patent Office, the General and City Post Offices, and the offices of the Superintendent and Surveyor of the…

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This illustration accompanied an article discussing efforts to restart construction on the Washington Monument, with hopes to complete the monument by the national centennial in 1876. The point of view of the illustration is from the Mall's baseball…

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In 1867, Congress formed the Lincoln Monument Association to commission a memorial for the late president. They chose this design by sculptor Clark Mills. Mills was known in Washington for designing a statue of Andrew Jackson that stands near the…
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