Snapshots of the Past

The Capitol in 1851, Washington, D.C. [showing wing extension] – Vintage Print

The Capitol in 1851, Washington, D.C. [showing wing extension] — historic photograph
The Capitol in 1851, Washington, D.C. [showing wing extension]. Historic photograph from the Washington DC collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

Step back in time with The Capitol in 1851, Washington, D.C. [showing wing extension], a historic photograph rich in period detail. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.

Order it framed and ready to hang, or unframed to match a frame you already love. Perfect for a home, office, library or classroom wall, and a gift with a story behind it. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Since 2001, Snapshots of the Past has shipped historic prints to tens of thousands of customers around the world.

The Capitol in 1851, Washington, D.C. [showing wing extension]

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This view shows the Capitol while its wings were being enlarged, a project that reshaped the building for decades. Congress had authorized the extension in 1850, and President Millard Fillmore laid the cornerstone for the new wings on July 4, 1851. The print comes from an album in the collection of Montgomery C. Meigs, the Army engineer who later oversaw the Capitol's expansion and its cast-iron dome. A caption card dates the scene to 1861, but that date is unverified, so the 1851 date is the one to weigh.

Medium1 photographic print.
Notes1851
SubjectsPhoto from original in Manuscript Div. - M.C. Meigs Coll, Box U, Public Bldgs. Album #2. This record contains unverified, old data from caption card. Caption card tracings: DC, Wash.--US Capitol ext.--1861; Shelf.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,536 × 1,507 px · prints to 5 × 5 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-137171

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