Snapshots of the Past

[Construction of basement and first floor of the Library of Congress; U.S. Capitol in backgrd.] – Vintage Print

[Construction of basement and first floor of the Library of Congress; U.S. Capitol in backgrd.], 1891 Aug. 8. — historic photograph
[Construction of basement and first floor of the Library of Congress; U.S. Capitol in backgrd.], 1891 Aug. 8.. Historic photograph from the U.S. Capitol 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 [Construction of basement and first floor of the Library of Congress; U.S. Capitol in backgrd.], 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. It makes a striking addition to a living room, study or office, and a thoughtful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past, founded in 2001, has served tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

[Construction of basement and first floor of the Library of Congress; U.S. Capitol in backgrd.]

Order a print

Secure checkout · SSL encryptedPowered by Stripe and PayPal

Free shipping in the lower 48 states. The checkout page shows the picture, size and price before you pay.

Sign up for our newsletter

Sent securely. No purchase needed. Unsubscribe anytime.

Ask about licensing or this print

This August 1891 view catches the excavation and early masonry of the Library of Congress's basement and first floor, with the Capitol dome rising behind the works. Congress authorized the new library building in 1886 to ease crowding in the Capitol, where the collection had outgrown its rooms. Designed under Smithmeyer and Pelz and later revised by Edward Pearce Casey, the Beaux-Arts building opened to readers in 1897. The photograph shows the project at its earliest stage, with the new library rising beside the Capitol it was meant to relieve.

Created / published1891 Aug. 8.
Medium1 photographic print.
SubjectsThis record contains unverified, old data from caption card. Caption card tracings: Wash., DC--US Cap. ext--Views--1891; Building; Wash., DC--LC Construction; Geogr.; Shelf.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,536 × 1,267 px · prints to 5 × 4 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-139828

More from the U.S. Capitol collection

Snapshots of the Past helps heritage brands, museums, historians and storytellers tell stories with history: historic prints, image licensing and historical storytelling drawn from more than 25 years of research and curation.

Related pictures

[View of construction of the basement and first floor of the Library of Congress on the north side, with the U.S. Capitol in the background][View of construction of the basement and first floor of the Library of CongressThe first snow in the National Capitol - scene from the steps of the U.S. Capitol, looking toward the Congressional LibraryThe first snow in the National Capitol - scene from the steps of the U.S. CapitoView of Capitol when first occupied by Congress, 1800View of Capitol when first occupied by Congress, 1800[Aerial view of Capitol Hill featuring the Library of Congress[Aerial view of Capitol Hill featuring the Library of Congress[United States Capitol from the Library of Congress][United States Capitol from the Library of Congress][Rooms in the U.S. Capitol: Old Supreme Court Room, 1900 A.D., Supreme Court Law Library][Rooms in the U.S. Capitol: Old Supreme Court Room, 1900 A.D., Supreme Court Law