Snapshots of the Past

George Town and Federal City, or City of Washington – Antique Print

George Town and Federal City, or City of Washington, London and Philadelphia : Atkins & Nightingale, 1801. — historic print
George Town and Federal City, or City of Washington, London and Philadelphia : Atkins & Nightingale, 1801.. Historic print 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

A window into the past: George Town and Federal City, or City of Washington, preserved in this historic print. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.

The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past, founded in 2001, has served tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

George Town and Federal City, or City of Washington

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 aquatint pairs the existing port town of Georgetown with the "Federal City" that was rising beside it, a juxtaposition the title spells out. It was published in London and Philadelphia in 1801 by Atkins & Nightingale, and the image was translated into aquatint by T. Cartwright from a design by George Beck. The print appeared the year after Congress moved to the new capital in 1800, when Washington was still largely unbuilt and the Potomac waterfront carried most of the district's commerce. Its mix of working river and open ground makes it a useful record of the city's early years.

Created / publishedLondon and Philadelphia : Atkins & Nightingale, 1801.
Medium1 print : aquatint ; 45.3 x 58 cm (sheet, trimmed)
GenreD.C.
NotesT. Cartwright after George Beck. Exhibited: The view from here : images of early Georgetown, Dumbarton House, 2002. Exhibited in: Creating the United States" at the Library of Congress
SubjectsGeorgetown (Washington, D.C.)--1800-1810. Washington (D.C.)--1800-1810. Rivers--1800-1810.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan10,147 × 8,005 px · prints to 34 × 27 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-128758

More from the Washington DC 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.