Evening star., 1946-02-10
The Capitol and Its Architects

The designing and erecting of the
United States Capitol Building in Wash
ington is certainly an interesting story,
but quite too long to try to tell in this
limited space. From the laying of the
Capitol's cornerstone on September 18.
l793, until the period of the Civil War
important additions were made to the
building, and interior improvements are
still going on. Everything continues to
be done to make it more attractive and
more comfortable for the members of
Congress Those who have never seen
this massive structure should do so, for
it is considered by many to be the most
beautiful building in the world and un-
questionably the dearest and most pre-
cious to the American people.
On Jenkins Hill
The site of its location was early
known as jenkins Heights, or Jenkins
Hill, and was owned by Daniel Carroll,
whose farm extended from Carrollsburg,
or Buzzard Point, northward to near
Florida avenue. On the east it included
part of the old James Creek And dur
ing the days when all the tribes of the
Algonquin Indians met in council here.
the council house stood at the foot of the
very hill on which now stands the lofty
American Capitol. Later jenkins Hill
was known as Rome" it's owner in 1868
and for some years later being Francis
Pope, for whom it was surveyed on June
of that year.
Though little is known of the Pope
family yet there is probability that this
farm was patented at an earlier date in
the name of Thomas Pope, and that
Francis Pope, the son. later became the
owner and had it surveyed. The creek
which flowed around what was probably
the western boundary of this 400 acres
he gave the name "Tiber," perhaps more
in keeping with the combination of
names ]than sentiment The deed to
Francis Pope reads in part as follows:
"Layd out for Francis Pope of this
Province Gentleman parcel of land in
Charles County called Rome lying on the
East side Of the Anacostian River be-
ginning at a marked oak standing by
the riverside, the bounded tree of Cap
tain Robert Troop and running north by
the river for breadth the length 200
perches to bounded oak standing at
the mouth of bay or inlet called Tiber"
DR.. William Tindall, in his STANDARD
History tells us of tradition which
has it that Francis Pope believed he was
possessed of occult sight. The doctor
says:
1T is told of this dreamer that he
predicted greater capital than Rome
would occupy that hill and that later
generations would command a great
and fourishing country in the New
World. He related that he had had a
dream, or vision, in which he had seen
a splendid parliament house on the hill,
now known to us as Capitol HILL which
he purchased and called Rome, in pro-
phetic honor Of the great city to be-"
It makes little difference what Francis
Pope might have dreamed for the fu-
ture, his prophecy-or whatever it may
be called-surely speaks eloquently for
itself today.
The Architects
The design of DR.. William Thornton
whose wife has left us her very inter-
esting diary-was accepted, and the
work as it progressed was done under
the direction of Stephen H. Hallet,-
James Hoban, who designed the White
House; George Hadfield and B. H.
Latrobe.
DR.. Thornton was self-taught archi-
tect and an unusually talented man, and
when design for the Capitol was ad-
vertised fof in March, 1892, he indus
triously set to work upon the plans for
which lot of the city valued at f1O0
and cash prize of $500, or medal in
lieu OF the latter, at the option of the
winner, was offered.
DR.. Thornton first came to the District
In March, 1893, and for a while lived in
Georgetown in the house which is still
standing at 1921 M street, known in DR..
Thorntons time as Falls street, and
more recently as Bridge street. From
here he moved, in 1896, to the site now
known as 1881 F street NV, next door
to the site of the residence of President
John Quincy Adams, and opposite the
F street side of the National Press
Building.
In addition to designing the original
Capitol, DR.. Thornton drew the plans
Tor two houses for President Washing
ton, which stood for long while on the
west side of North Capitol street between
and c streets, and superintended their
construction. 1t will be recalled that
these houses in more recent years be-
came the Hillman House, this site now
being part of the Capitol Plaza.
The laying of the cornerstone of the
Capitol was made an impressive event,
even for that early period of the Repub-
lie. For the purpose, the President came
all the way from Philadelphia to take
part, a trip involving several days hard
travel at that date.
1t was a great occasion for the mem
bers of the Masonic Fraternity and all
the nearby lodges were represented in
the grand Masonic, military and civic
procession" which was formed in what
y now Lafayette Square, whence it