The Pre-Washington Capitals

This will be a look at some of the state capitals and their buildings, prior to the establisment of Washington D.C. Particularly important are Philadelphia (although the state capital is Harrisburg), Boston and the Virginia's two capitals; Williamsburg and Richmond.

Jefferson, Washington and the Search for Order

Thomas Jefferson was by far the most influential architect of the period around the American Revolution. His search for a way to represent the new government in a style that was Republican and not English, yielded the way forward for the new nation. Although he did not build any of Washington D.C. the final forms are in their way an acceptance of his ideals.

Pierre L'Enfant and the Influence of Versailles

Pierre L'Enfant left his native France to fight the English in the Revolutionary war. Though not a soldier, he was an engineer, he became very close to George Washington and was put to work on a plan for the new capital on a site chosen by Washington next to the Patomac. His design of radiating avenues and monuments was significantly influenced by his time growing up at Versailles, France, where his father had been employed as a sculptor.

The Competitions

The designs for the two most important buildings in Washington D.C. were come to by two competitions suggested by Thomas Jefferson. The winner of the Capitol design was Dr. William Thornton, an English architect who left England for America after the war. The winner of the President's House competition was James Hoban, an Irish gentleman-amateur architect who designed a very restrained house in the Irish-Palladian style.

A good account of this is found at the home page of the Architect of the Capitol

If you have any contributions to make, then do send me an email

© 1996 Daniel Frydman, Univerity of Edinburgh

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