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Gracing the crest of what was once called Jenkins Hill, the Capitol of the United States houses the legislative branch of government, comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate.

In 1792 a competition was held to design the Capitol building. The winner was a physician named William Thornton, who received $500 and a city lot for his design. President George Washington laid the cornerstone in 1793, but construction proceeded slowly under a succession of architects including Stephen Hallet, George Hadfield, and James Hoban. President Thomas Jefferson appointed Benjamin Latrobe as the new architect in 1803. Latrobe renovated the Senate wing and completed the House wing by 1811. He was called back to rebuild the structure in 1815 after it was burned by British troops. Charles Bulfinch, who succeeded Latrobe in 1818, completed the building in 1830 with only slight modifications to Latrobe's master plan.

By 1850 the original building was too small and Philadelphia architect Thomas Walter was commissioned to design and build the much enlarged present Capitol. New House and Senate wings of white marble were added to the old sandstone building by 1859. During 1863 Walter's 270 foot 9-million-pound cast-iron dome was completed and Thomas Crawford's 19.7-foot statue, Armed Freedom, was raised to its top. The east front was extended 33 feet in 1960 and faced with a white marble copy of the original sandstone facade.

Text © 1995 Dianne Harrah, Drawing © 1995 Bill Harrah