A new publication prepared by the Architect of the Capitol offers a richly illustrated, annotated edition of the classic first major book on the architecture and art of the United States Capitol.

Glenn Brown's History of the United States Capitol was published in two volumes by the U.S. Government Printing Office in 1900 and 1903, after twelve years of preparation by architect Glenn Brown. Its beautifully designed volumes, long treasured by those interested in the history of the Capitol, provide important information about the history of the building and its appearance at the turn of the twentieth century.

A pioneering work of architectural scholarship, based on exhaustive research into documents and architectural drawings, it was called "the handsomest book ever issued by the government."

FORWARD
One of the most important publications about the United States Capitol is Glenn Brown’s History of the United States Capitol, published in two volumes by the U.S. Government in 1900 and 1903. These beautifully designed volumes are treasured by those interested in the history of the Capitol, and, despite being over 100 years old, they still provide important information on the building and its art collection.

The plates documenting the appearance of the Capitol at the turn of the century often provide clues vital to both historical research and modern restoration projects. Now, as the Capitol enters its third century, it is fitting that we recognize and re-examine this important study.

In this new one-volume edition, William Bushong sets the original publication in context by the introductory essay on Glenn Brown and his place in the story of the Capitol and the city of Washington. Extensive annotations provide the reader with information regarding Brown’s sources and offer valuable perspective on his viewpoints and limitations. They also note twentieth-century publications on topics that Brown discussed. Many of the drawings that Brown published are preserved in the records of the Architect of the Capitol and newly photographed for this edition.

While the History of the United States Capitol is today considered a pioneering work of architectural history, it was also crafted by Brown to be helpful in two of his favorite crusades. He used the History to promote the restoration of the capital city’s original plan along the lines of Pierre L’ Enfant’s 1791 design (as interpreted by the emerging “City Beautiful” aesthetic). Deviations from the plan and Victorian intrusions had, Brown believed, done untold harm to the beauty of Washington.

Brown also credited George Washington and Thomas Jefferson with recognizing and appreciating the excellence of the city plan and the original design of the Capitol, an example worthy of emulation by modern political leaders; they should become patrons of the fine arts and, like Washington and Jefferson before them, insist that only the best American architects and artists work on the federal buildings in the capital. Through this work, Brown was able to make history a powerful force in his determination to improve the nation’s capital.

The use of history as a force is, of course, a fascinating study in its own right, and the present volume is an excellent illustration of the way in which history seems to work. No matter how exhaustively researched and meticulously crafted, no study is truly definitive--there will always be room for reinterpretation, reconsideration, and revision as new information comes to light. William Bushong’s work in this book exemplifies the value of the process, and as a result of his efforts we now have the benefit of Glenn Brown’s knowledge and point of view but also that of a modern scholar’s perspective on them.

The modern Capitol represents the work of generations of architects, engineers, artists, and builders. It also embodies the commitment of generations of Americans to our way of government. The publications and other educational projects undertaken by this office as part of the Congressional commemoration of the Capitol’s bicentennial period are intended to increase the nation’s and the world’s awareness of how the Capitol has come to be the building that it is today.

This book is a unique and important element of our overall program. In addition to its own documentary significance, it affords an understanding of the way in which the Capitol’s history has been told.

Our office has been pleased to make possible William Bushong’s research on Glenn Brown and the History of the United States Capitol through the United States Capitol Historical Society Fellowship program and by bringing the proposed publication to the attention of the United States Capitol Preservation Commission, which has funded its preparation. I am confident that the reappearance of Brown’s History will be welcomed by the American public.

ALAN M. HANTMAN, FAIA
ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

Visit Glenn Brown's History of the United States Capitol Download Page

You can download Glenn Brown's History of the United States Capitol in PDF format.

Introduction and Annotations by William B. Bushong
Annotated Edition in Commemoration of The Bicentennial of the United States Capitol
Prepared by the Architect of the Capitol for The United States Capitol Preservation Commission

PREFACE
The United States Capitol Preservation Commission has been pleased to support the preparation of this new annotated edition of Glenn Brown’s History of the United States Capitol as part of its mission to provide for the preservation of the Capitol.

In addition to preserving and enhancing the building and the art collection, this mission includes preserving knowledge about the history of the Capitol and encouraging understanding of the building through research and publications.

The publication of this book is part of the celebration of the Bicentennial of the United States Capitol. The bicentennial period extended from 1993, the anniversary of the laying of the first cornerstone of the Capitol by President George Washington on September 18, 1793, to the year 2000, the two-hundredth anniversary of the year the Congress moved to the new national capital on the banks of the Potomac River.

The annotated edition of Glenn Brown’s History follows a series of publications sponsored by Congress on the history of the Capitol. These include The United States Capitol: A Brief Architectural History, first published in 1990 and reprinted in 1994; The Dome of the United States Capitol: An Architectural History, 1992; “In the Greatest Solemn Dignity”: The Capitol’s Four Cornerstones, 1994; Barbara Wolanin’s Contantino Burmidi: Artist of the Capitol, 1998; and William C. Allen’s History of the United States Capitol A Chronicle of Design, Construction, and Politics, 2001.

The Commission cooperated in the preparation of The United States Capitol, 1993, with outstanding photographs of the building by Fred J. Maroon. Capitol Builder: The Shorthand Journals of Montgomery C. Meigs, 1853–1859, 1861, edited by Wendy Wolff, 2001, was a collaborative effort. We commend the Architect of the Capitol for preparing these much-needed and informative publications for the use of the Congress and the American people.

Comments (0)

Name

Email

Comment

smaller | bigger

Add Comment