BGuthrie Photos: DC -- U.S. Natl Arboretum -- National Capitol Columns

DC -- U.S. Natl Arboretum -- National Capitol Columns:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. ARBOCC_201005_004.JPG: Capitol Columns These 22 Corinthian sandstone columns were among 24 that were part of the east central portico of the United States Capitol. Architect Charles Bullfinch oversaw construction of the portico using a design handed down by his predecessors, William Thornton and Benjamin Harry Latrobe. Completed in 1826, these columns provided the backdrop for presidential inaugurations from 1829 (Andrew Jackson) to 1957 (Dwight Eisenhower), and were the site of many speeches, protests, and rallies. In 1958, the columns were dismantled to make way for the east front extension of the Capitol, which is adorned with marble reproductions. Restoration of the columns was made possible through the efforts of Ethel Shields Garrett and support from the Friends of the National Arboretum. Garden designer Russell Page selected and designed the new site which was completed and dedicated in 1990.
2. ARBOCC_201005_030.JPG: In thanksgiving for the freedoms and opportunities of our great nation the United States of America. Joseph and Holland Coors
3. ARBOCC_201005_033.JPG: Through the generosity of the Founders Fund Committee of the Garden Club of America
4. ARBOCC_201005_037.JPG: In memory of Jacob Niceley McCullough, pioneer in American railroads by his great-grandchildren Harry Darlington III, McCullough Darlington, Elaine Darlington Fowler
5. ARBOCC_201005_040.JPG: Through the generosity of United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Mrs. Shelby Cullom Davis
6. ARBOCC_201005_043.JPG: AS 61 Most of the stones that were formerly Capitol steps are marked for their original positions.
7. ARBOCC_201005_049.JPG: In memory of Eleanor N. Dana
8. ARBOCC_201005_051.JPG: In memory of Magdalena Ecke by the Paul Ecke Family
9. ARBOCC_201005_055.JPG: In honor of Eugene McDermott by the Eugene McDermott Foundation, Dallas, Texas
10. ARBOCC_201005_059.JPG: Through the generosity of Mary and Philip Hulitar [Hulitar was a fashion designer from the 1950s.]
11. ARBOCC_201005_064.JPG: The illumination of the columns is a gift of Judith and Gerson Leiber
12. ARBOCC_201005_077.JPG: In honor of Julius Fleschmann, 1900-1968, commander, USNR, business, philanthropist, civic and cultural leader by his wife, Dorette Kruse Fleischmann
13. ARBOCC_201005_080.JPG: Through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
14. ARBOCC_201005_083.JPG: In memory of United States Senator George Hearst and his wife Phoebe Apperson Hearst, by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation
15. ARBOCC_201005_086.JPG: In memory of A. Atwater Kent, 1873-1949, inventor and manufacturer A. Atwater Kent From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Arthur Atwater Kent, Sr. (1873–1949) was an inventor and prominent radio manufacturer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States of America. In 1921, he patented the modern form of the automobile ignition coil.
16. ARBOCC_201005_089.JPG: Through the generosity of Mrs. Charles W. Engelhard Charles W. Engelhard Jr. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charles W. Engelhard Jr. (February 15, 1917 – March 2, 1971) was an American businessman who controlled an international mining and metals conglomerate, as well as a major owner in Thoroughbred horse racing, and a candidate in the 1955 New Jersey State Senate Elections. Engelhard made his fortune in the precious metals industry, where he operated a company founded by his father, Charles W Engelhard Sr. During World War II, he served with the United States Army Air Forces and, in 1947, Engelhard married the widow Jane Mannheimer. Engelhard would adopt Mannheimer's daughter, Anne France Mannheimer, and eventually have four more daughters with his wife. Shortly before his death in 1971, Engelhard disposed of most of his South African businesses, selling them to Anglo-American companies.
17. ARBOCC_201005_092.JPG: In honor of the Honorable John McCone by Mrs. John McCone John A. McCone From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Alexander McCone (January 4, 1902 – February 14, 1991) was an American businessman and politician who served as Director of Central Intelligence from 1961 to 1965, during the height of the Cold War.
18. ARBOCC_201005_095.JPG: In honor of John H. Patterson, founder of National Cash Register, pioneer in industrial welfare, by his daughter Dorothy Patterson Jackson
19. ARBOCC_201005_098.JPG: In honor of John Gregg Allerton co founder of Lawai-Kai Gardens, Kauae, Hawaii
20. ARBOCC_201005_104.JPG: In memory of Amon G. Carter by the Amon G. Carter Foundation, Ft. Worth, Texas Amon G. Carter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Amon Giles Carter Sr. (born Giles Amon Carter; December 11, 1879 – June 23, 1955) was the creator and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and a nationally known civic booster for Fort Worth, Texas. A legacy in his will was used to create Fort Worth's Amon Carter Museum, which was founded by his daughter, Ruth Carter Stevenson, in January 1961.
21. ARBOCC_201005_106.JPG: Through the generosity of the Honorable and Mrs. Walter H. Annenberg Walter Annenberg From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Walter Hubert Annenberg (March 13, 1908 – October 1, 2002) was an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and diplomat. Annenberg owned and operated Triangle Publications, which included ownership of The Philadelphia Inquirer, TV Guide, the Daily Racing Form, A+ Magazine, Essence, Star & Sky Magazine, Elementary Electronics, Playboy, The Saturday Evening Post, The Atlantic Monthly, and Seventeen magazine. He was appointed by President Richard Nixon as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, where he served from 1969 to 1974. Annenberg was born in Milwaukee and raised in New York. He attended the Wharton School, the business school at the University of Pennsylvania, though he dropped out to pursue stock investing. His father, Moses Annenberg, was convicted of tax evasion and incarcerated for two years. During that time, and following his father's death in 1942, Annenberg took control of the Inquirer, expanding its influence and his own. He built up his family's magazine business with great success, extending it into parts of the media industry such as radio and television. During his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, he developed a close friendship with Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family. After initial perceived missteps, he came to be admired for his dedicated work ethic, his wife's lavish entertaining, and personal gifts to support patriotic British causes, such as the restoration of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. He also paid for the renovation of Winfield House, the American ambassador's residence. In his later years, Annenberg became one of the most prominent philanthropists in the United States. He established the Annenberg Foundation in 1988 and personally gave over $2 billion to educational establishments and art galleries, including both the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in Los Angeles. At Sunnylands, his 220-acre estate near Palm Springs, California, he entertained royalty, presidents and other celebrities; it is now a museum and retreat center dedicated to furthering the Annenbergs' legacies.
22. ARBOCC_201005_112.JPG: The fountain and the waterstairs are the gift of Philip and Mary Hulitar
23. ARBOCC_201005_117.JPG: In memory of her parents, Agnes and Eugene Meyer by Katharine Graham Eugene Meyer (financier) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eugene Isaac Meyer (October 31, 1875 – July 17, 1959) was an American financier, public official, and newspaper publisher. He published The Washington Post from 1933 to 1946, and the paper stayed in his family throughout the rest of the 20th century. He served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1930 to 1933 and was the first President of the World Bank Group. Katharine Graham From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Katharine Meyer Graham (June 16, 1917 – July 17, 2001) was an American publisher. She led her family's newspaper, The Washington Post, from 1963 to 1991. Graham presided over the paper as it reported on the Watergate scandal, which eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. She was the first twentieth century female publisher of a major American newspaper. Graham's memoir, Personal History, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1998.
24. ARBOCC_201005_122.JPG: In memory of George Angus Garrett, civic leader and philanthropist, by Ethel Shields Garrett George A. Garrett From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia George Angus Garrett (August 5, 1888 – September 29, 1971) was an American investment banker and diplomat. In April 1947, he was appointed minister to Ireland; in 1950, he became the first United States Ambassador to Ireland, a position he held until May 1951.
25. ARBOCC_201005_127.JPG: This plaque was given by the friends of Ethel Shields Garrett in honor of her efforts The presence of the National Capitol columns on the knoll in this meadow was the inspiration of Ethel Shields Garrett, patron and friends of the National Arboretum. It is through her vision, courage and determination for thirty years that these historic columns were saved and then transferred to this site and that the design and funding for their permanent installation was secured in 1986. These columns designed for the United States Capitol continue to reaffirm our nation's commitment to fulfilling the dreams of a flourishing land and people.
26. ARBOCC_201005_169.JPG: These twenty-two sandstone columns were originally part of the east central portico of the United States Capitol, finished in 1826. The portico was the last part of the original capital to be built. The stone quarried in
27. ARBOCC_201005_173.JPG: Aquia Creek, Virginia, was brought to the capitol by boat where scores of cutters and carvers transformed the rough blocks into stately Corinthian columns. Workmen dismantled the portico in 1958 to make way for a large addition to the capitol.
28. ARBOCC_201005_178.JPG: The marble paving and steps were removed from the Senate wing of the Capitol. The columns and steps remained in storage until 1984 when they were transferred to the Department of Agriculture for display at the United States National Arboretum.
29. ARBOCC_201005_179.JPG: Construction was made possible by the generosity of the American citizens whose names are here inscribed and by the Friends of the National Arboretum.
30. ARBOCC_201005_209.JPG: Capitol Columns These 22 Corinthian sandstone columns were among 24 that were part of the east central portico of the United States Capitol. Architect Charles Bullfinch oversaw construction of the portico using a design handed down by his predecessors, William Thornton and Benjamin Harry Latrobe. Completed in 1826, these columns provided the backdrop for presidential inaugurations from 1829 (Andrew Jackson) to 1957 (Dwight Eisenhower), and were the site of many speeches, protests, and rallies. In 1958, the columns were dismantled to make way for the east front extension of the Capitol, which is adorned with marble reproductions. Restoration of the columns was made possible through the efforts of Ethel Shields Garrett and support from the Friends of the National Arboretum. Garden designer Russell Page selected and designed the new site which was completed and dedicated in 1990.
31. ARBOCC_201005_240.JPG: Sandstone Sculptures: The sandstone base and capital are from a Corinthian column that once graced the east central portico of the United States Capitol. The columns were dismantled in 1958 to make way for the east front extension, where marble reproductions now stand. The sandstone for the columns came from quarries at Aquia Creek, Virginia. Architect Charles Bullfinch oversaw completion of the Capitol portico in 1826 using a design handed down by his predecessors, William Thornton and Benjamin Henry Latrobe. An Englishman, George Blagden, oversaw the stone cutters. Giovanni Andrei, a native of Italy, was in charge of the carvers: it took a carver 6 months to produce one capital. The principal ornamentation on the bell-shaped capital is an Acanthus leaf, a plant native to the Mediterranean region. The plant may be found growing in the Dioscorides Garden at the National Herb Garden. Proceed across the meadow to closely view the columns and reflecting pool.
Wikipedia Description: National Capitol Columns
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The National Capitol Columns is a monument in Washington, D.C.'s National Arboretum. It is an arrangement of twenty-two Corinthian columns which were a part of the United States Capitol from 1828 to 1958, placed amid 20 acres (8.1 ha) of open meadow, known as the Ellipse Meadow.

Original use

The columns were quarried from sandstone near Aquia Creek in Virginia and transported to Washington on a barge. Old identification marks from the quarry are still visible on some of the stones.

They were originally built as part of the east portico of the Capitol in 1828, long before the familiar Capitol dome was completed. However, when the dome was completed in 1866, it appeared inadequately supported by the columns, because the iron dome was significantly larger than the dome that the designer envisioned. To correct this visual illusion, an addition to the east side of the Capitol was constructed in 1958 and the columns were removed.

Transfer to Arboretum

During the 1980s, Arboretum benefactor Ethel Garrett took up the cause of establishing a permanent home for the columns. Russell Page, a landscape designer and close friend of Garrett's, visited the Arboretum in September 1984, only months before his death. He determined that the east side of the Ellipse Meadow would be an ideal location, as the columns would be in scale with the more than 20 acres (8.1 ha) of open meadow available at the site.

The columns were relocated to this site, and set on a foundation of stones from the steps that were originally on the east side of the Capitol. A reflecting pool, fed by a small rivulet of water running down a channel in the steps, reflects the columns and provides sound and movement.

A capital, or top portion, of one of the columns is located elsewhere in the meadow, so that visitors can see the detail that the stone carver incorporated into the design. Acanthus leaves are clearly visible, and the many layers of paint applied while the column was in place at the Capitol are visible on portions of the stone.

The two missing columns

Only 22 of the original 24 columns stand in the Ellipse Meadow. The remaining two columns are damaged, and rest at the summit of Mount Hamilton, inside the Arboretum's Azalea Collection. Both are cracked in half and neither has a base nor capital.
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