BGuthrie Photos: DC -- GWU -- Museum and Textile Museum -- Exhibit: George Washington and His World

DC -- GWU -- Museum and Textile Museum -- Exhibit: George Washington and His World:

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Description of Pictures: George Washington and His World
Through July 26, 2020
Washington, D.C., is inextricably linked with its namesake, George Washington. Two other sites are also part of this founding father’s story: Mount Vernon and Alexandria, Va. Curated by GW students, this display of letters, prints, and artifacts from the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection presents a nuanced look at Washington through the places that shaped him. Organized in cooperation with the Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies.

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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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. GWORLD_200224_001.JPG: George Washington and His World
2. GWORLD_200224_014.JPG: Washington at Work: Washington, D.C.
3. GWORLD_200224_017.JPG: An Act to Amend the Act of Dec. 1, 1790, Establishing the District of Columbia, March 1, 1791 This Act of Congress, amending the previously accepted Act of December 1, 1790, required that the seat of government be located between the Potomac River and the Eastern Branch (now called the Anacostia River). It states that although the District is ten square-miles and includes land in Virginia, public buildings may only be built on the Maryland side of the Potomac. Because of this Act, Peter (Pierre) L'Enfant began planning the city in the way it looks today -- all on one side of the river.
4. GWORLD_200224_041.JPG: Washington City in 1801 This modern map highlights the skeletal frame of early Washington City. In 1801, after a decade of construction, the city held 15,000 permanent residents. From 1801, Washington hosted the apparatuses of government, and prioritized seasonal housing. Shown in this map are two important loci for the city, the Capitol Building and the White House. They are distanced from one another but connected along the first of two main roads, Pennsylvania Avenue.
5. GWORLD_200224_052.JPG: Letter to the U.S. Congress signed by President George Washington George Washington sent this letter, addressed to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate along with Peter (Pierre) L'Enfant's plan for the new Federal City. The manuscript plan of "The City of Washington," was delivered to President Washington on August 19, 1791. While Washington was pleased with the first draft, L'Enfant's withholding of subsequent drafts eventually became a point of contention for the two men. Manuscript letter signed by George Washington, December 13, 1791
6. GWORLD_200224_057.JPG: Plan of the City of Washington, in the Territory of Columbia, Ceded by the States of Virginia and Maryland to the United States of America and Established as the Seat of Government after the Year 1800 When Peter (Pierre) L'Enfant first drew plans for the city, it was rigidly structured with wide roads and grand views. As seen in this engraving of the plan, L'Enfant proposed 15 circles with grand monuments and 13 main diagonal roads named after the thirteen original colonies. The city has changed dramatically over the years, particularly Tiber Creek, which used to stretch far into the National Mall. John Russell, London, engraving, 1797
7. GWORLD_200224_075.JPG: Washington and His Family This print, after Edward Savage's painting The Washington Family, is one of the most famous images of George Washington's extended family. Washington is shown studying an early map of the new Federal City. His position above the map illustrates his fatherly interest in shaping the city that would later bear his name. George and Martha Washington are pictured with their grandchildren, Eleanor "Nelly" Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis, and an enslaved house servant. After Edward Savage, artist; William Sartain, engraver; Bradley & Co, publisher, Philadelphia, mezzotint, 1864.
8. GWORLD_200224_093.JPG: George Washington's Houses: Floor Plan and Correspondence These floorplans show George Washington's vision for townhouses near Capitol Hill. Washington bought and developed land in the young city to encourage others to do so as well. Likely because he lacked formal architectural training, Washington sought the opinion of Dr. William Thornton, the first architect of the Capitol Building, on his townhouse designs. George Washington, drawing, 1798 William Thornton, manuscript letter, 1798
9. GWORLD_200224_097.JPG: Untitled Check George Washington wrote this check to William Thornton for $272 on May 31, 1799. At the time, Thornton built rental houses for Washington in the new Federal City. Washington paid Thornton form dividends in his stock of the Bank of Columbia, the first bank chartered in what is today Washington, DC. George Washington, check signed, May 31, 1799.
10. GWORLD_200224_103.JPG: Panorama of Washington This panorama features 33 hand-colored views of buildings in Washington, DC, culminating in a large image of the Capitol at the bottom. A portrait of George Washington at the top is accompanied by the famous words from Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee's eulogy of Washington that he was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Charles Magnus, artist; Charles Magnus & Co., publisher, engraving, 1860
11. GWORLD_200224_120.JPG: The Rose of the Capitol This folding fan souvenir depicts many iconic Washington, DC, landmarks. Included with the Smithsonian Institute, and Navy Yard are images [of] Mount Vernon and George Washington's tomb. This emphasizes not only the geographic proximity of the estate to the city, but also the symbolic connection between Washington's home and his eponymous city. Edward Sachse & Co., printer; Casimir Bohn, publisher, color lithograph, 1861
12. GWORLD_200224_125.JPG: Hall of Representatives Columbia Armory
13. GWORLD_200224_128.JPG: Senate Chamber Congressional Library
14. GWORLD_200224_131.JPG: City Hall Washington Monument
15. GWORLD_200224_136.JPG: Lunatic Asylum Arlington House
16. GWORLD_200224_139.JPG: U.S. Arsenal Columbia College
17. GWORLD_200224_142.JPG: U.S. Navy Yard Georgetown College
18. GWORLD_200224_146.JPG: Military Asylum Mount Vernon
19. GWORLD_200224_148.JPG: Smithsonian Institute Washington's Tomb
20. GWORLD_200224_156.JPG: George Washintgon This portrait reproduces Charles Willson Peale's 1772 painting, which depicts George Washington in the French and Indian War. This is the first known portrait of Washington. Peale, one of Washington's favorite artists, continued to paint him throughout his life, allowing American and international viewers to see the transformation of Washington from colonel to Revolutionary War general and, finally, to president of the United States. Charles Willson Peale, artist; G.P. Putnam Co., publisher, New York, engraving, ca. 1890
21. GWORLD_200224_160.JPG: Letter to David Stewart signed by President George Washington George Washington wrote this letter to David Stuart, one of the three commissioners appointed in charge of planning the new Federal City, to express his increasing frustration with Peter (Pierre) L'Enfant. L'Enfant refused to present a draft of his map to the commissioners, shocking and infuriating Washington. This dispute, among others, led L'Enfant to resign as the designer of the Federal City in 1792. George Washington, signed manuscript letter, November 20, 1791
22. GWORLD_200224_182.JPG: Letter to David Stuart signed by President George Washintgon Following Peter (Pierre) L'Enfant's leaving, Washington became very concerned about the progress of the Federal City's construction. Here, Washington candidly highlights these concerns to David Stuart, emphasizing the need to find an architect suitable to design the Capitol, executive mansion, and other federal buildings. Washington express the need to find an architect who would reside in the Federal City, while also having qualifications that could match L'Enfant's expertise. George Washington, signed manuscript letter, November 30, 1792
23. GWORLD_200224_187.JPG: George Washington Esq. When this portrait was printed, Washington was entering his second term in office, and Washington City was undergoing early construction. Washington is depicted alone and rests his hand on the plan for the Federal City, emphasizing his role in choosing the location and layout of the capital that would become one of his foremost legacies. Edward Savage, mezzotint, 1793
24. GWORLD_200224_200.JPG: Washington in Town: Alexandria, Virginia
25. GWORLD_200224_203.JPG: Plan of the Town of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, 1798 This map shows Alexandria as George Washington would have known it. Before Washington served as commander of the Continental Army and as America's first president, he was a surveyor. Washington completed the first survey of Alexandria in 1748 at age 16. This map, created a year before Washington's death in 1799, details the Alexandria that Washington helped build while simultaneously working to found the United States. Col. George Gilpin, artist; Thomas Clarke, engraver; I.V. Thomas, publisher, engraving, 1798
26. GWORLD_200224_213.JPG: District of Columbia This map depicts the original ten-square mile District of Columbia limits as established by the Residence Act of 1790 that George Washington signed into law. It appeased southerners by establishing a capital city along the Potomac, and northerners by permitting the assumption of states' debts. At Washington's urging, Congress amended the act to include his hometown of Alexandria, raising hopes among residents that the port would achieve its commercial potential. William Davis Tickner, publisher, Boston, MA, engraving, 1835
27. GWORLD_200224_222.JPG: Christ Church, Alexandria, Va. Christ Church was completed in 1773 to serve as the Anglican parish for the people of Alexandria, which included George Washington and his family. Washington's attendance deepened his connection to Alexandria and its community, and he purchased a family box pew. Both Christ Church and the Washington family pew are still in use by the public today. Howard Frisch, etching, 1966
28. GWORLD_200224_228.JPG: Christ Church, Alexandria, Va. This 20th century copper etching plate and its accompanying print showcases Christ Church's brick tower, which faces Columbus Street in Alexandria. The church's architecture reflects the Georgian style popular in Britain and America from the early 1700s to about 1830. All the features depicted except the iron fencing and arched entrance are part of the original 18th century structure. Howard Frisch, copper etching plate, 1966
29. GWORLD_200224_234.JPG: Columbian Centinel, 7 May 1791 This copy of the Columbian Centinel newspaper includes an article on the laying ceremony of the first boundary stone at Jones Point in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 15, 1791. The stone at Jones Point marked the southern boundary of the new federal district between DC, Virginia, and Maryland. James Muir, the pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Alexandria, gave the dedication address reprinted with the article. Columbian Centinel, Boston, MA, May 7, 1791
30. GWORLD_200224_243.JPG: Fairfax County, Virginia in 1760, Showing Landowners, tenants, slave owners, churches, Roads, Ordinaries, Ferries, Mills, Tobacco Inspection warehouses and the Towns of Alexandria and Colchester This map highlights the different types of landowners in Fairfax County in 1760 and the extent of their slaveholders. George Washington's property of Mount Vernon on the lower right shows that he had 88 enslaved workers, more than anyone else in the county. With his marriage to Martha Custis in 1759, the number of enslaved laborers at Mount Vernon would nearly double to 172. By the year of Washington's death, 1799, the number had expanded to 317. Beth Mitchell, Office of Comprehensive Plans, Fairfax County, VA, lithograph, 1987
31. GWORLD_200224_254.JPG: The Slave Market of America The American Anti-Slavery Society used the displayed pamphlet to advocate for abolition in the nation's capital, which included Alexandria at the time. By 1836, Alexandria had become a central hub of America's domestic slave trade, transporting slaves to New Orleans and other parts of the Deep South. The pamphlet employs quotes from the Bible and the Constitution and images of the slave trade to argue for abolition. William Door, printer; American Anti-Slavery Society, publisher, 1836
32. GWORLD_200224_268.JPG: View of Alexandria, Va. This image presents Alexandria as a bustling town a half century after George Washington's death. Its central geographic position provided the region with economic and political power. Washington financially and personally supported Alexandria by purchasing land and representing the citizens first as a town trustee and colonial legislator, and later as president. In return, the port town provided Washington with access to urban life and commercial opportunity near Mount Vernon. E. Sasche & Co., artist; J.T. Palmatary, publisher, lithographic, 1854
33. GWORLD_200224_274.JPG: A Pilgrimage to Mount Vernon In 1886, Harper's Weekly published these scenes of George Washington's world as a popular tourist destination. Notably, the images featured different views of the Potomac and Washington's home community of Alexandria as a gateway to Mount Vernon. In the distance of the upper middle image, readers also viewed symbols of Washington's legacy, the Capitol Building and recently completed Washington Monument. Charles Graham, artist; Harper's Weekly, publisher, New York City, wood engraving, 1886
34. GWORLD_200224_287.JPG: Washington at Home: Mount Vernon
35. GWORLD_200224_294.JPG: The Home of Washington, Mount Vernon, Va. This print depicts the recently restored mansion shortly after its purchase by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association (MVLA) in 1859. The railing above the porch was a later addition that was removed in 1936. The lone man is likely the famous Massachusetts orator Edward Everett. His contributions to help the MVLA purchase and restore the home highlighted Washington's significance as a symbol of national unity on the eve of the Civil War. Currier & Ives, New York, color lithograph, ca. 1860
36. GWORLD_200224_298.JPG: George Washington's Map of His Mount Vernon Estate, Drawn by Him in 1793 and Based on His Own Surveys This reproduction of George Washington's self-drawn map of his Mount Vernon estate intricately details his 8,000-acre property, highlighting Washington's cartography skills. The map features Washington's five farms, the heart of the estate's agricultural activity, which depended on increasing amounts of enslaved labor. In the 20th century, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association sold this map as a souvenir directly connected to Washington. George Washington; Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, publisher, Mount Vernon, VA, 1945 reproduction, 1793 original
37. GWORLD_200224_305.JPG: Mt. Vernon District No. 3, Fairfax Co. This map depicts the Mt. Vernon District in 1878 and includes the entirety of the land that historically belonged to George Washington. Faced with Mount Vernon's decreasing profitability, Washington's descendants had sold off the surrounding farms. Private residences and business began to spring up along the growing network of roads, Compared to Washington's own map of his estate, changes in the landscape are striking, even 79 years after his passing. Frederick Bourquin's Steam Lithographic Press, printer; Griffith Morgan Hopkins, Jr., publisher, lithograph, 1878
38. GWORLD_200224_317.JPG: Photograph Cards These late 19th century photographs of Mount Vernon by Luke C. Dillon were sold as souvenirs to increase revenue by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association (MVLA). The images allowed people to revisit Mount Vernon's grounds and interior long after their original tour. They show us how the MVLA worked to interpret, reconstruct, and display the home when George Washington lived there. Luke C. Dillon, photographer; Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, publisher, photographs, ca. 1880
39. GWORLD_200224_341.JPG: Birds' Eye View of Mt. Vernon This lithograph advertises one of the 19th century's most popular tourist destinations: George Washington's Mount Vernon. People of color are notably absent, when in reality free black interpreters, often people born into slavery on the estate, sold walking sticks and protected Washington's tomb from looters. G & F Bill, lithograph, 1859
40. GWORLD_200224_360.JPG: George Washington Polish political artist Arthur Syzk's portrait of George Washington is one of 38 miniatures in his series "George Washington and His Times," honoring the American Revolution and commemorating the 1932 bicentennial of Washington's birthday. Washington's recognizable Mount Vernon Estate sits in the background, reflecting his exit from civilian life to fight for liberty in the Revolution. Arthur Szyk, collotype, 1932
41. GWORLD_200224_363.JPG: Cedar Shingle from Historic Mount Vernon, Number 33 This machine-made cedar roof shingle from Mount Vernon was adapted from those used by George Washington. The original fan-shaped shingles were from cypress wood and painted red to resemble wealthy European styles. Aside from impressing visitors to Mount Vernon, cypress is water resistant with a high density, making it ideal for Virginia's cold winters and hot summers. In 1993, Mount Vernon returned to hand-pressed cypress shingles, turning the old shingles like this one into collectables. Unknown, ca 1970
42. GWORLD_200224_367.JPG: Mount Vernon, Home of Washington, Representing the Two Hundred Acres Purchased by the Ladies Association This lithograph shows Mount Vernon when it was purchased by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association (MVLA). In addition to the $200,000 estate, the MVLA acquired the complex history of Mount Vernon. This birds-eye view shows both George Washington's vision for his home and the results of the labor of enslaved people who made his life possible. This central contradiction at the heart of Mount Vernon has intrigued and frustrated visitors from Washington's day to the present. H. Whatley, artist; Thomas S. Sinclair, printer
43. GWORLD_200224_376.JPG: A Visit to Mount Vernon Visitors to Mount Vernon often wrote and published pilgrimage stories, like this one by Benson J. Lossing, a prominent historian and magazine editor of the 1800s. Lossing's writings and illustrations of Mount Vernon kept the estate and the efforts of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association in the public eye, reinforcing Mount Vernon as a national symbol belonging to the American people. Harper's Weekly vol. 2 issue 79, New York City, wood engraving, July 3, 1858
44. GWORLD_200224_384.JPG: Gleason's Pictorial, Mount Vernon After George Washington's passing, Mount Vernon became an "American mecca," with thousands making pilgrimage to his home and tomb. Overwhelmed by the surge of visitors, John Augustine Washington III attempted to sell the unprofitable and deteriorating property in the 1850s. Written after the state and federal government refused to purchase the land, this article sought to alert Americans to the uncertainty of Mount Vernon's future and advocate for its preservation. Gleason's Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion, October 29, 1853
45. GWORLD_200224_388.JPG: N.W. View of the Mansion of George Washington, Mount Vernon This lithograph depicts the estate in disrepair under the ownership of George Washington's great-grandnephew John Augustine Washington III. The formally dressed visitors illustrate the plantation's popularity as a destination, whose deterioration sparked public criticism from many concerned citizens. The black many was likely one of many enslaved people who labored for George Washington's descendants on the property even forty years after he freed his own slaves. P. Haas, Washington, DC, lithograph, 1841
46. GWORLD_200224_392.JPG: Mount Vernon Piazza with Child This early photograph captures a child sitting by the mansion's east front. At this time, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association managed the estate and employed guides who intimately understood life at Mount Vernon. Many of these people, perhaps this child's parents, were free blacks who were once owned by the Washington family. These formerly enslaved individuals articulated their experiences to probably exclusively white audiences. Unknown, carte de visite photograph, c 1870
47. GWORLD_200224_398.JPG: Mount Vernon -- The Home of Washington This print is a reproduction of an ink and watercolor drawing of Mount Vernon by the English-born merchant Samuel Vaughan in August 1787. One of the earliest images of Mount Vernon, Vaughan's work captured George Washington's meticulous shaping of his estate's landscape. Washington, away at the Constitutional Convention when Vaughan visited, later received the Englishman's drawing. Washington wrote that this image "describes with accuracy the house, walk and shrubs." R. von Glumer, artist; A. Peters, publisher, Washington, DC, color lithograph, ca 1860
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- 2022_DC_GWU_Museum_ArtistDC: DC -- GWU -- Museum and Textile Museum -- Exhibit: An Artist's Washington (31 photos from 2022)
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2020 photos: Well, that was a year, wasn't it? The COVID-19 pandemic cut off most events here in DC after March 11. The child president's handling of the pandemic was a series of disastrous missteps and lies, encouraging his minions to not wear masks and dramatically increasing infections and deaths here.The BLM protests started in June, made all the worse by the child president's inability to have any empathy for anyone other than himself. Then of course he tried to steal the election in November. What a year! Equipment this year: I continued to use my Fuji XS-1 cameras but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000. The farthest distance I traveled after that was about 40 miles. I only visited sites in four states -- Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and DC. That was the least amount of travel I had done since 1995. Number of photos taken this year: about 246,000, the fewest number of photos I had taken in any year since 2007.
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Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].