Existing comment:
Check for a House on Capitol Hill (1799)
Check, May 31, 1799
George Washington invested in the city financially. He carefully selected building lots that reflected his vision for the capital. Two next to the Capitol would support the political role of the city. Four on the Anacostia River would support its commercial role. And, underscoring the city's future as a cultural center, he purchased all of Square 21 (near what would become the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts) for a botanical garden. This check, payment to William Thornton for supervising construction of George Washington's two Capitol Hill houses, is one of the few personal checks written by Washington to survive. |