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Published 26 years after Congress first met in Washington, this early guidebook predates most of the city's man-made sights. It contains no illustrations, but it does include detailed descriptions of the history of the Chesapeake region, the establishment of the District of Columbia as the national capital, the flora and fauna of the current city, and the surrounding rivers. This guide was printed in the City of Washington and sold by local bookseller S.A. Elliot and, according to the frontispiece, was also sold by “all the booksellers in this city and Georgetown.”
History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, “The Washington Guide,” https://history.house.gov/Collection/Listing/2005/2005-217-000/ (May 19, 2022)
Office of the Historian
Office of Art and Archives
Attic, Thomas Jefferson Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 226-1300
