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Capitol and Botanic Garden Stereoview

Stereoview depicting two nearly identical black and white photographs of the National Mall, with a Botanic Garden greenhouse in the foreground and West Front of the Capitol building in the distance, arranged side by side on green cardboard/tiles/collection/8/8162.xml
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Back of stereoview with typed writing, reading, “T.W. Smillie., Smithsonian Institution., Washington, D.C.” and handwritten “U.S. Capitol”/tiles/collection/8/8161.xml
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Stereoview depicting two nearly identical black and white photographs of the National Mall, with a Botanic Garden greenhouse in the foreground and West Front of the Capitol building in the distance, arranged side by side on green cardboard
Back of stereoview with typed writing, reading, “T.W. Smillie., Smithsonian Institution., Washington, D.C.” and handwritten “U.S. Capitol”
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Date

1869-1871

Artist

Thomas William Smillie

Publisher

Thomas William Smillie

Dimensions

3 7/16 x 6 15/16 in. (8.7 x 17.6 cm)

Accession Number

2004.055.000

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

By the 1870s the National Mall—shown here anchored by the Capitol at its eastern end—was beginning to take shape as the tourist destination it is today. National Botanical Garden greenhouses, seen in the foreground of this view, the Smithsonian Institution, and other gardens were opened, providing what was intended as a space of public edification and education. This image was taken by Thomas Smillie, the Smithsonian’s first staff photographer and, later, its first curator of photography.

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Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov