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Bird’s Eye View of Washington, D.C.

Page with text and a hand-colored print showing an aerial view of Washington DC, with the Capitol, Washington Monument, Smithsonian Institution, and Anacostia and Potomac Rivers visible, captioned, “Bird's Eye View of Washington, D. C.” Text reads, “. . . and a Female Wesleyan College are located here. The city was founded in 1732, incorporated as a borough 1740, and as a city 1832. Dover, Population 4,000, the capital of the State, on Jones River and the Delaware Railroad, about 77 miles south of Philadelphia. The town is regularly built with straight, wide, well shaded streets crossing at right angles. There are some fine public edifices, notably the State House, City Hall, Post Office and Court House. There is considerable manufacturing industry. It is the center of a fine fruit region. New Castle, Population 3,080, capital of county of same name, on west bank of the Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, is an important town, contains several churches, schools, and largely engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods and farming implements. Smyrna, Population 2,358, on Duck Creek, in Kent county, has considerable trade in grain and fruit, also several manufacturing establishments. Milford, Population 2,358, on Mispillion Creek, in Kent county, has railroad connections, machine shops, fruit and grain trade. Other important towns are, Lewes 2,132, near Cape Henlopen; Seaford 1,700, and Laurel 1,500 in Sussex; Camden 1,577 in Kent, and Newark 1,140 in New Castle county. District of Columbia. Area, 64 Square Miles. Population, 177,624. The selection of a place for the seat of government provoked the first discussion of a sectional nature, after the adoption of the Constitution. The government was organized in New York, March 4, 1789, and Congress met in that city until 1791; afterward removed to Philadelphia, where it remained until December, 1800. On December 28, 1788, Maryland passed ‘An act to cede to Congress a district of ten miles square in this State, for the seat of Government of the United States.' And the State of Virginia, December 3, 1789, passed ‘An act for the cession of ten miles square, or any lesser quantity of territory within this State, to the United States in Congress assembled, for the permanent seat of the General Government.’ By the first Article of the Constitution ‘Congress shall have power to exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cessation of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the Government of the United States,’ etc. Congress accepted these cessions, as required by the Constitution by act of July 16, 1790, and an act to amend the same, March 3, 1791. The lines and boundaries of the district of ten miles square were accordingly located and particularly described by proclamation of the President, March 30, 1791, and by act of Congress, approved February 27, 1801, at which time Congress assumed complete jurisdiction over the said district. That portion of the District lying south of the Potomac River was retroceded in 1846 to Virginia, by act of Congress. Act approved April 16, 1862, forever absolved slavery in the District. The District is named in honor of Christopher Columbus. It is bounded on the southwest by the Potomac, and on all other sides by Maryland. The surface is undulating, with hills which command extensive views, and afford fine sites for public edifices. Two considerable streams empty into the Potomac within the District—Anacostia, or Eastern Branch, and Rock Creek. The climate is moist and warm, and there is considerable local miasma. The commerce, which is small, is chiefly carried on through Georgetown. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal passes through a portion of the District, crossing the Potomac at Georgetown. Four railroads center at the capital. Formerly the District had a territorial form of government, but at present is governed by a committee of Congress on the District of Columbia. There is but one county (Washington), and but two townships—Washington, population 147,293; Georgetown, 12,578. There is a supreme court, consisting of a chief-justice and five associate justices. As in the Territories, voters have no voice in presidential elections. Suffrage is the same as in nearly all the States. The principal national buildings are within the corporate limits of Washington. The District is the seat of Columbia University, Howard University, . . .”/tiles/collection/6/6816.xml
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Page with text and a hand-colored print showing an aerial view of Washington DC, with the Capitol, Washington Monument, Smithsonian Institution, and Anacostia and Potomac Rivers visible, captioned, “Bird's Eye View of Washington, D. C.” Text reads, “. . . and a Female Wesleyan College are located here. The city was founded in 1732, incorporated as a borough 1740, and as a city 1832. Dover, Population 4,000, the capital of the State, on Jones River and the Delaware Railroad, about 77 miles south of Philadelphia. The town is regularly built with straight, wide, well shaded streets crossing at right angles. There are some fine public edifices, notably the State House, City Hall, Post Office and Court House. There is considerable manufacturing industry. It is the center of a fine fruit region. New Castle, Population 3,080, capital of county of same name, on west bank of the Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, is an important town, contains several churches, schools, and largely engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods and farming implements. Smyrna, Population 2,358, on Duck Creek, in Kent county, has considerable trade in grain and fruit, also several manufacturing establishments. Milford, Population 2,358, on Mispillion Creek, in Kent county, has railroad connections, machine shops, fruit and grain trade. Other important towns are, Lewes 2,132, near Cape Henlopen; Seaford 1,700, and Laurel 1,500 in Sussex; Camden 1,577 in Kent, and Newark 1,140 in New Castle county. District of Columbia. Area, 64 Square Miles. Population, 177,624. The selection of a place for the seat of government provoked the first discussion of a sectional nature, after the adoption of the Constitution. The government was organized in New York, March 4, 1789, and Congress met in that city until 1791; afterward removed to Philadelphia, where it remained until December, 1800. On December 28, 1788, Maryland passed ‘An act to cede to Congress a district of ten miles square in this State, for the seat of Government of the United States.' And the State of Virginia, December 3, 1789, passed ‘An act for the cession of ten miles square, or any lesser quantity of territory within this State, to the United States in Congress assembled, for the permanent seat of the General Government.’ By the first Article of the Constitution ‘Congress shall have power to exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cessation of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the Government of the United States,’ etc. Congress accepted these cessions, as required by the Constitution by act of July 16, 1790, and an act to amend the same, March 3, 1791. The lines and boundaries of the district of ten miles square were accordingly located and particularly described by proclamation of the President, March 30, 1791, and by act of Congress, approved February 27, 1801, at which time Congress assumed complete jurisdiction over the said district. That portion of the District lying south of the Potomac River was retroceded in 1846 to Virginia, by act of Congress. Act approved April 16, 1862, forever absolved slavery in the District. The District is named in honor of Christopher Columbus. It is bounded on the southwest by the Potomac, and on all other sides by Maryland. The surface is undulating, with hills which command extensive views, and afford fine sites for public edifices. Two considerable streams empty into the Potomac within the District—Anacostia, or Eastern Branch, and Rock Creek. The climate is moist and warm, and there is considerable local miasma. The commerce, which is small, is chiefly carried on through Georgetown. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal passes through a portion of the District, crossing the Potomac at Georgetown. Four railroads center at the capital. Formerly the District had a territorial form of government, but at present is governed by a committee of Congress on the District of Columbia. There is but one county (Washington), and but two townships—Washington, population 147,293; Georgetown, 12,578. There is a supreme court, consisting of a chief-justice and five associate justices. As in the Territories, voters have no voice in presidential elections. Suffrage is the same as in nearly all the States. The principal national buildings are within the corporate limits of Washington. The District is the seat of Columbia University, Howard University, . . .”
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Date

1884-1890

Dimensions

11 7/8 x 9 3/4 in. (30.2 x 24.8 cm)

Accession Number

2011.039.003

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

Cut from the pages of a book, this hand-colored photolithograph shows the prosperity of Washington during post–Civil War development. While the U.S. Capitol is the focal point, the Washington Monument, completed in 1884, is also discernible. The Potomac River is bustling with ships, but some of the bridges across it to Virginia have yet to be completed.

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