Evolution of the Capitol Building, Washington DC

This is just these little funny things which could be plausibly explained, I guess. At the same time, when the totality of all the weirdness is taken into account, it becomes harder and harder to justify bloopers like this.

First of all, we have two distinctive iterations of the DC Capitol building, and those you can observe below. Please attract your attention to those "domy" thingies I circled. I caught this weirdness during my Norumbega times.

Capitol Building
In 1850, Senator Jefferson Davis introduced an appropriation bill to enlarge the Capitol. President Millard Fillmore selected architect Thomas U. Walter to construct large northern and southern wings containing new legislative chambers. As work progressed, Walter also designed a new cast-iron dome to better suit the enlarged building. By 1868 the larger building was completed, and the grounds were subsequently enlarged.
united-states-capitol-building_3_1_1.jpg

Now, in reference to the main dome upgrade we have the following information:
  • The U.S. Capitol’s dome made of cast iron was designed by Thomas U. Walter and constructed from 1855-1866.
Anyways, in 1861 the main dome, allegedly looked like this.
1861
1861-capitol.jpg


Oddities
Did the Capitol Building exist prior to 1856?
Now, unless we can find something dated with 1852, 1856, and 1857 stating that the below three images "drawn from nature" are some sort of a project design, we could have a little issue with the official timing, and design.

1852
View of Washington / drawn from nature and on stone by E. Sachse ; lith. and print in colors by E. Sachse & Comp.
Bird's-eye view of Washington, D.C. looking west with the U.S. Capitol in the foreground.

1852_capitol.jpg

1852_capitol_entered.jpg


1856
Panoramic view of Washington City from the new dome of the Capitol, looking west / drawn from nature by Edwd. Sachse.
Bird's-eye view of Washington, D.C. looking west with the U.S. Capitol in the foreground.

1856_capitol.jpg

1856_capitol_entered.jpg



1857
Panoramic view of Washington City from the new dome of the Capitol, looking east / drawn from nature and print. in colors by E. Sachse & Co.
Bird's-eye view of Washington, D.C. looking east with the U.S. Capitol in the foreground.

1857_capitol.jpg

1857_capitol_entered.jpg


Statue of Freedom
The Statue of Freedom, also known as Armed Freedom, is a bronze statue designed by Thomas Crawford (1814–1857) that, since 1863, has crowned the dome of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Originally named Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace (why?), a U.S. government publication now states that the statue "is officially known as the Statue of Freedom". The statue depicts a female figure bearing a military helmet and holding a sheathed sword in her right hand and a laurel wreath and shield in her left.

Freedom_1.jpg

I do not know about 1863 installation date, but I can decently see it in the 1856 drawing.


Apart from the obvious dates mismatch, we have those little "domy" things I circled in first photograph of this post. Where are they on the "drawn from nature" images from 1856 and 1857.

1857 drawing has the resemblance of that white "peacetime" flag, which allegedly never existed. Well, at least it looks like one. Well, in this case two.

Additionally, in the 1852 and 1856 images of the Capitol Building, we ended up with the "never built" winning design of the Washington Monument. You can find more info on the Washington monument by following the link below:
unbuilt_washington_monument_3_112.jpg

This "never built" design was suspiciously present on just about every drawing pertaining to the area, no matter who the author of such a drawing was. Ain't that weird?
  • The drawing shows stables in the foreground and a view of the city of Washington from southeast, with the United States Capitol on the right, the White House in center background, and the Smithsonian castle and Washington Monument on the left.
  • Source + 1
1846?
DC_View.jpg

Below is another Washington Monument oddity, allegedly pertaining to 1862. I understand when proportions are not being followed, but see where this artist placed our Washington Monument, and compare to where it actually is today.

Wash_mon_1.jpg

Source


KD: Any ideas as far as what's going on here? Why the same building "drawn from nature" does not look the same every time, and when was the Capitol Building actually built?
  • Are we being told that it took them 2 years (1850-1852) to expand the entire building by adding a new chamber for the House of Representatives on the south side, and a new chamber for the Senate on the north?
  • Are we being told that it took them 11 years (1855-1866) to install the new Dome?
 

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