Building Washington: Engineering and Construction of the New Federal City, 1790-1840

Synopsis

In 1790, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson set out to build a new capital for the United States of America in just ten years. The area they selected on the banks of the Potomac River, a spot halfway between the northern and southern states, had few resources or inhabitants. Almost everything needed to build the federal city would have to be brought in, including materials, skilled workers, architects, and engineers. It was a daunting task, and these American Founding Fathers intended to do it without congressional appropriation.Robert J. Kapsch;€™s beautifully illustrated book chronicles the early planning and construction of our nation;€™s capital. It shows how Washington, DC, was meant to be not only a government center but a great commercial hub for the receipt and transshipment of goods arriving through the Potomac Canal, then under construction. Picturesque plans would not be enough; the endeavor would require extensive engineering and the work of skilled builders. By studying an extensive library of original documents;¢;‚¬;€?from cost estimates to worker time logs to layout plans;¢;‚¬;€?Kapsch has assembled a detailed account of the hurdles that complicated this massive project. While there have been many books on the architecture and planning of this iconic city, Building Washington explains the engineering and construction behind it.

Copyright:

2018

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

Book Size:

384 Pages

ISBN-13:

9781421424880

Related ISBNs:

9781421424873

Publisher:

Johns Hopkins University Press

Date of Addition:

05/11/19

Copyrighted By:

N/A

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Nonfiction, Art and Architecture, Technology, Politics and Government

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.