The national capital, Washington, DC

Title: The national capital, Washington, DC
Creator: Adolph Sachse
Description: This detail of the bird's eye view of the city, "The national capital, Washington, D.C. Sketched from nature by Adolph Sachse, 1883-1884" shows the National Mall before the Army Corps of Engineers began to dredge the Potomac River to fill in the tidal wetlands. The project was intended to enlarge the shipping channel and to help prevent flooding and sewage accumulation. The Reclamation of Potomac Flats began in 1882 and continued to 1890. Landfill extended the length and width of the Mall, forming East Potomac Park and extending the Mall beyond the site of the Washington Monument. When the project ended, Washington, DC, had 638 acres of new land.
Rights: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division. View original.
Coverage: 1860-1889
Original Format: Map