"National Capitol",

This attractive view is an artist's rendering of the planned improvements to the Capitol Building. In 1850, funding was approved for enlargement of the building as a direct result of the territorial growth in the nation. In fact, since construction of the original building in 1793, the number of states had doubled, senator count grew from 30 to 62, and the number of representatives exploded from 69 to 233. As part of the project, architect Thomas Walter designed a new dome to better suit the scale of the larger building. Ballou's Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion is similar in layout to Harper's Weekly but preceded it by several years.

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Condition: A

A crisp impression with faint toning and offsetting along the centerfold.