
George Washington's Washington
Visions for the National Capital in the Early American Republic
Adam Costanzo(Author)
University of Georgia Press
Published on 1. April 2018
Book
Hardback
264 pages
978-0-8203-5285-5 (ISBN)
Description
This book traces the history of the development, abandonment, and eventual revival of George Washington's original vision for a grand national capital on the Potomac. In 1791 Washington's ideas found form in architect Peter Charles L'Enfant's plans for the city. Yet the unprecedented scope of the plan; reliance on the sale of city lots to fund construction of the city and the public buildings; the actions of unscrupulous land speculators; and the convoluted mixture of state, local, and federal authority in effect in the District all undermined Federalist hopes for creating a substantial national capital.
In an era when the federal government had relatively few responsibilities, the tangible intersections of ideology and policy were felt through the construction, development, and oversight of the federal city. During the Washington and Adams administrations, for example, Federalists lacked the funds, the political will, and the administrative capacity to make their hopes for the capital a reality. Across much of the next three decades, Thomas Jefferson and other Jeffersonian politicians stifled the growth of the city by withholding funding and support for any project not directly related to the workings of the government. After decades of stagnation, only the more pragmatic approach begun in the Jacksonian era succeeded in fostering development in the District. And throughout these decades, driven by a mixture of self-interest and national pride, local leaders worked to make Washington's vision a reality and to earn the respect of the nation.
George Washington's Washington is not simply a history of the city during the first president's life but a history of his vision for the national capital and of the local and national conflicts surrounding this vision's acceptance and implementation.
In an era when the federal government had relatively few responsibilities, the tangible intersections of ideology and policy were felt through the construction, development, and oversight of the federal city. During the Washington and Adams administrations, for example, Federalists lacked the funds, the political will, and the administrative capacity to make their hopes for the capital a reality. Across much of the next three decades, Thomas Jefferson and other Jeffersonian politicians stifled the growth of the city by withholding funding and support for any project not directly related to the workings of the government. After decades of stagnation, only the more pragmatic approach begun in the Jacksonian era succeeded in fostering development in the District. And throughout these decades, driven by a mixture of self-interest and national pride, local leaders worked to make Washington's vision a reality and to earn the respect of the nation.
George Washington's Washington is not simply a history of the city during the first president's life but a history of his vision for the national capital and of the local and national conflicts surrounding this vision's acceptance and implementation.
Reviews / Votes
The thoughtful analysis of the symbolism and importance of major public structures helps illuminate how visions of the district became realities. George Washington's Washington is a welcome addition to the literature on the early history of America's capital city. -- John K. Alexander * Journal of American History *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Georgia
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paper over boards
Illustrations
25 b&w images
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
584 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8203-5285-5 (9780820352855)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
ADAM COSTANZO is a professional assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi.