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Article: A capital Capitol.
- Article from:
- Cobblestone
- Article date:
- January 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. For more than 200 years, it has been the working site of the U.S. Congress. And over that time, the Capitol has been renovated, reconstructed, and enlarged many times--you could say it has never stopped being built!
In January 1791, French engineer Pierre L'Enfant was asked to design America's grand capital city. L'Enfant submitted his idea to commissioners in August. It included a grand vista about a mile long, at one end of which would be the city's "Congress House." The U.S. government decided to hold a contest to find the best design for the new country's Capitol. ...