Congress Jefferson Building including the designers, construction and declaration. The u. S. Capital Historical Society hosted this event as part of their annual summer lecture series. It is about one hour. Quite a few more people expect you can see on the cover that we have this personal information on the lower right side. If you do not have a copy and would like one or if you would like another just send me a email. I will send you a copy. Ultimately you can get a copy whether you have wanted they are not. This is a mixed audience, i have no idea of your expertise. My expertise is this i am a docent at the library. I have become interested in the history of building the building. Interested in it because of the individuals involved. Big buildings need big egos. That is what we have here. There is no question about it. The fascinating psychological story, the historical story. I am going to go into these primary elements. I amu do not know this sorry i am repetitious but that is the
A man who lies the rebuild the city, very controversial. What happened after that because of some things he did my great claims of malfeasance of funds 1874 they decided that it would not have a territory. It would not be allowed to have a mayor. They would have three people that would be appointed to run the city. To would be appointed by the president. But one, the 3rd was always reserved for military man. That is what Thomas Lincoln casey could build the washington monument. Well, this is all very well, but it lasted as the citigroup from about maybe 65,000 at that time to well over 800,000 during the 2nd world war. And what you had was three commissioners, usually cronies of the president often cronies of the president when Marion Anderson, and this will give you an example of government dysfunction, when Marion Anderson 1st wanted to use the daughters of the American Revolution all constitutional she was refused. Did not allow a black performer. Then what about the school . Well,
Is the nations capitol. He knew to take metro onto reletting night. [laughter] and he came down from saratoga springs. Despite the fact that he is a new yorker i should say that no less a local source than the Washington Post saying he succeeds in showing us the human face of washington, and too often perceived as faceless, that is achievement enough. Tom lewis. [applause] thank you very much. Im glad that you knew microphone. Take the metro. I will be getting to it. I am glad that you knew to take the metro. I want you to no that i invited several people to come tonight, as my guest. And i have been in the back of the green room and have gotten frantic messages saying, we are stuck in traffic. And i said, ditch your cars, grab a metro, and get off at federal triangle. They will be coming in late, and i expect others, too, will be will be that way as well. I want to thank rebecca very much for her introduction and think the Smithsonian Associates for inviting me. Delighted to be here,
The tomb guard badge, which is depicted on our logo and in this case here, this is the second least awarded badge in the United States military with the exception of the astronaut a astronaut badge. Today, we are giving badge number 634 to a young man and now in the brotherhood of fellowship of tomb guards. We have a society, we are 501c3 organization and part of the bylaws is is we do Community Outreach to educate the public about the tomb. I find that your generation, this, sort of a sweeping generation here, that your generation knows about the tomb. I talk to School Groups, and its appalling to me how little they know. Its not their fault. We have allowed all this teaching and teaching to the test and we have not put history on the test. And i will get off my soap box. Just think of that. I do speak to a lot of School Groups probono, this is my 81st speech this year. In 2015. I will have well over 100 by the time veterans day is over. Im speaking pretty much nonstop from the first
Again as we go forward. The painting became as i wrote in my notes it became an engraving. Edward savage wrote about that and actually told washington he made 10,000 dollars dollars on it. I think that was almost cheeky of savage to say that he was making money on washington. But this picture and washington ordered four engravings, you can see one of them at mount vernon. Ill love to think about that when im at met mount vernon. I going to the breakfast room and there is George Washington and his family looking down on the table where George Washington and his family used to take their breakfast. Its almost like the morton salt girl going down. I do think its a magnificent thing graving. An extremely important in the history of the country. It was popular because this picture represented what the picture was. We will have more to talk about and that painting in a minute. We have to talk about what washington was up against. His chief desire was to put the capital, the seat of governess