Pierre Charles L’Enfant did not design Washington in a vacuum. A unique city within American urban planning history, Washington was both informed by its predecessors—mostly European capitals—and an inspiration for its successors, both domestic and foreign. This blog post traces D.C.’s influences from London to Brasilia, using the Library of Congress’s diverse collection of globe-spanning maps to place L’Enfant’s Washington, D.C., within a longer history of city and town planning.
The Geography and Map Division collections include vibrant nineteenth century maps showcasing brand new American communities and promises of the "good life" to prospective lot or home buyers. This post explores the common themes and fascinating details of these highly artistic maps designed to lure investment.
Among our collection of "bird’s-eye view" maps of U.S. and Canadian cities created from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, the work Augustus Koch in particular stands out for his artistry, geographic range, and incredible cartographic detail. His maps and historical newspaper clippings relating to his work attest not only to his mastery of the form but the value of panoramic maps in instilling civic pride.
Most American cities are encompassed by one or more counties and overlap with them in jurisdiction, but there are 41 unique cases known as independent cities, and 38 of them are in Virginia. Read more to learn why!
