In this week’s edition of Washingtoniana—our Thursday feature where we collect your questions about Washington and do some sleuthing to find the answers—we get the facts on the mysterious pillar at Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue, Northwest.
"While waiting at the bus stop at the southwest corner of 7th and Constitution, I’ve often wondered what might be the origins of that (sandstone?) monolith. There’s no sign or any other marker to indicate why it is there. Is it perhaps some remnant of the old B&O railroad station?" – Paul Symborski
Glad you asked, Paul! To find the answer, we put our Googling skills to the test.
Turns out, the pillar is actually a gatepost dating back to 1814. It’s one of four identical structures and a gatehouse at 15th and 17th streets farther west on Constitution Avenue. According to the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites, a list of the city’s historic landmarks published by the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, the sandstone pillars and gatehouse originally composed a gate on the west side of the Capitol grounds. They were installed as part of the reconstruction effort following the War of 1812, in which the British burned the Capitol building.
The gate was designed by Charles Bulfinch, a Harvard graduate and self-trained architect who split his career between projects in Boston and Washington. In addition to the gate, Bulfinch planned the Capitol grounds and the original west terraces, and he designed and constructed the dome and original rotunda of the US Capitol. In 1818, he was appointed Commissioner of Public Buildings by President James Monroe.
The Bulfinch Gateposts, as the pillars are known today in history books, were removed from the Capitol grounds in 1874 and deposited at their current locations in 1880. After weathering several floods and deterioration from acid rain, the gateposts were restored in 1940. In 1973, they were added to the National Register of Historic Places. Have a question about the Washington area? Send an email along with your name and place of residence to eleaman@washingtonian.com. We'll try to answer your question in an upcoming column.
Washingtoniana: What the Heck Is That Pillar?
In this week’s edition of Washingtoniana—our Thursday feature where we collect your questions about Washington and do some sleuthing to find the answers—we get the facts on the mysterious pillar at Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue, Northwest.
"While waiting at the bus stop at the southwest corner of 7th and Constitution, I’ve often wondered what might be the origins of that (sandstone?) monolith. There’s no sign or any other marker to indicate why it is there. Is it perhaps some remnant of the old B&O railroad station?" – Paul Symborski
Glad you asked, Paul! To find the answer, we put our Googling skills to the test.
Turns out, the pillar is actually a gatepost dating back to 1814. It’s one of four identical structures and a gatehouse at 15th and 17th streets farther west on Constitution Avenue. According to the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites, a list of the city’s historic landmarks published by the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, the sandstone pillars and gatehouse originally composed a gate on the west side of the Capitol grounds. They were installed as part of the reconstruction effort following the War of 1812, in which the British burned the Capitol building.
The gate was designed by Charles Bulfinch, a Harvard graduate and self-trained architect who split his career between projects in Boston and Washington. In addition to the gate, Bulfinch planned the Capitol grounds and the original west terraces, and he designed and constructed the dome and original rotunda of the US Capitol. In 1818, he was appointed Commissioner of Public Buildings by President James Monroe.
The Bulfinch Gateposts, as the pillars are known today in history books, were removed from the Capitol grounds in 1874 and deposited at their current locations in 1880. After weathering several floods and deterioration from acid rain, the gateposts were restored in 1940. In 1973, they were added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Have a question about the Washington area? Send an email along with your name and place of residence to eleaman@washingtonian.com. We'll try to answer your question in an upcoming column.
More>> Capital Comment Blog | News & Politics | Society Photos
Most Popular in News & Politics
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Introducing 8 of DC’s Most Stylish
Best of Washington 2023: Things to Eat, Drink, Do, and Know Right Now
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2024: Great Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
13 Major Concerts and Music Festivals in the DC Area This Spring
Mary Timony on Her Emotional New Album, “Untame the Tiger”
The Beatles in DC: A New Exhibit in Maryland Looks Back on Early Beatlemania
Northern Virginia High School Wins Metallica’s Marching Band Competition
More from News & Politics
These Volunteers Wake Up at Dawn to Collect DC’s Dead—and Injured—Birds
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This May
Democrats and Republicans Pass Balls, Not Bills, at Congressional Soccer Game
3 New Memoirs by Prominent Women
Everything You Wanted to Know About Urban Bear Sightings but Were Afraid to Ask, Because Who Wants to Get That Close to a Bear?
Rockville Police Are Searching for Culprits of a $4,500 Pickleball Paddle Heist
Dozens of Vintage Planes Will Fly Over the National Mall This Saturday
PHOTOS: “Rupaul’s Drag Race” Queens Work It at the National Mall