Before “Washington”

Immediately after the Constitutional Convention ended, discussion arose among the founders about a permanent capital city for their newly independent country that was not Philadelphia. Like many decisions in early American history, there was much debate about where exactly the capital should move to. Eventually, the site of what would become D.C. was chosen by George Washington, himself a skilled land surveyor.
Passed by Congress in 1790, the Residence Act laid out the requirements for what we now call Washington, the District of Columbia. In the same way the founders debated what went in (or didn’t make it into) the Constitution, they also had strong opinions about how the new capital would look.

In particular, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington had two distinct visions for what the capital should look and feel like. In the end, Washington, by way of his chief architect Pierre L’Enfant, designed and implemented a magnificent city plan with familiar attributes that are still recognizable to Washington, D.C., residents and visitors alike.

Jefferson’s Federal Town

As a constitutional architect, Jefferson envisioned a relatively limited central government, lending more authority and discretion to the states. As an actual architect, Jefferson also embedded his preferences toward restraint. An agriculturally minded Virginian, Jefferson idolized the “yeoman farmer,” a hypothetical figure who embodied honesty and self-sufficiency and who worked with their hands.

Washington was well aware that Jefferson had a penchant for architecture. Early on in his Presidency, Washington delegated the planning of the district to then-Secretary of State Jefferson. Jefferson’s modest plans for the city as a virtuous place for lawmaking came to be known as his “federal town.”
Jefferson feared a crowded, bustling metropolis that, like the Federalists he opposed, promoted commercial interests. Because of this preference, Jefferson often butted heads with the chief architect of the District of Columbia, whom George Washington had also appointed: Pierre Charles L’Enfant. Overall, Pierre L’Enfant and Washington shared an inclination toward D.C. as a vibrant cosmopolitan hub that would be a shining beacon of freedom and prosperity.

Washington’s Federal City

Washington had a grand vision for his national capital as a destination for all Americans. Unlike Jefferson, he wanted more than just a meeting place for Congress; he envisioned a city on an “extensive and proper scale” that would reflect the nation’s growing prestige.
Washington believed that L’Enfant was the right person to design the type of place he imagined. Despite Jefferson’s doubts about L’Enfant’s Federalist connections and grander vision, Washington had confidence in L’Enfant’s abilities to create a city that suited the scale he desired.
That design came to be known as the “L’Enfant Plan,” which had several major features that are still recognizable throughout D.C.

One of the most prominent attributes of the L’Enfant Plan is its radial layout, which emanates from two central points: the Capitol and the White House. Diagonal streets extend outward from these points, creating a series of long avenues and streets that intersect. This layout is overlaid with gridded streets, with the horizontal streets named for letters of the alphabet, while the vertical ones are numbered. If you live in the district or have ever visited, you will note that these layouts are more or less the same today.

Several major avenues were designed to join key points in the city, such as Pennsylvania Avenue, which connects the Capitol Building with the White House. Like many of his signature elements, L’Enfant made this symbolic decision to signify the link between the executive and legislative branches of government. This 1.2 mile promenade not only bridges the two, but is now home to many sites of historical significance, including the National Archives building.
The L’Enfant Plan was not just about practicality, but also about aesthetics. L’Enfant intended the city to be visually impressive, with grand vistas, wide avenues, and carefully placed monuments, parks, and buildings.

The L’Enfant Plan was already being built by the time Washington City was officially incorporated in May 1802. Jefferson’s preference for a smaller, more scholarly community may have lost out for the district, but when he established the University of Virginia just a few decades later, one can picture what a more close-knit Jeffersonian capital may have looked like. Described by Jefferson as an “academical village,” Jefferson did eventually get to impress his preferences onto this site that was quite dear to him in Charlottesville.