DOCSLIB.ORG

Dc Preservation League

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Dc Preservation League DC PRESERVATION LEAGUE Most Endangered Places for 2011 Nomination Form Site Name: Holt/Johnson House Location or Address: National Zoological Park off of Adams Mill Road Year Built: ~1810-1814 Owner Name and Address: National Zoo/Smithsoian, Washington, DC Specify occupant if different from owner: Is the property occupied or vacant? Vacant Historic Designation: ❏ National Historic Landmark X National Register X DC Inventory of Historic Sites ❏ Not Designated or Don’t know Submitter’s name, address and telephone number: Larry Atkins, DC Historic Designs, LLC 3297 C Sutton Place, Washington, DC 20016 Phone: 4434527776 Email: [email protected] Please provide the following information: 1. The historic, cultural or architectural significance of the site. http://holthouse.dchistoricdesigns.com/ Also see the attached file. 2. A description of the threat facing the site and the immediacy of that threat. The house is in decay and has severe structural issues that threaten it's total collapse within the next few years. 3. Suggestions on what actions are needed to alleviate the threat. The house is in slow decline and immediate attention and funds are needed to structurally stabilize the building before its collapse. There is a need for the Zoo to designate a purpose for the property and incorporate it into its programming. Grants should be sought and private funding is available if the Zoo and Smithsonian would delineate a plan for how the building will be used. 4. A description of how listing on DCPL’s Most Endangered Places list would help the site. This is historically a very important building as well as an early DC architectural gem. Keeping the property in the public's fore front will draw attention to it and allow the Smithsonian to give it a higher priority in its programing than it has received in the past. The Smithsonian needs to step up and help the Zoo develop a sustainable future for this very important, beautiful and historic structure. Historic Holt House (~1810-1814); A Legacy of Wm. Thornton Illustration 1: Holt House - 18891 Introduction Holt House(Ill. 1), located on a secluded promontory in Washington’s National Zoo, is a stately neo-classical structure that has survived the past 200 years with evidence that it was conceived by Dr. William Thornton, the 1st Architect of the Capitol (Ill. 2). Many of Thornton’s contemporaries and founders of the Federal City such as Benjamin Stoddert, Walter Mackall, Thomas Johnson, John Quincy Adams, and Amos Kendall are identified with the property. The house is notable as an important surviving example of a five-part Palladian house plan but with Thornton’s probable influence on its design, and other historic ties, it is therefore an important and intrinsic part of Washington, D.C.’s history and that of the New Republic. Holt House, currently owned by the Smithsonian Institute, was listed in 1973 on the National Register of Historic Places as a” Landmark of importance which contributes significantly to the cultural heritage and visual beauty of the District of Columbia.”2 Recognized as a house of “notable design” in the application; Thornton’s Holt House is one of a few five-part houses, surviving from the Federal Period in the District of Columbia. It is known through his wife’s, Anna Maria’s diary, that Dr. William Thornton often prepared plans and designs for his friends and secured design commissions by virtue of his personal relationships. This paper will explore the design features of Holt House, its history, the prominent people of the era and their relationships with Dr. Thornton, providing evidence that William Thornton created the architectural concept for Holt House. 1 Photo 1889, Smithsonian Institute Archives, Negative #14330 2 Holt House National Register Nomination Form, April 24,1973,p2 1 Illustration 2: Wm. Thornton, 1st Architect of the Capitol3 (1759-1828) Holt House’s Design Holt House is one of the few remaining ‘suburban villas’ in Washington, D.C, a design concept by the 16th century Italian architect, Andrea Palladio. As with Holt House, designs modeled after Palladio’s, incorporated a central block, flanked by symmetrical wings, each consisting of connecting hyphens and end pavilions. (Ill.3) N Illustration 3: Holt House-Main Floor Plan (1889)4 3 Office of the Architect of the Capitol, George B. Matthews, after Gilbert Stuart Oil on canvas,1930 3 HABS No.DC-21DC,WASH,128, United States Department of the Interior,p57 2 Holt House is a piano nobile design, an architectural term for the upper floor of a large house, with higher ceilings than the ground floor, containing the main reception rooms. The upper level or main level of this house was originally used as the principal and formal living areas; with the lower level or ground level used as service area and cellar. The upper level featured a large central space in the main block with bed chambers and other family spaces probably in the hyphens and wings. The ground level is thought to have had at least five rooms originally but less finely finished than the main floor and not a full story in height. The west wing had an interior stair that connected the lower floor with the upper floor, probably connecting a ground level kitchen with an upper level dining area. There has been speculation that due to the different methods of construction, including an oversized chimney and bricked up openings, that the west wing may pre-date the rest of the house. It may have been used as a small single family dwelling as the other parts of the house were completed; as was the sequence at both Tudor Place and Arlington House.5 It was the custom in the 18th century, that when an owner was constructing a large house, to first erect one of the wings to house the family until the other portions were complete. This gave the owner a place to live and allowed him to be on-site to supervise the construction. It may have also been built at the time of the Columbia Mills to house a mill manager. Holt House was built of load bearing masonry walls; primarily of brick but intermingled with local stones and rocks. The exterior of the masonry was covered with a white limed based stucco, with a smooth finish and possibly scored to resemble ashlar; similar to the exterior finish of Tudor Place (Ill. 4). 6 Illustration 4: Tudor Place (1805) 5 Fredrick Doveton Nichols, Tudor Place, 1969, p.80 6 Image from Buildings of the District of Columbia,Pamela Scotand and Antoinette J.Lee, New York, Oxford University Press, 1993, p411 3 The central block and matching wings on Holt House have gabled roofs with pedimented façades that are articulated with equally spaced modillions (Ill. 5). The modillions are rectangular blocks or brackets used horizontally in a way that appears to support the roof above. The pediment of the central block, on the north and south elevations, is accentuated with an oculus recess in the masonry. Since there was no attic space or need for light, these recesses may never been glazed but the fashion of the era would have dictated a glazed opening. Illustration 5: Holt House-North Elevation (~1810-1814)7 Originally the north entrance served as the main entrance to the house and was accessed by a stairway from the ground level to the main level’s open porch. Beneath the porch was an enclosed space accessed on both the east and west elevations through arched openings; both arches remain today. The south elevation of the central block, the most prominent elevation, (Ill. 6) was accessible on both the main and ground levels. The main level had an open porch with a parapeted flat roof, which was accessed off the ground level by a pair of matching spiral stairs. The paired spiral stairs were unique to this area but not extraordinary in Palladio’s designs. The main level entrances on both the north and south sides of the central block were three panel double-doors with glazed sidelight sashes. Illustration 6: Holt House-South Elevation (~1810-1814)8 7 Stephen Hansen, DC Historic Designs, Holt House-North Elevation Drawing,2009 4 A significant architectural feature of Holt Houses’ design was the use of Wyatt windows in the south elevation. These tripartite sash windows, with a center sash of six over nine, were a design popularized by the English architect, James Wyatt in the 18th century. The Wyatt window (Ill. 7) is similar to a Serliana or Palladian window, but without a center-arched glazed section. Wyatt windows are found in many houses in the Washington vicinity at the turn of the 19th century. Benjamin Latrobe used Wyatt windows in many of his designs but they were typically adorned with blind arches at the head (a semi-circular recess in the stucco) as seen on the south elevation of the Van Ness House (1813-1816). Thornton used unadorned Wyatt windows at Tudor Place and Holt House. Illustration 7: Wyatt Window Common Domestic Type, c.1810.9 These and other design aspects will be discussed further in a later section devoted to architects and builders in the area at the time of the construction of Holt House. The History of Property Ownership Holt House takes its name from Doctor Henry Holt (Ill. 8) who purchased the house and the land in 1844. 10 Illustration 8: Dr. Holt at South Entrance (1889) 8 Stephen Hansen, DC Historic Designs, Holt House-South Elevation Drawing, 2009 9 Stephen Hansen, DC Historic Designs, Wyatt Window Drawing, 2009 5 The property, on which Holt House sits, is now a part of the Smithsonian Institute’s Zoological Park.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Capitol Building
    CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER TEACHERTEACHER LLESSONESSON PLANLAN The Capitol BuildiNg Introduction The Capitol is among the most architecturally impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. The Senate and the House of Representatives have met here for more than two centuries. Begun in 1793, the Capitol has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored; today, it stands as a monument not only to its builders but also to the American people and their government. As George Washington said, public buildings in the Capitol city “in size, form, and elegance, should look beyond the present day.”1 This activity features images of the U.S. Capitol building — architectural plans and artistic renderings from its original design and subsequent expansion. Examining these images, students engage in class discussion and individual reflection, considering how a building itself might serve as a symbol and monument. Then, they draft images that capture their own interpretation of how a Capitol building should look. While intended for 8th grade students, the lesson can be adapted for other grade levels. 1 The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745–1799. John C. Fitzpatrick, Editor., Philadelphia, March 8, 1792. 1 TEACHER LESSON PLAN: THE CAPITOL BUILDING CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER TEACHER LESSON PLAN Estimated Time One to two class sessions National Standards National Standards for Civics and Government Content Standards, grades 5–8 II — What are the Foundations of the American Political System (D.1) United
    [Show full text]
  • The Octagon House and Mount Airy: Exploring the Intersection of Slavery, Social Values, and Architecture in 19Th-Century Washington, DC and Virginia
    W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 2017 The Octagon House and Mount Airy: Exploring the Intersection of Slavery, Social Values, and Architecture in 19th-Century Washington, DC and Virginia Julianna Geralynn Jackson College of William and Mary, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons Recommended Citation Jackson, Julianna Geralynn, "The Octagon House and Mount Airy: Exploring the Intersection of Slavery, Social Values, and Architecture in 19th-Century Washington, DC and Virginia" (2017). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1516639577. http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/S2V95T This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Octagon House and Mount Airy: Exploring the Intersection of Slavery, Social Values, and Architecture in 19th-Century Washington, DC and Virginia Julianna Geralynn Jackson Baldwin, Maryland Bachelor of Arts, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 2012 A Thesis presented to the Graduate Faculty of The College of William & Mary in Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Arts Department of Anthropology College of William & Mary August, 2017 © Copyright by Julianna Geralynn Jackson 2017 ABSTRACT This project uses archaeology, architecture, and the documentary record to explore the ways in which one family, the Tayloes, used Georgian design principals as a way of exerting control over the 19th-century landscape.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography
    BIBLIOGRAPHY Adams, William Howard, ed. The Eye of Thomas Jefferson. Blake, Channing. “The Early Interiors of Carrère and Hastings.” Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1981. The Magazine Antiques 110 (1976): 344–351. Aikman, Lonnelle. We, the People: The Story of the United Blum, John M., et. al., eds. The National Experience. New States Capitol. Washington: U. S. Capitol Historical Society, 1991. York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1963. Alex, William. Calvert Vaux: Architect & Planner. New York: Bowling, Kenneth R. Creating the Federal City, 1774–1800: Ink, Inc., 1994. Potomac Fever. Washington: The American Institute of Archi- tects Press, 1988. Alexander, R. L. “The Grand Federal Edifice.” Documentary Editing 9 (June 1987): 13–17. Bowling, Kenneth R., and Helen E. Veit., eds. The Diary of William Maclay and Other Notes On Senate Debates. Balti- Allen, William C. “In The Greatest Solemn Dignity”: The Capi- more: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988. tol’s Four Cornerstones. Washington: Government Printing Bristow, Ian C. Interior House-Painting Colours and Tech- Office, 1995. nology 1615–1840. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996. ———. “‘Seat of Broils, Confusion, and Squandered Thousands’: Brown, Glenn. “Dr. William Thornton, Architect.” Architectural Building the Capitol, 1790–1802.” The United States Capitol: Record 6 (1896): 53–70. Designing and Decorating a National Icon. Athens: Ohio University Press, 2000. ———. History of the United States Capitol. 2 vols. Washing- ton: Government Printing Office, 1900, 1902. ———. The Dome of the United States Capitol: An Architec- tural History. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1992. ———. Memories: A Winning Crusade to Revive George Washington’s Vision of a Capital City.
    [Show full text]
  • William Thornton I: 1634, York County, Virginia Was Formed (Known As Charles River County Until 1643)
    THORNTON By Marcine E. Lohman Roger Thornton of Lancashire, England Generation No. 1 1. Roger 1 Thornton 1 was born in Rivington, Lancashire, England. Child of Roger Thornton is: + 2 i. William 2 Thornton “The Immigrant”, born circa 1620 in Chorley Parish, Lancashire, England; died 1708 in Cod's Creek, Stafford County, Virginia. Generation No. 2 2. William 2 Thornton I (Roger 1) was born circa 1620 in Chorley Parish, Lancashire, England 2, and died 1708 in Cod's Creek, Stafford County, Virginia 3. He married (1) Avice Russell 4 1640 - 1642 in Rappahannock County, Virginia. She was born circa 1620 5,5 , and died Bef. March 27, 1648 in Virginia (Wm. md. 2nd wife 27 Mar 1648). He married (2) Elizabeth Rowland March 27, 1648 in York County, Virginia (called Gloucester after 1651) 6, daughter of John Rowland and Margaret Bayly. She was born 1627 in Middle Plantation, Williamsburg County, Virginia 7,8 , and died Aft. 1679 in Gloucester County, Virginia. Notes for William Thornton I: 1634, York County, Virginia was formed (known as Charles River County until 1643). 1651, Lancaster County was formed from York and Northumberland Counties, Virginia. 1651, Gloucester County was formed from York County, Virginia. 1653, Westmoreland County was formed from Northumberland County, Virginia (part of King George County was added in 1777). 1656, (Old) Rappahannock County was formed from Lancaster County. It became extinct in 1692 when it was divided into Essex and Richmond counties. 1664, Stafford County was formed from Westmoreland County, Virginia. 1669, Middlesex County was formed from Lancaster County, Virginia. 1692, Richmond County and Essex County was formed from Old Rappahannock County, Virginia.
    [Show full text]
  • Glenn Brown and the United States Capitol by William B
    GLENN BROWN AND THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL BY WILLIAM B. BUSHONG HE most important legacy of Washington architect Glenn Brown’s prolific writing career was his two-volume History of the United States Capitol (1900 and 1903). Brown’s History created a remarkable graphic record and comprehensive Taccount of the architecture and art of the nation’s most revered public building. His research, in a period in which few architectural books provided substantive historical text, established Brown as a national authority on government architecture and elicited acclaim from Euro- pean architectural societies. The History also played a significant role in shaping the monumental core of Washington, in effect serving as what Charles Moore called the “textbook” for the McMillan Commis- sion of 1901–02.1 Brown’s family background supplied the blend of political aware- ness and professionalism that inspired the History. His great grand- father, Peter Lenox, supervised construction of the original Capitol Building from 1817 until its completion in 1829. His grandfather, Bed- ford Brown, served two terms in Washington, D.C., as a senator from North Carolina (1829–1842) and counted among his personal friends Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, Franklin Pierce, and James 1 Charles Moore (1855–1942), chief aide to Senator James McMillan (R–MI) and secretary to the now famous Senate Park Commission of 1901–02, commonly referred to today as the McMillan Commission, made vital contributions to the administration and editing of the influential 1902 planning report that subsequently shaped the twentieth- century development of the civic core of Washington, D.C. Moore later became chairman of the United States Commission of Fine Arts from 1910 until his retirement in 1937.
    [Show full text]
  • The Octagon House Will Be Preserved
    The Octagon House will be preserved 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Th e Octagon House, Washin gton, D. C., a National II istoric Landmark. The delegates to the 1966 Convention of the for its national headquarters. It was designed by Dr. American Institute of Architects voted to sell the William Thornton, who had previously won the com­ Octagon Hous e and its adjacent gardens to the Amer­ petition for the design of the national capitol. Fol­ ican Institute of Architects Foundation. Th e purpose lowing th e burning of the White House by the in­ for the sale is two-fold: 1 ) to provide a means , through vading British on August 24, 1814, the Octagon the tax-free Foundation, of restoring and refurbishing became the residence of President and Mrs. Jam es the Octagon Hous e; the house will then be main­ Madi son. tained as an historic, architectural landmark dedicated To effect this directive of its members, the Amer­ by the profession as a public monument; 2 ) to pro­ ican Institute of Arch itects must raise $963,000. Th e vide funds to the AlA for the purchase of adjacent goal has not yet been reached . Th e need is still there. property for the construction of a new headquarters the campaign continues. Th e editors of MA urge building. all AlA members who hav e not yet taken the oppor­ Built in 1798-1800, the Octagon Hous e was pur­ tunity to contribute, to contact their chapter officers chas ed by the American Institute of Architects in 1899 and fill out a pledge card NOW.
    [Show full text]
  • Would You Have Asked William Thornton to Design Your House?
    H-DC Would You Have Asked William Thornton to Design Your House? Discussion published by Bob Arnebeck on Friday, November 8, 2019 I finished the third part of my essay on the Thornton and the Octagon: "Would You Have Asked William Thornton to Design Your House?" https://dcswamp.blogspot.com/2019/10/who-designed-octagon-part-three.html In this part I explore Thornton's relationship with George Washington, and show how Thornton was more of an architecture critic than an architect. Here is the end of my essay: Bob Arnebeck ,,,Of course, Thornton could design a house anytime or anywhere he wanted. In the Thornton papers at the Library of Congress there are two unsigned floor plans that curators and scholars consider preliminary plans for the Octagon. The drawings only resemble what was built so Orlando Ridout V in Building the Octagon assumed that what would have been Thornton's third plan was what William Lovering followed when he served as the project's superintending architect. If those two extant plans were indeed made for Octagon by Thornton, then Thornton showed not a little brass. Shortly after those floor plans had to have been made if they were for the Octagon, a battle between Thornton and Hoban came to a head. Three years later ni a July 13, 1802 letter to President Jefferson, Alexander White recalled the episode: “Some years ago both my Colleagues were desirous of getting Hoban out of the way; and amazing exertions were made to find something in his conduct which would justify them in dismissing him.” Thornton did not emerge unscathed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Jefferson-Barlow Version of Volney's Ruines
    Document generated on 09/29/2021 6:41 a.m. Mémoires du livre Studies in Book Culture Friendship, Secrecy, Transatlantic Networks and the Enlightenment The Jefferson-Barlow Version of Volney’s Ruines (Paris, 1802) Nathalie Caron La circulation de l’imprimé entre France et États-Unis à l’ère des Article abstract révolutions In 1802, a third English translation of Volney’s Ruines; ou, méditation sur les Franco-American Networks of Print in the Age of Revolutions révolutions des empires, a work already popular among English-speaking Volume 11, Number 1, Fall 2019 radicals and freethinkers, appeared in Paris. The anonymous translators of the work were none other than Thomas Jefferson and Joel Barlow. Barlow’s name URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1066940ar surfaced in 1819 whereas Jefferson’s did not until the early twentieth century. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/1066940ar The fact that Jefferson secretly contributed to the third translation of LesRuines as well as to its circulation in the United States is an aspect of his career which, while it has not been ignored, has not been given adequate attention. The essay See table of contents fleshes out knowledge of Volney and Jefferson’s friendship, traces out the story of the translation, and explores the reasons for the success of Ruins in the young United States, shedding light on the networking which allowed radical Publisher(s) Enlightenment ideas to infuse American culture. Groupe de recherches et d’études sur le livre au Québec ISSN 1920-602X (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Caron, N.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography, United States Capitol, 1794–1900
    BIBLIOGRAPHY, UNITED STATES CAPITOL, 1794–1900 To produce his History of the United States Capitol, Glenn Brown 1803 and 1807. This correspondence dealt with execution of Latrobe’s used a variety of source materials, including correspondence, draw- plans and administration of the construction of the Capitol. In 1900 ings, guide books, scholarly and popular literature, congressional this material was in the possession of Lenthall’s grandson, William S. statutes, and government records. At the time of its publication in Abert, who had commissioned a house and office building designed by 1902, this bibliography contained the most comprehensive list of pri- Brown in 1896. It is now deposited at the Manuscript Division of the mary and secondary sources then available on the Capitol. However, Library of Congress and has been reproduced in Edward C. Carter II, omission of key facts of publication in many of Brown’s citations have editor in chief, and Thomas E. Jeffrey, microfiche editor, The Papers of left them inadequate for modern readers. Likewise, changes in the Benjamin Henry Latrobe, microtext edition (Clifton, N.J.: James T. location of government records over the years have rendered Brown’s White & Company, 1976) and John C. Van Horne and Lee W. Formalt, section on manuscript materials obsolete. eds., The Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Henry A revised version of Brown’s bibliography is therefore presented Latrobe, 3 vols. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984). Brown also here with modernized citations and with a summary of the types of man- cited a collection of letters, notes, and essays by William Thornton that uscript materials Brown consulted.
    [Show full text]
  • Thorton Book
    William Thornton, M. D. Gentleman of the Enlightenment. George W. Paulson, M.D. William Thornton, M. D. Gentleman of the Enlightenment. George W. Paulson, M.D. Emeritus Professor of Neurology, The Ohio State University 2007 Dedicated to my beloved wife, Ruth B. Paulson, D.D.S. William Thornton, M.D. - Gentleman of the Enlightenment Table of Contents page Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Young Immigrant and His Coming to America, 1786 7 Chapter 2 Education and Thornton 29 Chapter 3 Tortola, Slavery, and Thornton 53 Chapter 4 City of Washington, and Thornton 87 Chapter 5 The Capitol Building 123 Chapter 6 William Thornton, Residential Designer 135 Chapter 7 Republican versus Federalist in the Time of Dr. Thornton 151 Chapter 8 Publishers and Publications in the Time of Thornton 163 Chapter 9 The Friends of Thornton 169 Chapter 10 William Thornton and the Patent Office 241 Chapter 11 Thornton’s Business Ventures and His Legacy to His Wife 257 Chapter 12 Thornton, South America, Greece, and Liberty 265 Chapter 13 Scientific and Religious Interests 279 Chapter 14 Anna Maria Thornton 297 Chapter 15 Last Days 309 Sources/Bibliography 317 WILLIAM THORNTON, M.D. - GENTLEMAN OF ENLIGHTENMENT INTRODUCTION Introduction William Thornton: He was born May 20, 1759, at Tortola, British West Indies; served a medical apprenticeship 1777-1781; attended medical school at the University of Edinburgh, 1781-1784; and received his M.D. degree from Aberdeen University in 1784. He moved to the United States in 1787 and became a citizen in 1788. Encouraged by Benjamin Franklin, Thornton won the competition to design the Philadelphia Library in 1789.
    [Show full text]
  • A Young Man from “Ultima Thule” Visits Jefferson: Alexander Von Humboldt in Philadelphia and Washington1
    The Jayne Lecture A Young Man from “ultima Thule” Visits Jefferson: Alexander von Humboldt in Philadelphia and Washington1 GERHARD CASPER President Emeritus Peter and Helen Bing Professor Emeritus Stanford University T THE AMERICAN Philosophical Society, almost to the day ! fty years ago, Helmut de Terra, a historian of science at Co- lumbia University, read a paper on “Motives and Con- sequencesA of Alexander von Humboldt’s Visit to the United States (1804).”2 The year 1959 was the one hundredth anniversary of Hum- boldt’s death. In the preceding two years, de Terra had been publishing, in the Proceedings, various papers dealing with Humboldt’s relation- ship to the United States, including Humboldt’s correspondence with Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin.3 Also in 1959, the Geographical So- ciety of Berlin issued a festschrift that included a thorough piece by the chief archivist of the Cartographic Records Division of the National Archives, Herman Friis, on Humboldt’s visit.4 More recently, Humboldt’s correspondence and other Humboldt texts on the topic of the United States were edited in the original lan- guages with detailed introductions and notes by Ingo Schwarz for the Alexander von Humboldt Research Center at the Berlin-Brandenburg 1 Read 14 November 2009. An earlier version of this lecture was given, in German, at the annual public meeting of the Orden Pour le mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste in Berlin on 8 June 2009. Of the present membership of the American Philosophical Society, fourteen are also members of the Orden Pour le mérite. I am indebted to Sean McIntyre for a translation of the Berlin talk and for some research assistance.
    [Show full text]
  • William Thornton, Architect
    WILLIAM THORNTON, ARCHITECT By WiLLIAM SENER RUSK, PH.D. Professor of Fine Arts, Wells College THE first source for any investigation into the career of William Thornton must always be the Thornton Papers, given to the Library of Congress by J. Henley Smith, the grand- son of Mrs. Samuel Harrison Smith, executor of Mrs. Thorn- ton's estate, to whom the latter had given them. In spite of this mass of authentic material, however, the investigators maintain their long-lived right of disagreement. The birth date at least seems definitely settled, despite variations, if an autobiographical diary can be followed, namely, May 20, 1759; the place of birth is usually given as Tortola, the largest of the Virgin Islands, but perhaps more exactly, it should be given as the small neighboring island of Joost van Dyke. The parental names, according to Mrs. Thornton, were probably, William, in the case of the father, and certainly, Dorcas Downing Zeagus, in the case of the mother. The father was an English Quaker from Lancashire, engaged in planting. Either the father or an uncle was governor of Tortola at the time of Thornton's birth. When the child was two years old, his father died, and at five he was sent to his parental grand- mother's home, Green-Air, in Lancashire, obtaining his early schooling at that place. At sixteen, a three-year apprenticeship began with Dr. Fell of Ulverstone, followed by three years at the University of Edinburgh devoted to the study of medicine, with graduation in 1784. His parchment is preserved at the Library of Congress.
    [Show full text]