A Capitol Idea

© 2004 Boaz Rauchwerger

I was nineteen years old the first time I visited Washington, D.C. My family had immigrated to the United States ten years before that and I felt a great pride in my new country. It had taken five years of effort, and everything my family had, to come to America.

After graduating from high school in 1966, I worked in a small town radio station in Oklahoma during June and July of that year in order to make the money to go to Washington. I wanted to see the nation’s capitol and meet the senators and congressmen from my state.

I wasn’t old enough then to rent a car, so I rented a moped to get around Washington, D.C. I’ll never forget how magnificent the White House, the Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials and the Smithsonian looked.

Through the years, I’ve had a few additional opportunities to visit Washington and to see the impressive symbols of our country. Last week, after completing a speaking engagement in Baltimore, I had the latest opportunity to drive through the Capitol. My emotions are always moved and touched by being there.

The feeling I get every time I visit Washington, D.C. is that of a great foundation of a great nation. Whereas the U.S. has a great foundation in its Capitol, the same is important for us as individuals. A great foundation means a positive attitude with a strong self-image that gives you confidence to accomplish the goals you desire.

A good self-image is developed over time and is greatly determined by our attitudes, the people with whom we surround ourselves and our daily actions.

The United States was not born with a capitol. It took an incredible effort and much determination on the part of many people. The Continental Congress rendered official the Declaration of Independence on July 4th of 1776. Between that year and 1790, Congress met in a number of locations in the northeast. Between 1790 and 1800, the meeting place was Philadelphia.

There was much debate through those years as to the final location of the U.S. federal government. It was on July 16, 1790, that Congress passed a law permitting President George Washington to select a location for the capitol. It was to be situated somewhere along the Potomac River and the President was to appoint three commissioners to oversee the project.

President Washington selected an area encompassing 10 square miles from land situated on both sides of the Potomac, in Maryland and Virginia. Congress met for the first time in the new capitol in November of 1800 and the transfer of government from Philadelphia was completed in June of 1801.

After President Washington started calling the area “The Federal City,” the commissioners eventually decided to call it the “Territory of Columbia.” Columbia was the feminine version of the name “Columbus” and was made popular after the Revolutionary War in patriotic poems and songs. The word “Territory” was replaced in 1871 by the more popular term “District.” The name “Washington” was chosen by the commissioners in order to honor the President.

After Congress approved the selection of the land along the Potomac River for the site of the new federal city, President Washington selected a French-born engineer named Pierre Charles L’Enfant to design it. He was to lay out the city and design the public buildings.

Born in Paris in 1755, L’Enfant came to America in 1777 and entered the Continental Army as an engineer. Although he was severely wounded in battle in 1779, he quickly moved through the ranks, eventually becoming a Major and serving under the immediate command of George Washington.

Thus, when an internationally respected group of masterminds was chosen to build the modern new capitol city, L’Enfant was selected to head the group. His plan included futuristic architecture and grand parkways. The streets were designed to include beautiful sights, rapid transit, contemporary elegance and communication. The plans he created were considered impressive.

L’Enfant designed a grand city with a radiating sweep of broad avenues that were intersected by a grid of north-south streets and highlighted by circles and squares that were ready to accept the monuments of future national heroes. He chose to place the Capitol Building on Jenkins Hill because he felt it was “a pedestal awaiting a monument.” He then connected the Capitol with the White House (originally called “The President’s House”) by a mile-long avenue.

Although he was apparently a genius in his abilities to create grand plans, L’Enfant was also hotheaded, unreasonable, arrogant and quick to take offense. After antagonizing the three commissioners, Washington fired him. Following L’Enfant’s plans, construction of the city that exists today was begun. It would be many years before the nation would recognize the incredible vision and genius of L’Enfant.

Thus, the lesson from this story is the fact that, even with grand plans, our visions will not materialize without a good attitude. Having a positive, can-do attitude can lead to great cooperation, success and happiness. Now that’s a capitol idea!

An Good Attitude Affirmation

I choose to have a positive, can-do attitude every day and that brings me great happiness and success.