(1829)

This model shows the Capitol as it was completed by Charles Bulfinch, the third Architect of the Capitol.

When Charles Bulfinch was appointed Architect of the Capitol in 1818, the Capitol had been under construction for 25 years. His principal contributions to the exterior appearance of the Capitol are the west central building, the copper-covered wooden dome, and the landscaped grounds enclosed by an iron and stone fence. Bulfinch built the east central portico using Thornton's design as modified by Latrobe.

This model shows how the Capitol and the grounds looked from the time of their completion in 1829 until their enlargement in the latter half of the nineteenth century. An interesting feature of the West Front was the earthen and masonry terrace, which created courtyards that hid privies and other necessities best kept out of public view. In front of the terrace staircases stood the monument erected in memory of naval officers who died in the war with Tripoli; the monument was moved to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1860.