US Capitol Grounds Tour with Public Historian Steve Livengood
Saturday, October 5
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
68 First Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Registration Required | Tickets $25 per person | No Refunds
Join us on a unique and beautiful walk with Steve Livengood, Chief Guide and Public Historian of the United States Capitol Historical Society, for a private tour of the US Capitol grounds, originally landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1874. It was named an accredited arboretum in 2017. Steve is also on the board of The Olmsted Network, the national umbrella organization for the Olmsted legacy.
Our Tour:
Originally a wooded river terrace, the US Capitol Grounds now provide a park-like setting for the Capitol Building, offering a picturesque counterpoint to the building's formal architecture.
The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), who planned the expansion and landscaping of the area that was performed from 1874 to 1892. Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park, is considered the father of American landscape architecture. He was the dominant figure in the development of public parks in America, and many of his designs were influenced by his studies of European parks, gardens, and estates. In describing his plan for the Capitol Grounds, Olmsted noted that "the ground is in design part of the U.S. Capitol, but in all respects subsidiary to the central structure." Therefore, he was careful not to group trees or other landscape features in any way that would distract the viewer from the US Capitol Building. The use of sculpture and other ornamentation is kept to a minimum, while the trees, shrubs, and hardscape – while carefully planned – seem to flow simply and clearly out of the topography rather than calling attention to themselves.
Registration is limited to the first 25 people that sign up. Ticket price is $25/person for this event. This event will occur regardless of rainy weather. Tickets are non-refundable.
Meeting Point:
The tour will meet at 9:45 AM at the Neptune Fountain in front of the Library of Congress at First Street and East Capitol Street SE. The nearest Metro Station is Capitol South on First Street SE, just two blocks away.