The George Washington University Washington D.C.

Scarce bird’s eye view of Washington D.C. and George Washington University.

This magnificent illustrated view of Washington, D.C. shows the architecture of the nation’s capital in tremendous detail. Profiles of major buildings and notable landmarks, individually labeled, are exaggerated in size and perspective. The campus of George Washington University is highlighted in blue.

What began as Columbian College as an Act of Congress under President James Monroe in 1821 was renamed after America’s first president in 1904. (An excerpt from his will can be seen in the upper center).  Campus operations moved to the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of D.C. in 1912, and subsequent growth was experienced for the first half of the 20th century.

The map was drawn by Henry S. Liebschutz and lithographed by the Cornelius Printing Company around 1937 or 1938, dated according to a reference to the ‘great new National Gallery of Art.’ A list of the Colleges, Schools, and Divisions of The George Washington University is provided on the verso, along with accompanying text outlining the history of the college.