• The first architect hired to oversee the construction of the Capitol was a failed entrant in the original design competition. He was promptly fired for trying to sneak in his own design changes.  Architect #2 was also fired for not following the design.  Architect #3 lasted for some time, but it was tough to keep construction workers because the pay was poor and the working conditions in this backwater (at the time) were even worse.   The sandstone alone was coming from quarries 40 miles away by ferries.
  • Congress got their proverbial shit together in 1803 by finally allocating real money to support the construction. They hired the first professional architect/engineer working in the United States – Benjamin Henry Latrobe. (You have to wonder what the other three guys had as qualifications.)
  • One of his first concerns was to tear down ‘The Oven’ which was as makeshift, squatty, temporary building that was being used while the actual Capitol was under construction.
    (Image taken from AOC.gov.  The oven is the squatty round building on the left.  It was so called not only for its shape, but lack of temperature control.)