September 18
Washington Lays US Capitol Cornerstone
President George Washington presided over a Masonic procession and ritual to place the cornerstone of the United States Capitol, establishing the symbolic foundation for the permanent federal capital.
Summary
Following the Residence Act of 1790, the young United States sought a permanent federal capital along the Potomac River in the newly designated District of Columbia. President George Washington, serving his second term, oversaw the planning amid debates over architecture and location. On September 18, 1793, Washington participated in a Masonic ceremony to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol building, the future home of Congress. Accompanied by bands, artillery, and Masonic lodges from Virginia and Maryland, he placed a silver plaque in the foundation trench before the stone was lowered. The event marked the first major public ceremony in the emerging federal city and initiated construction of a structure central to American governance.
Context
The Residence Act of 1790 directed the creation of a new federal district along the Potomac River to serve as the seat of the United States government, ending years of debate between northern and southern interests over a permanent location. President George Washington took a direct role in selecting the site within the ten-mile-square District of Columbia and appointing commissioners to supervise planning and construction of the public buildings. The federal government at the time operated from Philadelphia, but leaders sought a neutral capital free from state influence.
What Happened
Excavation of the Capitol foundations began in July 1793 on Jenkins Hill, soon renamed Capitol Hill. On September 2 the commissioners approved a formal cornerstone ceremony. At ten o'clock on the morning of September 18, Washington crossed the Potomac from Virginia and joined an escort of the Alexandria Volunteer Artillery, two brass bands, and Masonic lodges from Virginia, Maryland, Georgetown, and the Federal City. The group formed the first public parade in the new city and marched roughly a mile and a half to the construction site.
Aftermath
At the southeast corner of the foundation, Grand Master Joseph Clark of Maryland received Washington. A silver plaque inscribed by Georgetown silversmith Caleb Bentley was lowered into the trench; Washington placed it and then struck the stone three times with a gavel while corn, wine, and oil were offered according to Masonic custom. A fifteen-gun salute followed, after which an ox was roasted for the participants. Construction of the north wing proceeded slowly thereafter.
Legacy
The ceremony marked the physical beginning of a building that has housed Congress since 1800 and has come to embody the constitutional requirement for a permanent, independent federal capital. The neoclassical design selected for the Capitol, admired by Washington and Thomas Jefferson for its classical references to the Roman republic, set the architectural tone for the capital city. Artifacts from the day, including Washington's trowel and gavel, have been reused in later cornerstone ceremonies, preserving a tangible link to the founding era.
Why It Matters
The cornerstone laying symbolized the establishment of a permanent seat of federal power, fulfilling constitutional requirements for a neutral capital district. It initiated decades of construction that produced an iconic symbol of American democracy, later expanded after the War of 1812. The event underscored the role of Freemasonry in early national rituals and connected the founding era to enduring civic institutions still in use today.
Related Questions
Why was the federal capital placed on the Potomac River?
The Residence Act of 1790 settled a sectional compromise by locating the permanent seat of government in a neutral district between the northern and southern states.
What role did Freemasonry play in the ceremony?
The laying followed traditional Masonic ritual, with Washington acting as a lodge leader and Joseph Clark directing the proceedings, including the use of corn, wine, oil, and the gavel.
Where is the original cornerstone today?
Its precise location remains uncertain after later expansions and the 1814 fire; searches using ground-penetrating radar in 1993 identified a likely candidate but found no trace of the silver plaque.
When did Congress first meet in the new building?
Both houses convened in the completed north wing in November 1800, less than a year after Washington’s death.
How has the Capitol changed since 1793?
The original structure has been repeatedly enlarged with new wings, a larger dome, and the addition of the Capitol Visitor Center in 2008 while retaining its neoclassical character.
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Sources
- United States Capitol cornerstone laying, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-07-04.
- George Washington Lays the Cornerstone of the Capitol, United States Senate. Accessed 2026-07-04.