Information Panel: The Nation's Capital Begins Here

Information Panel: The Nation's Capital Begins Here

Photo: NPS / Claire Hassler

Quick Facts

Amenities

2 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Tactile Exhibit

1791-1793

After the Revolutionary War, the new nation searched for a permanent seat of government. President George Washington favored a 10-mile square territory along the Potomac River that encompassed the economically important ports of Georgetown and Alexandria. In 1791, the first boundary stone for the federal district- the south cornerstone- was laid with great fanfare right here on Jones Point. The District of Columbia was incorporated ten years later. Alexandria remained within the capital boundaries until an 1846 Act of Congress returned the land west of the Potomac River to Virginia the following year. 

The Survey

Major Andrew Ellicott, owner of one of the finest sets of surveying instruments in the country, was put in charge of the D.C. boundary survey and established the first base camp on Jones Point. On-site measurements and round-the-clock astronomical calculations were conducted by Benjamin Banneker, a free black, self-taught in math and astronomy. 

After laying the first cornerstone here at Jones Point, Ellicott's team embarked on a 40-mile journey that took nearly two years. They created the boundary lines of the capital by clearing 20 feet of land on each side, then setting upright stones at each mile interval. Today, 37 of the original 40 stones remain. Look for them in woods, parking lots and even private yards. 

L'Enfant's Folly

Although federal buildings were never intended to be constructed in Alexandria, Pierre L'Enfant, designer of the plan of Washington, hoped to extend the axial arrangement of the federal city across the river. His proposal was to erect a picturesque marker on Jones Point to complete the long vista from the White House.