At the time of Lincoln’s first inauguration, Washington D.C was very different from the metropolis it is today. Unlike more established cities such as New York and Philadelphia, the District was a fledging city with only two sewer lines, a limited supply of water, and a few widely dispersed federal buildings.
As Lincoln made his way from the Williard Hotel toward the Captiol steps for his inauguration the unfinished dome of the Capitol loomed before him. Crowds lined the parade route to watch his horse and buggy drive over the muddy cobblestone streets past vacant buildings and empty lots. The City, like Lincoln, was still waiting to be shaped by the forces of history that were about to overtake it. |