Jan 27

Jan 27 Completing the Capitol - Charles Bulfinch Finishes Washington

Charles Bulfinch was the first professional architect in the United States.

In addition to the plethora of buildings he constructed, Bulfinch also served as the Architect of the Capitol of the United States.

Charles Bulfinch

During the Battle of Bunker Hill, several people watched the violence from afar.

One of these civilians was a 12-year-old boy named Charles Bulfinch.

Charles was the son of the doctor, Thomas, who inoculated Abigail Adams and her children from smallpox.

Charles did not follow in the family business. Instead, he went on to become the first professional architect in the United States.

Europe

Bulfinch sat out the Revolutionary War and attended to his studies at Harvard.

Upon graduation, Charles toured Europe. While in Paris, he became friendly with Minister to France Thomas Jefferson.

When he returned to the United States he had made up his mind regarding his career of choice...architect.

Architect

At this early point in American history, anyone who drew up blueprints for a building took on the task as a side job. No one had made a career of this business.

Bulfinch set himself up as the first to tackle architecture as a primary means of income.

Over the course of his career, Charles built dozens of houses, several churches, commercial buildings of all sizes and at least one playhouse.

Furthermore, he oversaw the construction of the State Houses in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine.

Bulfinch pioneered what we now call the ‘Federal Style’ which is a familiar look that many Americans will now recognize even if they cannot name it.

The Capitol

In 1817, President James Monroe visited Boston and Bulfinch and the Commander-in-Chief became fast friends.

It just so happens that the position of Architect of the Capitol had just opened up.

Bulfinch was offered this job. He accepted and relocated to Washington, DC.

Charles began work on the Capitol, which was still incomplete when it was burned by the British during the War of 1812.

After a decade of effort, Bulfinch finally saw the United States Capitol completed...four decades after its construction began.

Do you want to learn about other FOUNDING ARCHITECTS?

Check out these articles:

Building: The First Continental Congress - Robert Smith Designs Carpenters’ Hall

William Wadsworth Makes Cobblestone Trendy

Founding Washington - Pierre-Charles L’Enfant Outlines the Capitol

Despite being a fairly obscure Founder, Bulfinch is decently well known in architectural circles.

To learn more about him, check out his installment in ‘The Architects’ series.

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).