Thomas Jefferson Building
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The Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress |
The oldest of the three
United States Library of Congress buildings, the
Thomas Jefferson Building opened in
1897. It is known for its elaborately decorated
facade and interior, for which more than forty American painters and sculptors produced commissioned works of art.
Needing more room for its growing collection the Library of Congress under Librarian
Ainsworth Rand Spofford suggested to the Congress that a new building be built specifically to serve as the American national
library. Prior to this the Library existed in a wing of the
Capitol Building. The new building was needed partly because of the growing Congress, but also partly because of the Copyright Law of 1870, which required all copyright applicants to send to the Library two copies of their work. This resulted in a flood of books, pamphlets, maps, music, prints and photographs. Spofford had been instrumental in the enactment of this law.
With Congress approving construction of the building in
1886, it would take 11 years to complete. The building opened to the public on
November 1,
1897 and was met with wide approval and was immediately seen as a national monument. Originally called simply the "Library of Congress Building" its name was changed on
June 13,
1980 to honor former
U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, who had been a key figure in the establishment of the Library in
1800. Jefferson offered his personal book collection to Congress in September
1814 a month after the
British had burned the Capitol in the
War of 1812.
The below references are public domain websites of the Library of Congress*
http://www.loc.gov/loc/walls/jeff1.html - "On These Walls" Library of Congress website
*
http://www.loc.gov/jefftour/history.html - Thomas Jefferson Building
*
John Adams Building *
James Madison Memorial Building
