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The original layout of Washington, D.C. was designed to reflect the strength and bravery of a young nation. The Declaration of Independence had been signed less than twenty years before, and the founding fathers of the United States planned to build a new "Federal City." This grand plan was the product of many minds, but once the project began, those involved were not always in agreement.

President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson both oversaw the "Federal City" project, which began in 1791. Jefferson, himself a lifelong student of Neo-classical architectural design, had a hand in the design and planning process, as evidenced by his numerous notes on the original city map. According to Monticello.org, he helped influence the design of some federal buildings.

Much credit, however, should be given to Pierre L'Enfant, Andrew Ellicott, and Benjamin Banneker, all intelligent men who excelled at their specialized crafts.

== L'Enfant ==

Pierre Charles L'Enfant graduated from the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris, and soon became known for his drawings and architectural prowess. He was the first French volunteer in the Continental Army, having been inspired by the American colonists' fight for freedom, and served under his friend General George Washington in the Revolutionary War.

L'Enfant was an extremely detailed perfectionist in art and design, and was one of very few qualified architects in the colonies. Jefferson was presumably too busy as Secretary of State to devote full-time attention to the project and, understandably, President Washington deemed L'Enfant the most suitable person to design the future capital city. L'Enfant believed wholeheartedly in his own 6,000-acre city design that would display the epitome of independence, strength, and courage.

He relied on traditional European Baroque design, as seen in the plans of Versailles and London. This geometric ideal would create D.C.'s sweeping vistas, strategically placed buildings, and various spaces that would house future memorials, fountains, and other structures honoring important individuals.

L'Enfant envisioned wide, tree-lined avenues radiating from specific points, each avenue named after a state, plus a grid of lettered and numbered streets. Lettered streets would run east-west, but ascend (A, B, C, etc.) both north and south of the Capitol, while the numbered streets would run north-south, but increase (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) both east and west of the

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