Then and Now: This photo illustration is a combination of two photographs. The black and white image was taken March 4, 1861, during U.S. President Abraham Lincoln’s first inauguration at the U.S. Capitol Building. The black and white photograph is part of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington. The color photograph was taken in a similar location during the early morning of Jan. 11, 2012, less than two weeks before U.S. President Barack H. Obama’s second inauguration. The cast iron dome construction was finished in 1866 and was designed by Thomas U. Walter, according to the Architect of the Capitol website.
From the editor: Starting with this edition, the Pentagram will publish a series of “then and now” photos under the banner of “JBMHH throwback Thursday,” with the hashtag #JBMHHTBT on social media. This new weekly feature will include historical photos from a portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (Fort Myer, Fort McNair, Henderson Hall) as well as occasional imagery from other recognizable locations throughout the National Capital Region.
Though JBM-HH is rich in history and there is no shortage of imagery from the joint base from years past, we also believe we are writing history now, every day. So, for every historic photograph we publish, we will also publish a comparative photo from today. We start this new project with a photo illustration of the Capitol building by staff photographer Rachel Larue.
While we have certainly enjoyed the humorous submissions we’ve received over the past several years for the Pentagram’s weekly “caption this” photos, we feel the time is right to move forward and try something new. But we want to know what you think, too. Send us your comments about this new weekly feature or if you have a historical photo you’d like to submit for consideration of publication for JBM-HH throwback Thursday, email us at: