Title
Move of the seat of the federal government New York to Washington
Caption
In July 1790 Congress decided to move the seat of the federal government from its original site in New York to Washington, with Philadelphia as an interim capital. The unidentified satirist gives a cynical view of the profit opportunity which this presented for Philadelphians. A three-masted ship with a smaller boat in tow sails toward a fork in a river. It is being lured by a devil toward the lower fork (eventually leading to Philadelphia), which falls precipitously in a rocky cataract, and away from the fork which leads to the 'Potowmack' river
Date
18th century
Credit line
Photo12/Ann Ronan Picture Library
Reference
ARP16A01_205
License type
Rights managed
Available size
60,0Mb (4,9Mb) / 19,4in x 12,0in / 5815 x 3607 (300dpi)