The
The
Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera
OVERVIEW OF THE
COLLECTION
Creator: Thomas Ustick Walter
(1804-1887)
Title: Architectural
Drawings
Dates: ca. 1857-1863
Call
No.:
Acc.
No.: 66x100, 79x260-.274
Quantity: 15 items
Location: Photos: 18 D 3; originals: Map case 6,
drawers 7-8
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Thomas Ustick
Walter was an architect, best known for his work on the domes and wings of the
United States Capitol. He was the oldest
son of Joseph Saunders and Deborah Wood Walter, born in
In 1824, after
marrying Mary Ann Elizabeth Hancocks, Walter joined his father in the construction
business as a master bricklayer. He also
began attending the
Walter's first
professional design was for a church in
Walter presented
his designs for the Capitol extension in December 1850. He moved to
Walter was an
organizer of the American Institute of Architects and served as its president
from 1876 to 1887. From 1835, he was a
member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and from 1839 he was
a member of the American Philosophical Society.
Walter was the author of A Guide
to Workers in Metal and Stone, published in 1846, and (with J. Jay Smith) Two Hundred Designs for Cottages and Villas,
also published in 1846. Walter’s first
wife died in 1847, but married Amanda Gardiner in 1848. He had met Amanda at the church to which they
both belonged; Walter was a devoted church member for his entire life. Altogether, he had twelve children. After many successes, but also many vicissitudes
and financial setbacks, Walter died in
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
The collection consists of thirteen drawings for
the alteration to the dome of the United States Capitol, a photograph of an
iron foundry, and a drawing labeled "
Consists of
thirteen drawings for the alteration to the dome of the Capitol, a photograph
of an iron foundry (a sign on the building names it Iron Foundry and Machine
Shop, Janes and Kirtland), and a drawing labeled "
ORGANIZATION
The
items are arranged by photographic accession numbers.
PROVENANCE
Purchased
from Timothy Trace.
RESTRICTIONS ON
ACCESS
Photographs
of original documents must be used. The
collection requires conservation treatment before physical access can be
granted to the originals.
RELATED
MATERIALS
Personal
and professional papers of Thomas Walter are located at The Athenaeum of
Philadelphia,
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
United States Capitol (
Architecture
- Designs and plans.
Public
architecture.
Gothic
revival (Architecture)
Domes
- Design and construction.
Architecture
- Details.
Architectural
design.
Architectural
drawings.
Architects.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 18 D
3 [photos that are to be used]; Map case 6, drawers 7-8 [originals – not to be
used]
Negative No.
79.260 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Stairway to Top of
Dome"
signed by
copied from original by
B.B. Freud, Jr.
No. 2068, duplicate of
No. 2065
The top half is an elevation of a circular staircase as
fitted with supports made of metal. The
stairs are solid and the supports of the railing are an "x"
shape. The bottom half shows a grid for
a platform with small drawings of cross sectional joints.
79.261 Drawing, Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Stairway to
Dome"
signed by
No. 2057, duplicate of
No. 2060, Scale 1 inch to a foot
Drawing shows a side of a staircase. It has landings, with seven steps between
each landing. The supports of the
railing have a "t" shape with floral details at the cross. The plans
for stairs are shown in cross section; there are diagrams of platforms.
79.262 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Details of Floor
of Tholus Dome of
signed by
No. 1924 duplicate of
No. 1919
Drawing shows support plates and beams for the
floor. There are small drawings of cross
sections of joints.
79.263 Drawing,
Ink on linen
"Design for Railing
Old Hall of Representatives"
The upper half depicts two sets of identical columns and
railing, except the first column in the first drawing is three times as thick
as the second column. Egyptian Revival
acanthus leaves are shown. The right is
labeled "section thro' column base."
The lower half consists of designs for the flooring using various
scales.
79.264 Drawing,
Ink on linen
Elevation of Door
signed by Walter,
"Ex. U.S.C."
No. 1718, duplicate part
of No. 1090
The top shows an elevation of a door with an arched cross
section. The middle displays a plan of a
door jamb. The bottom shows the detail
of the decoration of the jamb.
79.265 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Central Park
Bridge 27 (crossed out and 28 written in pencil)
Scale 2 feet to 1 inch
The drawing is of a support for a bridge in the Gothic
Revival style. Three gothic arches meet
at the base. Only simple structural
supports are shown.
[note: According to Eric Delony of the National Park
Service, the drawing of Bridge 28 was not done by Walter. It is consistent with all the other drawings
for this work done by Calvert Vaux. The
drawing may have been acquired by Walter from the Cornell Iron Works.]
79.266 Scrap,
mounted
"Details of Dome
Doors in Drum East and West Leading to Floor at Peristyle"
signed by Walter, M.C.
Meigs copy of original
No. 1688
The drawing shows joints and supports for doors. The doors are topped by arch windows
separated by Corinthian pilasters. It is
an inside view of what appears to be pocket doors.
79.267 Scrap,
mounted
"Peristyle of
A note:
"Compliments Cha. E. Chase,
The drawing shows the inner structure and outer shell of
the peristyle with a fluted Corinthian column and Corinthian pilaster. The arch has a decorated panel. Brackets are used for support above the door
and below the column.
79.268 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Details of Dome
Floor Plates and Balustrade on Top of Peristyle"
signed by
No. 1612, duplicate of
No. 1556
The drawing shows the plan of balustrade joints and
brackets in the shape of spindles. The
illustration gives the number of each piece needed for construction.
79.269 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Brackets attached
to Main Ribs to Support the Face Plates of the Exterior of IInd Story - Dome of
the U.S. Capitol"
signed by
W.B. Franklin, Cap. Top.
No. 1894
Different cross sections and elevations of joints and
side views of supports are presented in this drawing.
79.270 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Dome of
signed by
copied from the original
by B.B. Freud, Jr.
No. 2071, duplicate of
No. 2054
The drawing illustrates how iron supports over 18.5 feet
long are joined to support the statue.
Decoration resembling bundles of wheat is shown for the sides of the
supports. An aerial view of the joinery
is shown at the bottom of the drawing.
79.271 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Dome of
signed by
No. 2061, duplicate of
No. 2044
A sheet illustrating the joints for the ring of the dome
partially covers a drawing of the details of supports for the dome.
79.272 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Cast Iron Laths
for Plastering of Canopy over Rotunda, Dome of
signed by
No. 2067
The drawing displays nine laths and the center lath. The
number of pieces required for contstruction and their dimensions are
given. The drawing shows how the lathes
fit together.
79.273 Drawing,
Ink/Wash on Heavy paper
"Dome of
signed by
W.B. Franklin, Capt.
Top.
No. 2020, duplicate of
No. 2018
The drawing shows the detail of the balustrade, plans and
sections of joints, and details of several brackets. A listing of the piece numbers for
construction is included.
79.274 Photomechanical reproduction
Iron Foundry and Machine Shop of the firm Janes and
Kirtland is depicted. It is a two story
brick building with arched windows on the second floor. There are stone lions at the front door; two
men are posed with the lions.