Today In History: September 18 - WASHINGTON LAYS CAPITOL CORNERSTONE

1793: Washington lays Capitol cornerstone

First president of the U.S., George Washington, lays the cornerstone of the Capitol Building, in Washington, D.C. The structure itself would take nearly a century to complete – it was delayed by the War of 1812 and later by the Civil War. The official seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. government, today it is part of a complex that includes six Congressional offices and three Libraries of Congress.