2011 Summer Brown Bag Series Announced
The U.S. Capitol Historical Society is planning its annual August brown bag series. This year’s fast-approaching, jam-packed, extended edition begins in July and continues through August 24. Wednesdays at noon, join us in Ketchum Hall for a variety of presentations on Washington and the Capitol. Bring your lunch and guests—this event is free and open to all!
Pre-registration recommended. Call (202) 543-8919 x38 and leave a message with your contact information and the dates you wish to attend, or email uschs@uschs.org with the same information. Leaving a message will complete your pre-registration.
2011 Summer Brown Bag Series
Full schedule
July 27: Adam Goodheart, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening
August 3: cancelled
August 10: Justin Martin, author of Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted
August 17: Barbara Wolanin, Curator, Office of the Architect of the Capitol
August 24: Tom Fontana, Marketing and Communications Manager, Capitol Visitor Center
Additional details
August 17: Barbara Wolanin, Curator, Office of the Architect of the Capitol
Barbara Wolanin will discuss highlights of the conservation projects she has managed as Curator for the Architect of the Capitol over approximately 30 years, including the 1993 Statue of Freedom restoration.
August 24: Tom Fontana, Marketing and Communications Manager, Capitol Visitor Center
Tom Fontana will share the fascinating history of the construction of the Capitol Visitor Center, the largest addition to the Capitol in its 218-year history. The Visitor Center was built entirely below ground to preserve the Capitol and revive the historic Frederick Law Olmsted landscape. A myriad of construction challenges were encountered along the way in addition to more than 3,000 design changes, many prompted by the events of 9/11 and the discovery of anthrax at the Hart Senate Office Building in October 2001. Mr. Fontana has represented the project for the Architect of the Capitol since pre-construction work began in October 2001. He has provided more than 2,800 tours of the facility for Members of Congress, congressional staff, media representatives, and countless government, professional, and community organizations.
July 27: Adam Goodheart, author of 1861: The Civil War Awakening
Join us for another in our series of book signings. Adam Goodheart will discuss his book on 1861, the year that Americans began to rally around an idea of remaking the country into a morally coherent stronghold of liberty. This second American revolution inspired a new generation to reject their parents’ faith in compromise and appeasement and to do the unthinkable in the name of an ideal. The book ranges from the halls of the Capitol to the slums of Manhattan, from the Chesapeake to Nevada, from Boston Common to Alcatraz Island, vividly evoking the Union at this moment of ultimate crisis and decision.
August 10: Justin Martin, author of Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted
Martin argues that Frederick Law Olmsted the most important historical figure that the average American knows the least about. Best remembered for his landscape architecture, from New York's Central Park to Boston's Emerald Necklace to Stanford University's campus to the Capitol grounds, Olmsted was also an influential journalist, early voice for the environment, and abolitionist credited with helping dissuade England from joining the South in the Civil War. Join us for the second book signing event in our summer series.
Location: 200 Maryland Ave. NE; Washington, DC 20002. The VFW Building is located approximately midway between the Union Station and Capitol South metro stations. There is also some street parking available in nearby neighborhoods.
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