Visualizing Early Washington DC

The IRC's recreation of the US Capitol building, circa 1800.

UMBC’s Imaging Research Center (IRC) is working on an incredible project that will bring to life Washington DC as it looked around 1790-1820. One of their first steps is to recreate the grounds of the Notley Young Plantation, in what is now SW DC around Benjamin Banneker Park. The images you see below are recreations of two of the plantation’s structures. These models are for geometric purposes; textures will be added later.

Notley Young Mansion

Wharf at Notley Young Plantation

The implications of this project are fascinating, especially when you consider that they have plans to integrate the fruits of their labor with location-aware mobile phones. Years from now, when you enter a holodeck and walk around early 19th-century DC, you can thank these guys.

More Information:
Visualizing Early Washington DC
The Beginning of the Road (Washington Post, 08/31/08)