Over the last three weeks, I have linked to some of the most-read articles, as well as some that I felt should be more widely read. In that vein, and before I start looking into some new topics for the new year, here are five final links
Yes, someone once tried to climb up onto the top of the Capitol dome. This was at a time when you could climb the inside of it with no hindrance from the Capitol Police (Hint: Don’t try this today) but here’s the story of the human fly (LOC)
I am always intrigued by old guide books and travelogues related to Capitol Hill, especially if they show a unique view of the place – such as a German visitor to the inauguration of Martin van Buren on the floor of the House (LOC)
And attempts to fly to or from the Capitol? Always a fun subject, especially when the attempt is made via an autogyro (LOC)
William Thornton is one of those men who keeps popping up in Hill history. But the best story of him concerns nothing he did around here, but down at Mount Vernon – where he attempted to convince Martha Washington to resurrect the father of our country. (LOC)
And finally, there’s the story of the first telegram to be sent, a short message from the Capitol to Baltimore, but ushering in whole new age of communication. (HathiTrust)
