William Thornton Re-examined by Bob Arnebeck

Table of Contents     Chapter Nine: The Case of the Ingenious A 116. Law's 1800 house became the fulcrum of the New Varnum Hotel In an 1888 magazine article about the Octagon, restoration architect Glenn Brown accepted the family legend that Thornton was its designer. Brown also proposed the Octagon as the headquarters of the American Institute of Architects, which was then in Manhattan. To build support for his proposal, in 1896, he wrote an article that dispelled doubts cast on the supremacy of Thornton's Capitol design. Brown also credited him for designing and superintending construction of other houses including two houses that the General had built to board congressmen. Work on the Octagon and the General's houses began in 1799. That same year, work began on Thomas Law's five story brick house just south of the Capitol. It had oval rooms like the Octagon and stood for over a century first as a boarding house, then a private residence and finally as a hotel. It ha...

The Doctor Examined, or Why William Thornton Did Not Design the Octagon House or the Capitol by Bob Arnebeck     Table of Contents Sir Archy, an engraving of Tayloe's most famous horse In April 1797, Mr. Tayloe of Virginia rode into the city. The 26 year old head of the richest family in Virginia, as measured by land, slaves, horses, ship building and iron furnaces, had either challenged or accepted a challenge from 36 year old Charles Conan Ridgely for a match race on April 18 for 500 Guineas or $2,600. By tradition, match races were held at a spot equidistant between the opponents. Ridgely's estate was just north of Baltimore and Tayloe's estate, Mount Airy, was just north of Richmond. Nicholson's hotelier Tunnicliff, late from England, prepared a race course near the Capitol where four mile heats could have a convenient start and finish, and conform to the rules of the Annapolis Jockey Club. Two more days of racing would follow with a top purse of $200. Newspape...