--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Congress displayed contempt for the…" description: "\"“Congress displayed contempt for the city's residents, yet it retained a fondness for buildings and parks. In 1900, the centennial of the federal gover..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/zachary-m-schrag-94102_federal-government_congress-displayed-contempt-for-the-city_823164.jpg" --- # Congress displayed contempt for the city's residents, yet… ![“Congress displayed contempt for the city's residents, yet it retained a fondness for buildings and parks. In 1900, the centennial of the federal government's move to Washington, many congressmen expressed frustration that the proud nation did not have a capital to rival London, Paris, and Berlin…” quote by Zachary M. Schrag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/zachary-m-schrag-94102_federal-government_congress-displayed-contempt-for-the-city_823164.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/zachary-m-schrag-94102_federal-government_congress-displayed-contempt-for-the-city_823164.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/zachary-m-schrag-94102_federal-government_congress-displayed-contempt-for-the-city_823164.jpg) > ““Congress displayed contempt for the city's residents, yet it retained a fondness for buildings and parks. In 1900, the centennial of the federal government's move to Washington, many congressmen expressed frustration that the proud nation did not have a capital to rival London, Paris, and Berlin. The following year, Senator James McMillan of Michigan, chairman of the Senate District Committee, recruited architects Daniel Burnham and Charles McKim, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., and sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to propose a park system. The team, thereafter known as the McMillan Commission, emerged with a bold proposal in the City Beautiful tradition, based on the White City of Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition. Their plan reaffirmed L'Enfant's avenues as the best guide for the city's growth and emphasized the majesty of government by calling for symmetrical compositions of horizontal, neoclassical buildings of marble and white granite sitting amid wide lawns and reflecting pools. Eventually, the plan resulted in the remaking of the Mall as an open lawn, the construction of the Lincoln Memorial and Memorial Bridge across the Potomac, and the building of Burnham's Union Station. Commissioned in 1903, when the state of the art in automobiles and airplanes was represented by the curved-dash Olds and the Wright Flyer, the station served as a vast and gorgeous granite monument to rail transportation.”” Zachary M. Schrag ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The plan sought to shape Washington with grand, symmetrical neoclassical architecture and open green spaces, reflecting civic pride and order **In simple terms:** Grand architecture and parks were used to express national dignity Key Takeaway Embrace thoughtful urban design for civic identity Themes urban planning civic pride architecture historical preservation public spaces Mood inspirational reflective historical Type Federal government:1 Lincoln memorial:0 Daniel Burnham:1 Mcmillan Commission:1 Columbian Exposition:1 Burnham Charles:0 Congress Displayed:0 Washington Congressmen:0 When to use this quote - city redevelopment - government building projects - public gathering spaces - heritage tourism - civic ceremonies Key Concepts City Beautiful neoclassicism landscape architecture symbolic power public monuments Questions to Reflect On - How can modern cities balance beauty with inclusivity? - What role should community input play in such grand designs? 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