Views from the north

Photograph, 1858-1865 Smithsonian Institution negative #45934-A

Exterior view of the Smithsonian Institution Building from the northeast taken between 1858 and 1865. The weather vane visible on the top of the Flag Tower was installed in 1858. In 1865 a fire gutted the Upper Main Hall, North Tower, Flag Tower and South Tower. Adolf Cluss was the architect for the renovation. He reconstructed the interior of the South Tower and reinforced the North Tower and Flag Tower with a brick lining, but did not reconstruct the pitched roof of the North Tower.

Photograph, 1867-1884 Smithsonian Institution negative #29978

Exterior view of the Castle from the northwest. The photograph was taken between 1867 and 1883, after the fire of 1865 and before the Joseph Henry statue was erected on April 19, 1883. Henry served as the first Smithsonian Secretary from 1846 to 1878. Henry contained the construction costs of the Smithsonian Institution Building by supervising the building design. The photograph was taken before the East Wing had been renovated in 1884. The roof of the Upper Main Hall had been reconstructed in 1867.

Photograph, circa 1925 Smithsonian Institution negative #32532

View of the Smithsonian Institution Building from the northeast taken circa 1925. The North Tower remained without a roof for approximately a century until 1970 when a replacement roof was constructed. A temporary structure housing airplanes was visible to the east of the building. The statue of Joseph Henry faced the main entrance of the Castle.

Photograph, 1975 Smithsonian Institution negative #75-7099

A color photograph of the Smithsonian Institution Building dated 1975 taken from the Mall. The Joseph Henry statue in front of the Castle faced out towards the Mall. In the photograph (S.I. neg. #32532) dated circa 1925, the statue faced the Castle's entrance. Chatelin, Gauger & Nolan had completed renovation of the building by 1970.

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