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Walter, Thomas Ustick
architect; b. Sept. 4, 1804; d. Oct. 30, 1887.
In 1819 he entered the office of William Strickland as a student in architecture. In 1831 he designed the Philadelphia County Prison, and in 1833 the fine building of Girard College (Philadelphia), which was built entirely under his direction. In 1851 he was appointed architect of the Capitol in Washington, superceding Robert Mills. The old Capitol was completed according to the designs of Charles Bulfinch when he left it in 1829, and remained practically unchanged until 1850, when Walter presented his scheme for the addition of two wings containing accomodations for the Senate and the House of Representatives. The cornerstone of the new work was laid by Daniel Webster, July 4, 1851. Walter rebuilt the western front, which had been destroyed by fire, and added the library. At the close of 1854 the wall of the wings had reached the height of the ceiling. In 1855 the old dome was removed and the new dome begun. Both wings were completed in 1856. The House of Representatives first met in its new quarters Dec. 16, 1857, and the Senate Jan. 4, 1859. The government ordered the suspension of the work in 1861, but through the patriotism of the contractors operations were continued during the entire Civil War. The exterior of the dome was completed in 1863 and the entire work in 1865, when Walter retired from office.
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