Marble View of Capitol Magnet

The original Capitol exterior, 1793-1825, was constructed of sandstone from the Aquia Creek quarries in Virginia. When it came time to enlarge the Capitol in the i85os to meet the needs of Congress for more space, marble was chosen for its durability and beauty. The new wings, one to the south for the House of Representatives and one to the north for the Senate, were designed by Thomas U. Walter, the Architect of the Capitol Extension.Exterior work on the wings was completed in 1870.

The marble used for this magnet was taken from the wing occupied by the House of Representatives. Every member of the House-over 9,000— has trod the east front steps, originally installed between 1863 and 1865, leaving footprints of history. The steps were removed in 1995; and the U.S. Capitol Historical Society has been permitted to use a portion of the removed marble, which is crushed to a fine powder and combined with resin, to create this memento.