On September 18, 1793, the cornerstone of the United States Capitol Building was laid in Washington, D.C., with a ceremonial performance that was anything but ordinary. George Washington, resplendent in full Masonic regalia, personally set the cornerstone using the same trowel and apron he had worn during the earlier cornerstone placement of the White House.
The event was a spectacle of Masonic pageantry, with local Freemasons parading in full regalia, accompanied by a military procession and a cornucopia of civic leaders. Washington, a dedicated Freemason himself, oversaw the ritual with meticulous precision, symbolically embedding the first stone of what would become the most powerful legislative building in the world.
What makes this moment particularly fascinating is the esoteric symbolism involved. Washington and the other Masonic participants poured corn, wine, and oil over the cornerstone—ancient symbolic substances representing nourishment, joy, and healing—a ritualistic practice dating back to biblical traditions.
The chosen location, then a near-wilderness site, would transform over decades into the heart of American democratic governance. Little did those present know that this seemingly mundane construction moment would mark the beginning of a building that would witness centuries of pivotal national decisions, legislative battles, and historical transformations.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
