The second half of the 19th century was a tumultuous one for Washington D.C., as the Civil War ripped apart the country and actually contributed to the city’s growth: With soldiers coming into the city to defend it and other government agencies needed to handle the war effort, the population grew from 75,000 in 1860 to over 130,000 in 1870. By 1890, there were nearly a quarter of a million residents—the Capitol Building’s expansion…