"Proposed Improvement in the Hall of Representatives,
to lower the domical ceiling as shown in drawing."
By Robert Mills, April 29, 1844
Ink and wash on paper
17" x 12 3/4"
National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Office
of the Chief of Engineers
Mills's Proposed Improvements for
U.S. Capitol: Hall of Representatives
By 1844 the U.S. Congress was investigating ways
to improve the Capitol Building. Robert Mills submitted these two ideas.
Neither was implemented. Mills suggested a skylight for the center of
the House of Representatives Chamber and sought to improve the acoustics
by raising the floor and lowering the ceiling, ideas based on the French
Chamber of Deputies in Paris shown at the lower right of the page. Mills
thought that the space created by the new lower dome could be used by
the Library of Congress for storage.