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Washington, D.C., early 1860s. "Treasury Department in Lincoln's time (Cash Room behind the desks)." At least two spectral presences here. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size.
Vintagetvs: "Ghosts apparently don't care for sweeping floors."
This made me laugh. I wonder how much debris could accumulate before it was time to sweep up? There are some other photos on here that also have litter strewn about, one in particular I remember, was a city park. For the most part, I do not think it is common today to see public buildings and parks with debris scattered about.
It is a fascinating photo and it is intriguing to see the user photos and comments as to the transformation of the room today. It is nice to see that it has been preserved and is still being used today.
I work in this room from time to time for Treasury events. In the back of the hall is a small room which still houses the original safe where the "cash" was kept, hence the name. Today they just keep the vault door open and use it to store event items such as tables, tablecloths, etc.
No longer used for its original purpose, the restored Cash Room now often serves as a meeting or conference room.
According to the Treasury site:
"In 1985 a renewed appreciation of the Cash Room's historic significance enabled the Treasury Department to begin restoration... The bronze gaslight chandeliers, which had apparently been scrapped around 1890 at the time electricity was introduced into the building were replicated from numerous historic photographs, including photographs taken by the Matthew Brady Studio around 1870."
To quote from the Treasury Department's web site: "The Cash Room opened in June 1869 in the United States Treasury Department for the transaction of the government's financial business. The need for a bank in the Treasury Building arose indirectly from a reform of the country's monetary system in 1846 and from subsequent developments during the Civil War.
"The architect of the Cash Room, Alfred B. Mullett, designed it as a roofed version of an Italian palazzo, a traditional bank design throughout Europe."
http://www.treasury.gov/about/history/Pages/cash-room.aspx
A lot of money is tainted - Taint yours and taint mine.
At least one of our Ghosts moved the chair that's in the middle of the room. Perhaps the Ghost had time to walk from the chair to the back of the room? Ghosts apparently don't care for sweeping floors.
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