Congress charters the Washington National Cathedral

Background. In 1891, a meeting was held to begin plans for an Episcopal cathedral in Washington. Committees were founded along the East Coast of the United States that later became the National Cathedral Association, now the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation. The 52nd United States Congress passed an act to incorporate the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia, empowering it to establish a cathedral and institutions of learning for religion, education, and charity within the District of Columbia.

Legislative Action. On January 6, 1893, the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia was granted a charter from Congress. The act explicitly empowered the corporation to establish and maintain a cathedral and institutions of learning. While the charter was granted, Congress provided no money for the cathedral's construction, leaving the foundation to rely on private funding.

Presidential Context. Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president of the United States, served from 1889 to 1893. He was defeated in the 1892 election by Grover Cleveland, becoming the first president to be succeeded in office by his predecessor. The supplied passages do not explicitly state that Harrison signed the charter for the Washington National Cathedral.