[IMGCAP(1)]Summers on the Mall have always been hot and sticky. That was surely the case in July 1860, as the Capitol Dome was being constructed and the National Mall was but a dream. The Capitol’s West Front looked out upon a canal that was plied by a variety of work boats and used as an outdoor waste pit. The Mall received its first extensive makeover early in the 20th century, and many observers believe it is in dire need of renovation today.