In the history of colonial architecture, no man made a greater imprint on the style of American homes and public buildings than the self-taught Charles Bulfinch. He introduced a grace and splendor previously unseen in edifices of the new republic. His handiwork, in the distinctive Federal style he pioneered, can still be seen today in the U.S. Capitol building and the Massachusetts State House, as well as in myriad structures in and around his Boston home. Here, in this essay by Marshall B. Davidson, is his little-known story.