The 1887 Report of the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army includes this plan of the Dupont Circle park:

Dupont Circle plan 1887

It matches up well with this view of Dupont Circle from a period postcard:

Dupont Park

Finally, here is a list of the types of trees and shrubs that were in the park in 1887.

Kent Boese posts items of historic interest, primarily within the District. He’s worked in libraries since 1994, both federal and law, and currently works on K Street. He’s been an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner serving the northern Columbia Heights and Park View neighborhoods since 2011 (ANC 1A), and served as the Commission’s Chair since 2013. He has a MS in Design from Arizona State University with strong interests in preservation, planning, and zoning. Kent is also the force behind the blog Park View, DC.