Congressional Directory for the 117th Congress (2021-2022), October 2022.
[Pages 585-594]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
CAPITOL BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
UNITED STATES CAPITOL
Overview of the Building and its Function
The United States Capitol is among the most architecturally
impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. It has
housed the chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives for
more than two centuries. Begun in 1793, the Capitol has been built,
burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored; today, it stands as a monument
not only to its builders but also to the American people and their
government.
As the focal point of the government's legislative branch, the
Capitol is the centerpiece of the Capitol complex, which includes the
six principal congressional office buildings and three Library of
Congress buildings constructed on Capitol Hill in the 19th and 20th
centuries.
In addition to its active use by Congress, the Capitol is a museum
of American art and history. Each year, it is visited by millions of
people from around the world.
A fine example of 19th-century neoclassical architecture, the
Capitol combines function with aesthetics. Its design was derived from
ancient Greece and Rome and evokes the ideals that guided the nation's
founders as they framed their new republic. As the building was expanded
from its original design, harmony with the existing portions was
carefully maintained.
Today, the Capitol covers a ground area of 175,170 square feet, or
about 4 acres, and has a floor area of approximately 16\1/2\ acres. Its
length, from north to south, is 751 feet 4 inches; its greatest width,
including approaches, is 350 feet. Its height above the base line on the
east front to the top of the Statue of Freedom is 288 feet; from the
basement floor to the top of the dome is an ascent of 365 steps.
The building is divided into five levels. The first, or ground,
floor is occupied chiefly by committee rooms and the spaces allocated to
various congressional officers. The areas accessible to visitors on this
level include the Hall of Columns, the restored Old Supreme Court
Chamber, and the Crypt beneath the Rotunda.
The second floor holds the chambers of the House of Representatives
(in the south wing) and the Senate (in the north wing). This floor also
contains three major public areas. In the center under the dome is the
Rotunda, a circular ceremonial space that also serves as a gallery of
paintings and sculpture depicting significant people and events in the
nation's history. The Rotunda is 96 feet in diameter and rises 180 feet
3 inches to the canopy. The semicircular chamber south of the Rotunda
served as the Hall of the House until 1857; now designated National
Statuary Hall, it houses part of the Capitol's collection of statues
donated by the states in commemoration of notable citizens. The Old
Senate Chamber northeast of the Rotunda, which was used by the Senate
until 1859, has been returned to its mid-19th-century appearance.
The third floor allows access to the galleries from which visitors
to the Capitol may watch the proceedings of the House and the Senate
when Congress is in session. The rest of this floor is occupied by
offices, committee rooms, and press galleries.
The fourth floor and the basement / terrace level of the Capitol
are occupied by offices, machinery rooms, workshops, and other support
areas.
Located beneath the East Front plaza, the newest addition to the
Capitol is the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). Preparatory construction
activities began in 2002, and the CVC was opened to the public on
December 2, 2008. This date was chosen for its significance in the
Capitol's history: it was on December 2, 1863, that the Statue of
Freedom was placed atop the Capitol. The CVC occupies 580,000 square
feet of space on three levels and includes an Exhibition Hall, a
restaurant, orientation theaters, gift shops, and other visitor
amenities as well as meeting space for the House and Senate.
Location of the Capitol
The Capitol is located at the eastern end of the Mall on a plateau
88 feet above the level of the Potomac River, commanding a westward view
across the Capitol Reflecting
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Pool to the Washington Monument 1.4 miles away and the Lincoln Memorial
2.2 miles away.
Before 1791, the Federal Government had no permanent site. The
early Congresses met in eight different cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Lancaster, York, Princeton, Annapolis, Trenton, and New York City. The
subject of a permanent capital for the Government of the United States
was first raised by Congress in 1783; it was ultimately addressed in
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution (1787), which gave the Congress
legislative authority over ``such District (not exceeding ten Miles
square) as may, by Cession of Particular States, and the Acceptance of
Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States. . .
.''
In 1788, the State of Maryland ceded to Congress ``any district in
this State, not exceeding ten miles square,'' and in 1789 the State of
Virginia ceded an equivalent amount of land. In accordance with the
``Residence Act'' passed by Congress in 1790, President Washington in
1791 selected the area that is now the District of Columbia from the
land ceded by Maryland (private landowners whose property fell within
this area were compensated by a payment of 25 per acre);
that ceded by Virginia was not used for the capital and was returned to
Virginia in 1846. Also under the provisions of that Act, he selected
three commissioners to survey the site and oversee the design and
construction of the capital city and its government buildings. The
commissioners, in turn, selected the French-American engineer Pierre
Charles L'Enfant to plan the new city of Washington. L'Enfant's plan,
which was influenced by the gardens at Versailles, arranged the city's
streets and avenues in a grid overlaid with baroque diagonals; the
result is a functional and aesthetic whole in which government buildings
are balanced against public lawns, gardens, squares, and paths. The
Capitol itself was located at the elevated east end of the Mall, on the
brow of what was then called Jenkins' Hill. The site was, in L'Enfant's
words, ``a pedestal waiting for a monument.''
Selection of a Plan
L'Enfant was expected to design the Capitol and to supervise its
construction. However, he refused to produce any drawings for the
building, claiming that he carried the design ``in his head''; this fact
and his refusal to consider himself subject to the commissioners'
authority led to his dismissal in 1792. In March of that year, the
commissioners announced a competition, suggested by Secretary of State
Thomas Jefferson, that would award $500 and a city lot to whoever
produced ``the most approved plan'' for the Capitol by mid-July. None of
the 17 plans submitted, however, was wholly satisfactory. In October, a
letter arrived from Dr. William Thornton, a Scottish-trained physician
living in Tortola, British West Indies, requesting an opportunity to
present a plan even though the competition had closed. The commissioners
granted this request.
Thornton's plan depicted a building composed of three sections. The
central section, which was topped by a low dome, was to be flanked on
the north and south by two rectangular wings (one for the Senate and one
for the House of Representatives). President Washington commended the
plan for its ``grandeur, simplicity and convenience,'' and on April 5,
1793, it was accepted by the commissioners; Washington gave his formal
approval on July 25.
Brief Construction History
1793-1829
The cornerstone was laid by President Washington in the building's
southeast corner on September 18, 1793, with Masonic ceremonies. Work
progressed under the direction of three architects in succession.
Stephen H. Hallet (an entrant in the earlier competition) and George
Hadfield were eventually dismissed by the commissioners because of
inappropriate design changes that they tried to impose; James Hoban, the
architect of the White House, saw the first phase of the project through
to completion.
Construction was a laborious and time-consuming process: the
sandstone used for the building had to be ferried on boats from the
quarries at Aquia, Virginia; workers had to be induced to leave their
homes to come to the relative wilderness of Capitol Hill; and funding
was inadequate. By August 1796, the commissioners were forced to focus
the entire work effort on the building's north wing so that it at least
could be ready for government occupancy as scheduled. Even so, some
third-floor rooms were still unfinished when the Congress, the Supreme
Court, the Library of Congress, and the courts of the District of
Columbia occupied the Capitol in late 1800.
In 1803, Congress allocated funds to resume construction. A year
earlier, the office of the Commissioners had been abolished and replaced
by a superintendent of the city of Wash
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ington. To oversee the renewed construction effort, Benjamin Henry
Latrobe was appointed surveyor of public buildings. The first
professional architect and engineer to work in America, Latrobe modified
Thornton's plan for the south wing to include space for offices and
committee rooms; he also introduced alterations to simplify the
construction work. Latrobe began work by removing a squat, oval,
temporary building known as ``the Oven,'' which had been erected in 1801
as a meeting place for the House of Representatives. By 1807,
construction on the south wing was sufficiently advanced that the House
was able to occupy its new legislative chamber, and the wing was
completed in 1811.
In 1808, as work on the south wing progressed, Latrobe began the
rebuilding of the north wing, which had fallen into disrepair. Rather
than simply repair the wing, he redesigned the interior of the building
to increase its usefulness and durability; among his changes was the
addition of a chamber for the Supreme Court. By 1811, he had completed
the eastern half of this wing, but funding was being increasingly
diverted to preparations for a second war with Great Britain. By 1813,
Latrobe had no further work in Washington and so he departed, leaving
the north and south wings of the Capitol connected only by a temporary
wooden passageway.
The War of 1812 left the Capitol, in Latrobe's later words, ``a
most magnificent ruin'': on August 24, 1814, British troops set fire to
the building, and only a sudden rainstorm prevented its complete
destruction. Immediately after the fire, Congress met for one session in
Blodget's Hotel, which was at Seventh and E Streets, NW. From 1815 to
1819, Congress occupied a building erected for it on First Street, NE.,
on part of the site now occupied by the Supreme Court Building. This
building later came to be known as the Old Brick Capitol.
Latrobe returned to Washington in 1815, when he was rehired to
restore the Capitol. In addition to making repairs, he took advantage of
this opportunity to make further changes in the building's interior
design (for example, an enlargement of the Senate Chamber) and introduce
new materials (for example, marble discovered along the upper Potomac).
However, he came under increasing pressure because of construction
delays (most of which were beyond his control) and cost overruns;
finally, he resigned his post in November 1817.
On January 8, 1818, Charles Bulfinch, a prominent Boston architect,
was hired to succeed Latrobe. Continuing the restoration of the north
and south wings, he was able to make the chambers for the Supreme Court,
the House, and the Senate ready for use by 1819. Bulfinch also
redesigned and supervised the construction of the Capitol's central
section. The copper-covered wooden dome that topped this section was
made higher than Bulfinch considered appropriate to the building's size
(at the direction of President James Monroe and Secretary of State John
Quincy Adams). After completing the last part of the building in 1826,
Bulfinch spent the next few years on the Capitol's decoration and
landscaping. In 1829, his work was done and his position with the
government was terminated. In the 38 years following Bulfinch's tenure,
the Capitol was entrusted to the care of the commissioner of public
buildings.
1830-1868
The Capitol was by this point already an impressive structure. At
ground level, its length was 351 feet 7\1/2\ inches and its width was
282 feet 10\1/2\ inches. Up to the year 1827--records from later years
being incomplete--the project cost was $2,432,851.34. Improvements to
the building continued in the years to come (running water in 1832, gas
lighting in the 1840s), but by 1850 its size could no longer accommodate
the increasing numbers of Senators and Representatives from newly
admitted states. The Senate therefore voted to hold another competition,
offering a prize of $500 for the best plan to extend the Capitol.
Several suitable plans were submitted, some proposing an eastward
extension of the building and others proposing the addition of large
north and south wings. However, Congress was unable to decide between
these two approaches, and the prize money was divided among five
architects. Thus, the tasks of selecting a plan and appointing an
architect fell to President Millard Fillmore.
Fillmore's choice was Thomas U. Walter, a Philadelphia architect
who had entered the competition. On July 4, 1851, in a ceremony whose
principal oration was delivered by Secretary of State Daniel Webster,
the president laid the cornerstone in the northeast corner of the House
wing. Over the next 14 years, Walter supervised the construction of the
extension, ensuring their compatibility with the architectural style of
the existing building. However, because the Aquia Creek sandstone used
earlier had deteriorated noticeably, he chose to use marble for the
exterior. For the veneer, Walter selected marble quarried at Lee,
Massachusetts, and for the columns he used marble from Cockeysville,
Maryland.
Walter faced several significant challenges during the course of
construction. Chief among these was the steady imposition by the
government of additional tasks without additional pay. Aside from his
work on the Capitol extension, Walter designed the wings of the Patent
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Office building, extensions to the Treasury and Post Office buildings,
and the Marine barracks in Pensacola and Brooklyn. When the Library of
Congress in the Capitol's west central section was gutted by a fire in
1851, Walter was commissioned to restore it. He also encountered
obstacles in his work on the Capitol extensions. His location of the
legislative chambers was changed in 1853 at the direction of President
Franklin Pierce, based on the suggestions of the newly appointed
supervising engineer, Captain Montgomery C. Meigs. In general, however,
the project progressed rapidly: the House of Representatives was able to
meet in its new chamber on December 16, 1857, and the Senate first met
in its present chamber on January 4, 1859. The old House chamber was
later designated National Statuary Hall. In 1861 most construction was
suspended because of the Civil War, and the Capitol was used briefly as
a military barracks, hospital, and bakery. In 1862 work on the entire
building was resumed.
As the new wings were constructed, more than doubling the length of
the Capitol, it became apparent that the dome erected by Bulfinch no
longer suited the building's proportions. In 1855, Congress voted for
its replacement based on Walter's design for a new, fireproof cast-iron
dome. The old dome was removed in 1856, and 5,000,000 pounds of new
masonry was placed on the existing rotunda walls. Iron used in the dome
construction had an aggregate weight of 8,909,200 pounds and was lifted
into place by steam-powered derricks.
In 1859, Thomas Crawford's plaster model for the Statue of Freedom,
designed for the top of the dome, arrived from the sculptor's studio in
Rome. With a height of 19 feet 6 inches, the statue was almost 3 feet
taller than specified, and Walter was compelled to make revisions to his
design for the dome. When cast in bronze by Clark Mills at his foundry
on the outskirts of Washington, it weighed 14,985 pounds. The statue was
lifted into place atop the dome in 1863, its final section being
installed on December 2 to the accompaniment of gun salutes from the
forts around the city.
The work on the dome and the extension was completed under the
direction of Edward Clark, who had served as Walter's assistant and was
appointed Architect of the Capitol in 1865 after Walter's resignation.
In 1866, the Italian-born artist Constantino Brumidi finished the canopy
fresco, a monumental painting entitled The Apotheosis of George
Washington. The Capitol extension was completed in 1868.
1869-1902
Clark continued to hold the post of Architect of the Capitol until
his death in 1902. During his tenure, the Capitol underwent considerable
modernization. Steam heat was gradually installed in the old Capitol. In
1874, the first elevator was installed, and in the 1880s electric
lighting began to replace gas lights.
Between 1884 and 1891, the marble terraces on the north, west, and
south sides of the Capitol were constructed. As part of the landscape
plan devised by Frederick Law Olmsted, these terraces not only added
over 100 rooms to the Capitol but also provided a broader, more
substantial visual base for the building.
On November 6, 1898, a gas explosion and fire in the original north
wing dramatically illustrated the need for fireproofing. The roofs over
the Statuary Hall wing and the original north wing were reconstructed
and fireproofed, the work being completed in 1902 by Clark's successor,
Elliott Woods. In 1901, the space in the west central front vacated by
the Library of Congress was converted to committee rooms.
1903-1970
During the remainder of Woods's service, which ended with his death
in 1923, no major structural work was required on the Capitol. The
activities performed in the building were limited chiefly to cleaning
and refurbishing the interior. David Lynn, the Architect of the Capitol
from 1923 until his retirement in 1954, continued these tasks. Between
July 1949 and January 1951, the corroded roofs and skylights of both
wings and the connecting corridors were replaced with new roofs of
concrete and steel, covered with copper. The cast-iron and glass
ceilings of the House and Senate chambers were replaced with ceilings of
stainless steel and plaster, with a laylight of carved glass and bronze
in the middle of each. The House and Senate chambers were completely
redecorated, modern lighting was added, and acoustical problems were
solved. During this renovation program, the House and Senate vacated
their chambers on several occasions so that the work could progress.
The next significant modification made to the Capitol was the east
front extension. This project was carried out under the supervision of
Architect of the Capitol J. George Stewart, who served from 1954 until
his death in 1970. Begun in 1958, it involved the construction
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of a new east front 32 feet 6 inches east of the old front, faithfully
reproducing the sandstone structure in marble. The old sandstone walls
were not destroyed; rather, they were left in place to become a part of
the interior wall and are now buttressed by the addition. The marble
columns of the connecting corridors were also moved and reused. Other
elements of this project included repairing the dome, constructing a
subway terminal under the Senate steps, reconstructing those steps,
cleaning both wings, birdproofing the building, providing furniture and
furnishings for 90 new rooms created by the extension, and improving the
lighting throughout the building. The project was completed in 1962.
1971-Present
During the nearly 25-year tenure (1971-1995) of Architect of the
Capitol George M. White, FAIA, the building was both modernized and
restored. Electronic voting equipment was installed in the House chamber
in 1973; facilities were added to allow television coverage of the House
and Senate debates in 1979 and 1986, respectively; and improved climate
control, electronic surveillance systems, and new computer and
communications facilities have been added to bring the Capitol up-to-
date. The Old Senate Chamber, National Statuary Hall, and the Old
Supreme Court Chamber, on the other hand, were restored to their mid-
19th-century appearance in the 1970s.
In 1983, work began on the strengthening, renovation, and
preservation of the west front of the Capitol. Structural problems had
developed over the years because of defects in the original foundations,
deterioration of the sandstone facing material, alterations to the basic
building fabric (a fourth-floor addition and channeling of the walls to
install interior utilities), and damage from the fires of 1814 and 1851
and the 1898 gas explosion.
To strengthen the structure, over 1,000 stainless steel tie rods
were set into the building's masonry. More than 30 layers of paint were
removed, and damaged stonework was repaired or replicated. Ultimately,
40 percent of the sandstone blocks were replaced with limestone. The
walls were treated with a special consolidant and then painted to match
the marble wings. The entire project was completed in 1987.
A related project, completed in January 1993, effected the repair
of the Olmsted terraces, which had been subject to damage from settling,
and converted the terrace courtyards into several thousand square feet
of meeting space.
As the Capitol enters its third century, restoration and
modernization work continues. Alan M. Hantman, FAIA, was appointed in
February 1997 to a 10-year term as Architect of the Capitol. Projects
under his direction included rehabilitation of the Capitol dome;
conservation of murals; improvement of speech-reinforcement, electrical,
and fire-protection systems in the Capitol and the Congressional office
buildings; work on security improvements within the Capitol complex;
restoration of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory; the design and
construction of the National Garden adjacent to the Botanic Garden
Conservatory; renovation of the building systems in the Dirksen Senate
Office Building; publication of the first comprehensive history of the
Capitol to appear in a century; and construction of the Capitol Visitor
Center. At the end of Mr. Hantman's term in February 2007, Stephen T.
Ayers, FAIA, LEED AP, assumed the position of Acting Architect of the
Capitol. On February 24, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Mr.
Ayers to serve as the 11th Architect of the Capitol. On May 12, 2010,
the United States Senate, by unanimous consent, confirmed Mr. Ayers, and
on May 13, 2010, the President officially appointed Mr. Ayers to a 10-
year term as Architect of the Capitol. On December 9, 2019, President
Donald J. Trump nominated J. Brett Blanton to serve as the 12th
Architect of the Capitol. On December 20, 2019, the United States Senate
confirmed Mr. Blanton, and on January 16, 2020, he was sworn in as
Architect of the Capitol by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts,
Jr.
HOUSE OFFICE BUILDINGS
Cannon House Office Building
An increased membership of the Senate and House resulted in a
demand for additional rooms for the accommodations of the Senators and
Representatives. On March 3, 1903, the Congress authorized the erection
of a fireproofed office building for the use of the House. It was
designed by the firm of Carrere & Hastings of New York City in the Beaux
Arts style. The first brick was laid July 5, 1905, in square No. 690,
and formal exercises were held at the laying of the cornerstone on April
14, 1906, in which President Theodore
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Roosevelt participated. The building was completed and occupied January
10, 1908. A subsequent change in the basis of congressional
representation made necessary the building of an additional story in
1913-14. The total cost of the building, including site, furnishings,
equipment, and the subway connecting it with the U.S. Capitol, amounted
to $4,860,155. This office building contains about 500 rooms, and was
considered at the time of its completion fully equipped for all the
needs of a modern building for office purposes. A garage was added in
the building's courtyard in the 1960s.
Pursuant to authority in the Second Supplemental Appropriations
Act, 1955, and subsequent action of the House Office Building
Commission, remodeling of the Cannon Building began in 1966. The
estimated cost of this work was $5,200,000. Pursuant to the provisions
of Public Law 87-453, approved May 21, 1962, the building was named in
honor of Joseph G. Cannon of Illinois, who was Speaker at the time the
building was constructed.
Longworth House Office Building
Under legislation contained in the Authorization Act of January 10,
1929, and in the urgent deficiency bill of March 4, 1929, provisions
were made for an additional House office building, to be located on the
west side of New Jersey Avenue (opposite the first House office
building). The building was designed by the Allied Architects of
Washington in the Neoclassical Revival style.
The cornerstone was laid June 24, 1932, and the building was
completed on April 20, 1933. It contains 251 two-room suites and 16
committee rooms. Each suite and committee room is provided with a
storeroom. Eight floors are occupied by members. The basement and
subbasement contain shops and mechanical areas needed for the
maintenance of the building. A cafeteria was added in the building's
courtyard in the 1960s. The cost of this building, including site,
furnishings, and equipment, was $7,805,705. Pursuant to the provisions
of Public Law 87-453, approved May 21, 1962, the building was named in
honor of Nicholas Longworth of Ohio, who was Speaker when the second
House office building was constructed.
Rayburn House Office Building and Other Related Changes and
Improvements
Under legislation contained in the Second Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 1955, provision was made for construction of a
fireproof office building for the House of Representatives.
All work was carried forward by the Architect of the Capitol under
the direction of the House Office Building Commission at a cost totaling
$135,279,000.
The Rayburn Building is connected to the Capitol by a subway.
Designs for the building were prepared by the firm of Harbeson, Hough,
Livingston & Larson of Philadelphia, Associate Architects. The building
contains 169 congressional suites; full-committee hearing rooms for 9
standing committees, 16 subcommittee hearing rooms, committee staff
rooms, and other committee facilities; a large cafeteria and other
restaurant facilities; an underground garage; and a variety of liaison
offices, press and television facilities, maintenance and equipment
shops or rooms, and storage areas. This building has nine stories and a
penthouse for machinery.
The cornerstone was laid May 24, 1962, by John W. McCormack,
Speaker of the House of Representatives. President John F. Kennedy
participated in the cornerstone laying and delivered the address.
A portion of the basement floor was occupied beginning March 12,
1964, by House of Representatives personnel moved from the George
Washington Inn property. Full occupancy of the Rayburn Building, under
the room-filing regulations, was begun February 23, 1965, and completed
April 2, 1965. Pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 87-453, approved
May 21, 1962, the building was named in honor of Sam Rayburn of Texas.
House Office Building Annex No. 2, named the ``Gerald R. Ford House
of Representatives Office Building,'' was acquired in 1975 from the
General Services Administration. The structure, located at Second and D
Streets, SW., was built in 1939 for the Federal Bureau of Investigation
as a fingerprint file archives. This building has approximately 432,000
square feet of space.
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SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS
Richard Brevard Russell Senate Office Building
In 1891, the Senate provided itself with office space by the
purchase of the Maltby Building, then located on the northwest corner of
B Street (now Constitution Avenue) and New Jersey Avenue, NW. When it
was condemned as an unsafe structure, Senators needed safer and more
commodious office space. Under authorization of the Act of April 28,
1904, square 686 on the northeast corner of Delaware Avenue and B
Street, NE., was purchased as a site for the Senate Office Building. The
plans for the House Office Building were adapted for the Senate Office
Building by the firm of Carrere & Hastings, with the exception that the
side of the building fronting on First Street, NE., was temporarily
omitted. The cornerstone was laid without special exercises on July 31,
1906, and the building was occupied March 5, 1909. In 1931, the
completion of the fourth side of the building was commenced. In 1933, it
was completed, together with alterations to the C Street facade and the
construction of terraces, balustrades, and approaches. The cost of the
completed building, including the site, furnishings, equipment, and the
subway connecting it with the United States Capitol, was $8,390,892.
The building was named the ``Richard Brevard Russell Senate Office
Building'' by Senate Resolution 296, 92nd Congress, agreed to October
11, 1972, as amended by Senate Resolution 295, 96th Congress, agreed to
December 3, 1979.
Everett McKinley Dirksen Senate Office Building
Under legislation contained in the Second Deficiency Appropriations
Act, 1948, Public Law 80-785, provision was made for an additional
office building for the United States Senate with limits of cost of
$1,100,000 for acquisition of the site and $20,600,000 for constructing
and equipping the building.
The construction cost limit was subsequently increased to
$24,196,000. All work was carried forward by the Architect of the
Capitol under the direction of the Senate Office Building Commission.
The New York firm of Eggers & Higgins served as the consulting
architect.
The site was acquired and cleared in 1948-49 at a total cost of
$1,011,492.
A contract for excavation, concrete footings, and mats for the new
building was awarded in January 1955, in the amount of $747,200.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held January 26, 1955.
A contract for the superstructure of the new building was awarded
September 9, 1955, in the amount of $17,200,000. The cornerstone was
laid July 13, 1956.
As a part of this project, a new underground subway system was
installed from the Capitol to both the Old and New Senate Office
Buildings.
An appropriation of $1,000,000 for furniture and furnishings for
the new building was provided in 1958. The building was accepted for
beneficial occupancy on October 15, 1958.
The building was named the ``Everett McKinley Dirksen Senate Office
Building'' by Senate Resolution 296, 92nd Congress, agreed to October
11, 1972, and Senate Resolution 295, 96th Congress, agreed to December
3, 1979.
Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building
Construction as an extension to the Dirksen Senate Office Building
was authorized on October 31, 1972; legislation enacted in subsequent
years increased the scope of the project and established a total cost
ceiling of $137,700,400. The firm of John Carl Warnecke & Associates
served as Associate Architect for the project.
Senate Resolution 525, passed August 30, 1976, amended by Senate
Resolution 295, 96th Congress, agreed to December 3, 1979, provided that
upon completion of the extension it would be named the ``Philip A. Hart
Senate Office Building'' to honor the Senator from Michigan.
The contract for clearing of the site, piping for utilities,
excavation, and construction of foundation was awarded in December 1975.
Groundbreaking took place January 5, 1976. The contract for furnishing
and delivery of the exterior stone was awarded in February 1977, and the
contract for the superstructure, which included wall and roof systems
and the erection of all exterior stonework, was awarded in October 1977.
The contract for the first portion of the interior and related work was
awarded in December 1978. A contract for interior finishing was awarded
in July 1980. The first suite was occupied on November
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22, 1982. Alexander Calder's mobile / stabile Mountains and Clouds was
installed in the building's atrium in November 1986.
CAPITOL POWER PLANT
During the development of the plans for the Cannon and Russell
Buildings, the question of heat, light, and power was considered. The
Senate and House wings of the Capitol were heated by separate heating
plants. The Library of Congress also had a heating plant for that
building. It was determined that needs for heating and lighting and
electrical power could be met by a central power plant.
A site was selected in Garfield Park. Since this park was a
Government reservation, an appropriation was not required to secure
title. The determining factors leading to the selection of this site
were its proximity to the tracks of what is now the Penn Central
Railroad and to the buildings to be served.
The dimensions of the Capitol Power Plant, which was authorized on
April 28, 1904, and completed in 1910, were 244 feet 8 inches by 117
feet.
The buildings originally served by the Capitol Power Plant were
connected to it by a reinforced-concrete steam tunnel.
In September 1951, when the demand for electrical energy was
reaching the maximum capacity of the Capitol Power Plant, arrangements
were made to purchase electrical service from the local public utility
company and to discontinue electrical generation. The heating and
cooling functions of the Capitol Power Plant were expanded in 1935,
1939, 1958, 1973, and 1980. A new refrigeration plant modernization and
expansion project was completed in 2007.
U.S. CAPITOL GROUNDS
A Description of the Grounds
Originally a wooded wilderness, the U.S. Capitol Grounds today
provide a park-like setting for the Nation's Capitol, offering a
picturesque counterpoint to the building's formal architecture. The
grounds immediately surrounding the Capitol are bordered by a stone wall
and cover an area of 58.8 acres. Their boundaries are Independence
Avenue on the south, Constitution Avenue on the north, First Street, NE.
/ SE., on the east, and First Street, NW. / SW., on the west. Over 100
varieties of trees and bushes are planted around the Capitol, and
thousands of flowers are used in seasonal displays. In contrast to the
building's straight, neoclassical lines, most of the walkways in the
grounds are curved. Benches along the paths offer pleasant spots for
visitors to appreciate the building, its landscape, and the surrounding
areas, most notably the Mall to the west.
The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), who
planned the landscaping of the area that was performed from 1874 to
1892. Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park, is considered
the greatest American landscape architect of his day. He was a pioneer
in the development of public parks in America, and many of his designs
were influenced by his studies of European parks, gardens, and estates.
In describing his plan for the Capitol Grounds, Olmsted noted that,
``The ground is in design part of the Capitol, but in all respects
subsidiary to the central structure.'' Therefore, he was careful not to
group trees or other landscape features in any way that would distract
the viewer from the Capitol. The use of sculpture and other
ornamentation has also been kept to a minimum.
Many of the trees on the Capitol Grounds have historic or memorial
associations. Over 30 states have made symbolic gifts of their state
trees to the Capitol Grounds. Many of the trees on the grounds bear
plaques that identify their species and their historic significance.
At the East Capitol Street entrance to the Capitol plaza are two
large rectangular stone fountains. Six massive red granite lamp piers
topped with light fixtures in wrought-iron cages, and 16 smaller bronze
light fixtures, line the paved plaza. Three sets of benches are enclosed
with wrought-iron railings and grilles; the roofed bench was originally
a shelter for streetcar passengers.
The northern part of the grounds offers a shaded walk among trees,
flowers, and shrubbery. A small, hexagonal brick structure, named the
Summer House, may be found in the northwest corner of the grounds. This
structure contains shaded benches, a central ornamental fountain, and
three public drinking fountains. In a small grotto on the eastern side
of the Summer House, a stream of water flows and splashes over rocks to
create a pleasing sound and cool the summer breezes.
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A Brief History of the Grounds Before Olmsted
The land on which the Capitol stands was first occupied by the
Manahoacs and the Monacans, who were subtribes of the Algonquin Indians.
Early settlers reported that these tribes occasionally held councils not
far from the foot of the hill. This land eventually became a part of
Cerne Abbey Manor, and at the time of its acquisition by the Federal
Government it was owned by Daniel Carroll of Duddington.
The ``Residence Act'' of 1790 provided that the Federal Government
should be established in a permanent location by the year 1800. In early
March 1791, the commissioners of the city of Washington, who had been
appointed by President George Washington, selected the French engineer
Pierre Charles L'Enfant to plan the new federal city. L'Enfant decided
to locate the Capitol at the elevated east end of the Mall (on what was
then called Jenkins' Hill); he described the site as ``a pedestal
waiting for a monument.''
At this time, the site of the Capitol was a relative wilderness
partly overgrown with scrub oak. Oliver Wolcott, a signer of the
Declaration of Independence, described the soil as an `` exceedingly
stiff clay, becoming dust in dry and mortar in rainy weather.''
In 1825, a plan was devised for imposing order on the Capitol
Grounds, and it was carried out for almost 15 years. The plan divided
the area into flat, rectangular grassy areas bordered by trees, flower
beds, and gravel walks. The growth of the trees, however, soon deprived
the other plantings of nourishment, and the design became increasingly
difficult to maintain in light of sporadic and small appropriations.
John Foy, who had charge of the grounds during most of this period, was
``superseded for political reasons,'' and the area was then maintained
with little care or forethought. Many rapidly growing but short-lived
trees were introduced and soon depleted the soil; a lack of proper
pruning and thinning left the majority of the area's vegetation ill-
grown, feeble, or dead. Virtually all was removed by the early 1870s,
either to make way for building operations during Thomas U. Walter's
enlargement of the Capitol or as required by changes in grading to
accommodate the new work on the building or the alterations to
surrounding streets.
The Olmsted Plan
The mid-19th-century extension of the Capitol, in which the House
and Senate wings and the new dome were added, also required that the
Capitol Grounds be enlarged, and in 1874 Frederick Law Olmsted was
commissioned to plan and oversee the project. As noted above, Olmsted
was determined that the grounds should complement the building. In
addition, he addressed an architectural problem that had persisted for
some years: from the west (the growth of the city had nothing to do with
the terraces)--the earthen terraces at the building's base made it seem
inadequately supported at the top of the hill. The solution, Olmsted
believed, was to construct marble terraces on the north, west, and south
sides of the building, thereby causing it to ``gain greatly in the
supreme qualities of stability, endurance, and repose.'' He submitted
his design for these features in 1875, and after extensive study, it was
approved.
Work on the grounds began in 1874, concentrating first on the east
side and then progressing to the west, north, and south sides. First,
the ground was reduced in elevation. Almost 300,000 cubic yards of earth
and other material were eventually removed, and over 200 trees were
removed. New sewer, gas, and water lines were installed. The soil was
then enriched with fertilizers to provide a suitable growth medium for
new plantings. Paths and roadways were graded and laid.
By 1876, gas and water service was completed for the entire
grounds, and electrical lamp-lighting apparatuses had been installed.
Stables and workshops had been removed from the northwest and southwest
corners. A streetcar system north and south of the west grounds had been
relocated farther from the Capitol, and ornamental shelters were in
place at the north and south car-track termini. The granite and bronze
lamp piers and ornamental bronze lamps for the east plaza area were
completed.
Work accelerated in 1877. By this time, according to Olmsted's
report, ``altogether 7,837 plants and trees [had] been set out.''
However, not all had survived: hundreds were stolen or destroyed by
vandals, and, as Olmsted explained, ``a large number of cattle [had]
been caught trespassing.'' Other work met with less difficulty. Foot-
walks were laid with artificial stone, a mixture of cement and sand, and
approaches were paved with concrete. An ornamental iron trellis had been
installed on the northern east-side walk, and another was under way on
the southern walk.
The 1878 appointment of watchmen to patrol the grounds was quite
effective in preventing further vandalism, allowing the lawns to be
completed and much shrubbery to be added. Also in that year, the roads
throughout the grounds were paved.
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Most of the work required on the east side of the grounds was
completed by 1879, and effort thus shifted largely to the west side. The
Pennsylvania Avenue approach was virtually finished, and work on the
Maryland Avenue approach had begun. The stone walls on the west side of
the grounds were almost finished, and the red granite lamp piers were
placed at the eastward entrance from Pennsylvania Avenue.
In the years 1880-1882, many features of the grounds were
completed. These included the walls and coping around the entire
perimeter, the approaches and entrances, and the Summer House. Work on
the terraces began in 1882, and most work from this point until 1892 was
concentrated on these structures.
In 1885, Olmsted retired from superintendency of the terrace
project; he continued to direct the work on the grounds until 1889.
Landscaping work was performed to adapt the surrounding areas to the new
construction, grading the ground and planting shrubs at the bases of the
walls, as the progress of the masonry work allowed. Some trees and other
types of vegetation were removed, either because they had decayed or as
part of a careful thinning-out process.
In 1888, the wrought-iron lamp frames and railings were placed at
the Maryland Avenue entrance, making it the last to be completed. In
1892, the streetcar track that had extended into grounds from
Independence Avenue was removed.
The Grounds After Olmsted
In the last years of the 19th century, work on the grounds
consisted chiefly of maintenance and repairs as needed. Trees, lawns,
and plantings were tended, pruned, and thinned to allow their best
growth. This work was quite successful: by 1894, the grounds were so
deeply shaded by trees and shrubs that Architect of the Capitol Edward
Clark recommended an all-night patrol by watchmen to ensure public
safety. A hurricane in September 1896 damaged or destroyed a number of
trees, requiring extensive removals in the following year. Also in 1897,
electric lighting replaced gas lighting in the grounds.
Between 1910 and 1935, 61.4 acres north of Constitution Avenue were
added to the grounds. Approximately 100 acres was added in subsequent
years, bringing the total area to 274 acres. Late in 2011, care for the
Grant Memorial and the reflecting pool at the eastern end of the
National Mall was transferred from the National Park Service to the
Architect of the Capitol.
Since 1983, increased security measures have been put into effect;
however, the area still functions in many ways as a public park, and
visitors are welcome to use the walks to tour the grounds.
Demonstrations and ceremonies are often held on the grounds. In the
summer, a series of evening concerts by the bands of the Armed Forces is
offered free of charge on the west front plaza. On various holidays,
concerts by the National Symphony Orchestra are held on the west front
lawn.