![]() ![]() Heath turned a spadeful of earth to mark the occasion. The ground-breaking on Saturday, September 5, 1931, took place on the block embraced by Pennsylvania Avenue to the north and B Street (which would later become Constitution Avenue) to the south, with 9th and 7th street on either side.Īt the ceremony, which was open to members of all government departments as well as the general public, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Ferry K. While plans for the building were not finalized, they were far enough along to start excavation. Pope continued to fine-tune his drawings and specifications for the next year. He proposed a monumental structure with highly decorative architectural features, giant Corinthian columns, 40-foot bronze doors, and inscriptions representing the building's historical importance. Pope's design included both the practical and symbolic aspects of housing the nation's records. ![]() In 1931 the building that housed the Center Market, which had been erected in 1871 and held approximately 700 vendors, was demolished.Ĭonstruction of the foundation for the National Archives Building, September 1, 1932.ĭuring the summer of 1931, the Commission on Fine Arts and the Public Building Commission approved Pope's plans. Since 1801 farmers markets had occupied the grounds where the new Archives was to be built. The Justice Department building was then moved to its current location between 9th and 10th Streets, NW. This was symbolic in that the building would be halfway between the White House and Capitol, and the new Archives would hold records from those institutions. ![]() Pope suggested moving the building to the land the Justice Department was slated to occupy-the block bounded by 7th and 9th Streets and B Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW-the current site of the National Archives Building. In 1930 Mellon selected New York Architect John Russell Pope to design the National Archives Building. Several plans from that era show the Archives on this site. By 1927, the Archives site had moved to 9th and 10th Streets and B Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The 1926 Public Building Commission plan placed the Archives between 12th and 13th Streets and B Street (now Constitution Avenue) and C Street NW. The National Archives site also moved twice before the final location was chosen. Washington 1928, Plan of the Mall, Records of the National Capital Planning Commission. This program led to the design and construction of buildings within the Federal Triangle area of downtown Washington, DC, a then run-down area along Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. On May 25, 1926, Congress passed the Public Buildings Act authorizing a massive public buildings construction project, part of which was to provide office space for the growing federal agencies in the nation's capital. Short History of the National Archives Building Planning Stages Beyond the Rotunda: Public Spaces in the National Archives Building.Creating the Public Vaults of the National Archives.National Archives Building: A Temple to our History.A Top-to-Bottom Renovation for the National Archives Building.A Temple to Clio: The National Archives Building.The Act that gave us the National Archives.From 1600 to 700 Pennsylvania Avenue: Presidential Visits to the National Archives.The National Archives’ larger-than-life statues.The Rubenstein Gallery: Five Years of Celebrating Citizens’ Rights.Symbols of Significance: The Pediments of the National Archives Building.Learn more about the National Archives Building: Blogs & Articles But the history of the National Archives Building itself is just as representative of democracy as the Charters of Freedom it holds. The National Archives is known for the history it holds, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. A History of the National Archives Building, Washington, DC ![]()
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