Completed in 1952, the U.S. Courthouse for the District of Columbia was one of the last buildings constructed in the Judiciary Square and Municipal Center complex, which has been an important site for civic activity since the 1820s. Designed by…

Built between 1836 and 1869, the Treasury Department building is the work of five major American architects—Robert Mills, Thomas U. Walter, Ammi B. Young, Isaiah Rogers, and Alfred B. Mullett. Conceived and built in the Greek Revival style that…

Having made his fortune in dentistry and San Francisco real estate, Dr. Henry D. Cogswell (1820-1900) used his fortunes to advance the temperance cause, or the movement to curb alcohol consumption throughout the United States. Cogswell in particular…

This equestrian monument to Brigadier General Count Casimir Pulaski was erected by Congress to honor the famed Polish Marshal General who came to fight and gave his life for American Independence. Having military experience in Europe, Pulaski became…

Located directly across the street from Ford's Theatre, the Petersen House was built in 1849. On April 14, 1875, doctors and soldiers rushed to find a comfortable place to tend to the dying President Lincoln after he had been shot and found the…

Contained within the irregular bounds of the Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site is a rich selection of building types and styles, statues, memorials, and parks. Additionally, the area features many prominent elements that date from Pierre…

While it’s currently the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Old Patent Office reflects an era when scientific invention propelled the American economy and began to mold the national character. Although more than a…

Designed by the federal Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury -- led at the time by Willoughby J. Edbrooke -- the Old Post Office is one of Washington’s significant Romanesque Revival buildings on a monumental scale. It was the first…

The first building constructed by the federal government for Washington, DC, the Old City Hall began construction in 1820, after designs by architect George Hadfield. Construction proceeded fitfully due to the chronic underfunding of the local…

First conceived by Union Admiral David D. Porter in 1865, the 44-foot-high, ornately detailed Peace Monument stands as a memorial to the naval deaths at sea during the Civil War. It was completed in 1878 and stands in the circle to the west of the…