The Six Buildings (1795 - 1985)
The Six Buildings, long lost to time, are a capstone in the beginning of the nation, as they once housed the Department of State.
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The Six Buildings, located from 1205 to 2117 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, were an image of the early days of the Republic. Failed to be completed by James Greenleaf, the Six Buildings would be passed into the hands of Mr. Isaac Polock, who completed them and solidified their place in United States history as the home of many key historical figures and the Department of State. While they would be torn down in 1985, the legacy of the Six Buildings is long-standing.
After their completion, the Six Buildings, which consisted of a row of three-story brick houses, would be home to the Navy Department and the Department of State from around 1795 to 1800. During this time, both John Marshall and then his successor James Madison would serve as the Secretary of State in the Six Buildings until the Department of State would move in 1801 to a public building closer to the White House. General Sam Houston, twice-elected president of the Republic of Texas after the battle of San Jacinto, would also reside at the Six Buildings. Houston would later serve as governor of and senator from the State of Texas. Other key figures who would find residence at the Six Buildings are General James Wilkinson, General and Chief of the Army in 1796, and John Francis Mercer, the first president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Co.
The Six Buildings were demolished in 1985. Today, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation is located on this block.
DC Inventory: November 8, 1964 (Joint Committee on Landmarks) (Omitted from list: July 24, 1968)
