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History & Discoveries
Before we dive into 2018, here's a look back at some of this year's highlights.
One of the Architect of the Capitol's strategic goals is to foster an innovative and empowered workforce. Here are a few examples of what that looks like in day-to-day operations at the AOC from a team in the House Office Buildings and from the Capitol Grounds crew.
The cornucopia, a traditional symbol of the Thanksgiving holiday, appears in a variety of places in the U.S. Capitol including the Rotunda and Brumidi Corridors.
To mark the centennial of the U.S. entering World War I, Library Buildings and Grounds staff recreated period-appropriate "War Gardens."
Finding "the one" is pretty similar whether you're searching for true love or the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. Follow along as AOC's Superintendent of the Capitol Grounds travels during the summer to Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana and selects the 2017 tree.
As the country grows, so does the Capitol campus and, with it, the AOC's responsibilities.
Some AOC employees are highly visible, while others work behind the scenes to preserve the awe-inspiring facilities on Capitol Hill. Learn more about the work of this team, beginning at 4 a.m. each morning.
On Friday, October 13, Architect of the Capitol employees set out to look into a new Capitol Building mystery involving delicate pink fabric with hand-stitching. Construction sites often yield historic artifacts, including bottles, newspapers and tools, but this find is new for the agency.
An in-depth summary of a recent renovation at the U.S. Botanic Garden's Bartholdi Park to increase accessibility and incorporate areas of sustainable landscaping including hydrology, vegetation, soil, materials and human health. The park is poised to welcome visitors from around the globe.
A brief history of the O'Neill House Office Building. Originally known as Federal Office Building No. 8, and once home of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. House of Representatives voted to name the building after the late former Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill in 2012.
The Architect of the Capitol believes that when making additions to historic buildings, especially on the U.S. Capitol campus, we are not to copy or try to match the historic building, but rather we are to differentiate the new features so we don't create a false sense of history.
One person's small act of compassion can start a chain reaction of kindness. This doing good story is of an AOC woodcrafter supervisor who volunteers with an organization focused on providing physical, mental and emotional aid through its orphanage, school, health clinic in Kenya.
A small and seemingly simple tool used by the Architect of the Capitol sheet metal mechanics reduces injuries by saving hands, which is why we give it two thumbs up as a cool tool. This deburring tool removes sharp edges from metal which must be custom fit to unique spaces.
Few doors are created to lead to nowhere, but that is exactly where the U.S. Capitol's famed Amateis Doors have always led. As plans were being developed in 1901 to reface the West Front, designs began for a set of bronze doors that would be comparable to those at the entrances of the East Front.
Learn how the AOC's High-Voltage team keeps the campus running.