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Columns in a room.
History & Discoveries

Article

Bold Legacies Endure

By Franklin Bradley
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In March, we celebrate Women's History Month as bursts of bright color spring from blossoms across the campus. Just as these first flowers must be the most hardy to survive the blustery transition from winter into spring, the women represented around the U.S. Capitol are no shrinking violets. Don't
A current view of the U.S. Capitol, Room HB-29, which once served as a bakery during the Civil War.
History & Discoveries

Article

Then & Now: Capitol Building Superintendent's Office

By Erin Nelson
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Since its founding in 1793, the United States Capitol Building has been an enduring symbol of freedom and the democratic process that happens within its walls. Photos of the building are in no short supply, especially in Washington, D.C., where the 288-foot tall building looms in the skyline. Photos
View of the U.S. Capitol from the southwest in March of 2017.
History & Discoveries

Article

Congress' Role in Time

By Matt Ericson
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On March 10, 2018, the Capitol Visitor Center hosted a teacher workshop to think about these issues and learn about Congress' role in time. The "Congress and Time" workshop included a tour of Capitol clocks with House Curator Farar Elliott and a session building a sundial with Lee Coykendall
Intern Mary Delaney learns about an air handling unit from AOC Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic Worker Valarie Buggie to better understand the parts and services required by heating and cooling systems.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Looking Ahead for Talent — Finding the Next Win

By AOC Staff
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"This program far exceeded what I expected," said Supply Management Officer Paul Venturella. He was speaking of the pilot program to have college students earn class credit while applying their specialized knowledge and skills to advance the work of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). The first
A small bust of George Washington carved into the Car of History marble chariot.
From the Architect

Article

Architect's Notebook: A Washington Connection

By Stephen T. Ayers
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Even after working with this agency for more than 20 years, I continue to discover little surprises in the buildings, grounds and art cared for by our employees. I was recently walking in National Statuary Hall's upper gallery and stopped at the " Car of History" clock by Carlo Franzoni where I saw
Close-up photo of lion detail at the Supreme Court Building.
History & Discoveries

Article

Symbolism Roars to Life on Capitol Hill

By Marty Shore
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It is said, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." Many people reference this saying when discussing the weather. And historically, some of our biggest snow accumulations and stormiest weather have pounced the Capitol campus in early March only to be nuzzled out by warm sunshine and
The Snow Rodeo training exercise on a new piece of snow removal equipment, the Ditch Witch SK600 mini skid steer
Behind the Scenes

Article

Cool Tools: The Ditch Witch

By Erin Courtney
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Well before winter, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) prepares snow equipment, procures rock salt and ice melt supplies, and reviews the emergency and essential personnel snow response plans. And with good reason. Clearing snow around the Capitol complex in January 2018. The AOC is responsible for
Flag flying at half staff.
Programs & Events

Article

Supporting the Final Goodbyes of a Grateful Nation

By AOC Staff
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Lying in Honor calls for coordination across the campus, and the solemnity of the event requires a commitment to excellence to ensure no detail is overlooked.
Orchid Show at the U.S. Botanic Garden.
Programs & Events

Article

Exploring Orchid Diversity

By Devin Dotson
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Found on every continent except Antarctica, orchids showcase a wide spectrum of diversity in color, shape, size, habitat, scent and many other aspects. Beginning this Friday, immerse yourself in the United States Botanic Garden's (USBG) annual orchid show, "Orchid Spectrum," presented in
Visitor Guides Andrew Tremel, Carrie Gallagher and Brandon Hintze who made the Student Program so successful.
Programs & Events

Article

Visitor Guides Help Students Experience the Legislative Process

By Laura Trivers
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"Ladies and gentlemen," the committee chair said, calling to order the newly sworn in senators. "We have important business to consider today. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed needs our help to lessen nitrogen run-off – and its environmental impacts." The chair of the Environment and Public Works
Condition of the stone on the Russell Building pre-restoration.
Projects

Article

Leave No Stone Unrestored

By Justin Kieffer
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All around the U.S. Capitol campus, there is something that you cannot avoid seeing as you look at the historic buildings: stone.
2017 Highlights
Behind the Scenes

Article

Ten Memorable Moments of 2017

By Sarah Davis
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This has been a year of many great moments at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) and on Capitol Hill. Before we dive into 2018, here's a look back at some of this year's highlights. Inauguration The presidential inaugural platform on the U.S. Capitol's West Front had its chance to shine on January
Group photo of members of the AOC Capitol Grounds team with the Safety Sign.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Solving Problems One Challenge at a Time

By Erin Courtney
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One of the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) strategic goals is to foster an innovative and empowered workforce. Achieving this goal will ensure that AOC staff will exercise greater responsibility for performance, proactively apply well-informed judgement and innovation, to solve problems with
The lunette "Telegraph" by Brumidi in the now Lyndon B. Johnson Room, S-211.
History & Discoveries

Article

Plenty to Be Thankful For

By Sarah Davis
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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.
2017 War Gardens
Programs & Events

Article

Sowing the Seeds of Victory

By Erin Courtney
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To mark the centennial of the U.S. entering World War I, AOC's Library Buildings and Grounds staff recreated period-appropriate "War Gardens."
Searching for "The One"
Programs & Events

Article

Finding "The One"

By Ted Bechtol
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Sometimes you know right away, when you catch a glimpse through the crowd, then time slows down and your heart skips a beat. Sometimes you recognize the potential, but want to keep your options open in case something better comes along. Sometimes people may think you're being too picky, but you just
Groundbreaking at the Hart Senate Office Building.
History & Discoveries

Article

Growth in Major Facilities Under AOC's Care

By Andrew Dentamaro
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The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) legacy is rooted in the very beginnings of Washington, D.C., with the laying of the U.S. Capitol cornerstone in 1793. As the country grew, so did the Capitol campus and, with it, the AOC's responsibilities. Click the image above to enlarge. Over the course of our
Robert Gannon smoothes out imperfections in a plaster cast.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Behind the Scenes: Senate Office Buildings Masonry Branch

By Elizabeth Yoder
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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.
Capitol Dome out of focus, branch in foreground.
History & Discoveries

Article

Who or What Goes There?

By Erin Courtney
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On Friday, October 13, I took a stairwell down two levels below the U.S. Capitol basement, entered a locked storage area, climbed a ladder into the air shaft below the House Extension and carefully shimmied through the dark and dusty bowels of the building. Rounding a corner, Architect of the
A view of the renovated Bartholdi Park.
History & Discoveries

Article

Renovated Bartholdi Park is a SITE(S) to Behold

By Devin Dotson
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Bartholdi Park is a wonderful spot for eating lunch, finding a new favorite plant, enjoying a quiet moment and taking a break from a busy day. Originally created in 1932, the U.S. Botanic Garden's (USBG) Bartholdi Park had served as a changing home demonstration garden for more than 80 years, and
Federal Office Building No. 8, now known as the O’Neill House Office Building, under original construction. Photo courtesy of the FDA.
History & Discoveries

Article

Then & Now: O'Neill House Office Building

By Erin Nelson
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The O'Neill House Office Building was constructed in the early 1960s. Originally known as Federal Office Building No. 8, 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. Federal Office Building No. 8 was the Food
Capitol Visitor Center architecture that borrows from historic Capitol Building architecture.
From the Architect

Article

Architect's Notebook: Signs of Respect

By Stephen T. Ayers
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Many of our monumental buildings on Capitol Hill were designed and constructed using classical orders of architecture. When designing and constructing the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), we were challenged to design and construct a building using modern materials and technology that is a
Bill Burns, an Architect of the Capitol Woodcrafter Supervisor in the Planning and Project Management's Construction Division.
Doing Good

Article

A Series of Compassionate Events

By Justin Kieffer
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One person's small act of compassion can start a chain reaction of kindness. Such is the story of a 16-year-old girl named Brittney James, who saw a commercial on TV and decided to sponsor a three-year-old Kenyan named Newton. Brittney hoped to one day meet Newton, but three years later she was
Three corpse flower blooms at the U.S. Botanic Garden.
Public Notice

Article

Three Corpse Flowers to Bloom at U.S. Botanic Garden

By USBG Staff
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For the first time in the history of the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG), three corpse flowers ( Amorphophallus titanum) are about to bloom at the USBG Conservatory. The plants went on display Tuesday, August 8. One of the plants is the first corpse flower to bloom that the USBG has grown from seed. The
The deburring tool used to remove sharp edges from sheet metal.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Two Thumbs Up for Taking the Edge Off

By Franklin Bradley
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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.
The bronze Amateis Doors are on display in the House Wing of the U.S. Capitol, across from the Bulfinch stairway near the Memorial Door entrance.
History & Discoveries

Article

The Doors to Nowhere

By Erin Nelson
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In 1901, Congress passed legislation to appropriate funds for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to submit plans for reconstructing the center of the U.S. Capitol, a project that included refacing the West Front in marble. As plans were being developed, Superintendent of the U.S. Capitol and Grounds
Group photo of the Architect of the Capitol high-voltage electricians on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
Behind the Scenes

Article

High-Voltage Team Powers the Powerful

By Franklin Bradley
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Learn how the AOC's High-Voltage team keeps the campus running.
A skylight allows natural light to fill the hallway once occupied by a courtyard at the U.S. Capitol.
History & Discoveries

Article

Then & Now: U.S. Capitol Courtyards

By Erin Nelson
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There is always a story waiting to be uncovered in the U.S. Capitol — not of politics or policy, but of the building itself. A building of such prominence and formal tradition would seem unlikely to have undergone so many changes over the decades, but our iconic U.S. Capitol continues to change to
The gilded Torch of Knowledge above the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building.
From the Architect

Article

Architect's Notebook: What We Hold Precious

By Stephen T. Ayers
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Walking through the Capitol campus, I frequently come across ornamentation in our buildings made from various metals. I was recently taking in the splendor of the gilded Torch of Knowledge above the Thomas Jefferson Building when my mind began wandering through the many additional decorative
A view of the Capitol after the British burning on the 24th August 1814.
History & Discoveries

Article

Fires, Flight, Flag: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner

By Franklin Bradley
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When British troops burned the U.S. Capitol and White House during the War of 1812, three lesser-known elements of American history came together.