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Behind the Scenes

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National Garden Highlights Regional Plants and Sustainable Practices

By Matt Guilfoyle
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As Congress meets in the halls of the U.S. Capitol, a small group of AOC employees toil in the heat a few hundred yards away to help a living national treasure thrive in an urban center. This is the National Garden at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Conceived as an outdoor laboratory for gardening in
Programs & Events

Article

Meet the Carillonneur of the Capitol

By Erin Nelson
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Capitol Hill, with its rich history and iconic buildings, allows for an eclectic mix of professions. Jim Saenger, the Capitol's Carillonneur, has perhaps one of the most unique and least visible jobs on the Hill. His contractual agreement with the Architect of the Capitol, directed by the 1963
Doing Good

Article

AOC Employee Gives Back to the Community

By Erin Nelson
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Buddy Paddy spends his days caring for the trees on Capitol Hill as a Tree Surgeon with the AOC Capitol Grounds. His job involves examining approximately 4,500 trees throughout the year to ensure that they are healthy and continue growing to maturity. His evenings are spent in much the same way, as
Behind the Scenes

Article

Saving Energy, Preserving History

By AOC Staff
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Here at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), our challenge is unique – we must maintain aging, iconic buildings while adapting to state-of-the-art technology and increasing responsiveness to environmental, security and safety considerations in a rich historical setting. A building’s lifetime
Face of a statue.
History & Discoveries

Article

Inspiration from History

By Sharon Gang
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When I point out the Car of History clock in National Statuary Hall to friends and family I inevitably get the same question: "Where's the car?" This marble sculpture, created in 1819, is among the oldest works of art in the Capitol. It depicts Clio, the muse of History, holding a book in which she
History & Discoveries

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Monuments Man Creates Monumental Statue

By Franklin Bradley
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Not every fine art sculptor inspires a character in a WWII action blockbuster starring George Clooney, but not every sculptor is Walker K. Hancock, one of the Monuments Men, whose work resides in the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States, and who is a true
History & Discoveries

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Grazing the Capitol Grounds

By Curator Division
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The U.S. Capitol Grounds have long been a haven for wildlife, with residents ranging from squirrels to red-tailed hawks to a red fox. But sheep? If it had been left up to one Virginia farmer more than 90 years ago, flocks of sheep might be spotted grazing on the grounds today.
History & Discoveries

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Celebrating 150 Years of Freedom

By Lori Taylor
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When tracing back through history, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact day when the construction of the U.S. Capitol Building was completed. The Capitol, like the nation it represents, has continued to grow and change over the years, all the way up until the most recent addition of the Capitol Visitor
History & Discoveries

Article

B.B. French – Blogger Extraordinaire

By Matt Guilfoyle
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Long before the advent of social media and blogs – there were journals. 150 years ago this month saw one of the most transformative periods in the construction of the U.S. Capitol. One individual captured these events both as a witness, and as participant, capturing first-hand details of moments
History & Discoveries

Article

Nature at the Capitol - The Statue of Freedom

By Curator Division
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The architecture of ancient Greece and Rome that inspired the United States Capitol’s early architects and builders is noted for the sense of solidity and permanence conveyed through its symmetrical, balanced arrangement of carefully proportioned columns, cornices, vaults, pediments and other
History & Discoveries

Article

From the Archives: Bike Racks on Capitol Hill

By Curator Division
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Architect of the Capitol archives reveal historical documents showing the purchase of the first bike racks on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Back in 1896, the Lawn Cycle Stand Manufacturing Co. was hired by the AOC to provide bike stands for the United States Capitol Building. Parking in
History & Discoveries

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Keeping History in Perspective

By Stephen T. Ayers
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In 2013 as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the placement of the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol's current cast iron dome, I think it's also important to remember the Capitol's humble roots in the early years of the nation's budding democracy. The man behind the Capitol's original wood and
Behind the Scenes

Article

Rising High – AOC's Elevator Mechanics

By Lori Taylor
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The Library Buildings and Grounds Elevator Division of the Architect of the Capitol runs some of the oldest elevator systems on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Adapting to new technologies, while still maintaining antique systems, is one of the AOC elevator mechanics' unique skills.
History & Discoveries

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Five Items Not to Miss at the U.S. Capitol

By CVC Staff
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Most visitors are drawn to admire the obvious "big ticket" items at the U.S. Capitol Building – the Rotunda paintings, the acoustics in National Statuary Hall, the Statue of Freedom. Here are a few U.S. Capitol details you might NOT have noticed.
History & Discoveries

Article

Constructing the Capitol: The Oven

By Matt Guilfoyle
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Too hot or too cold – there is no pleasing everyone when it comes to the right temperature in the office. While today the Architect of the Capitol provides a climate-controlled environment to the buildings of Capitol Hill, two centuries ago this wasn't the case.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Teaming Up for Accessibility

By Kristen Frederick
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See how a team of tradecrafts experts at the Architect of the Capitol transform an office in the Cannon House Office Building into a completely wheelchair-accessible suite in less than four weeks. The condensed timeframe required precise planning and coordination efforts.
Behind the Scenes

Article

The Many Hats of the AOC from A to Z

By Matt Guilfoyle
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The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) plays a leadership role in decisions from the policing of Capitol Hill; to national standards of historic preservation; to supporting development of industry standards in fire safety, capital project management and security infrastructure. AOC's involvement falls
Behind the Scenes

Article

Inspired by the Past, Preserving for the Future

By Lori Taylor
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Meet the AOC's decorative painters at the Library of Congress who work to preserve the ornate designs of one of the world's most beautiful buildings. Go behind the scenes and see the techniques used to keep the Thomas Jefferson Building looking as striking as it did when it first opened in 1897.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Beyond the Dome – Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center

By Erin Nelson
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The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is responsible for managing all of the buildings and grounds on Capitol Hill, but it also maintains several facilities across the National Capital Region. One such facility is the Library of Congress Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center
Doing Good

Article

Moving Offices. Improving Lives.

By Franklin Bradley
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"You've got to shine," says Tony Blue, a woodcrafter's helper working for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) through a partnership with So Others Might Eat (SOME). "That's what our SOME instructor told us — be on your best, do your best and always try to learn something different." So Others Might
Black and white photo.
History & Discoveries

Article

A "Slight" Capitol Contribution

By Kristen Frederick
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Throughout the U.S. Capitol Building's more than 200 year history, many workers have labored in obscurity. Recently, we stumbled across a worker named Pringle Slight with an interesting (and largely forgotten) story.
History & Discoveries

Article

More Historically Accurate: Lincoln or Vampire Hunter?

By AOC Staff
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AOC Public Affairs Officer Matt Guilfoyle watches "Lincoln" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" — and is surprised by which film more accurately depicts the U.S. Capitol.
History & Discoveries

Article

A Cornerstone of American History

By Matt Guilfoyle
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Walk in the footsteps of the masons and laborers who worked the quarry at Government Island in Aquia, Virginia, to gather stone for the U.S. Capitol more than 200 years ago.
History & Discoveries

Article

America's Greatest Engineer?

By Matt Guilfoyle
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For an organization known as the Architect of the Capitol – celebrating engineers may not be without controversy. But as a communication professional, I am neutral in the timeless "battle" between these two professions. And, in truth, America's greatest buildings could not have been built without
History & Discoveries

Article

Windows of Capitol Hill

By Stephen T. Ayers
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"Even at the United Nations, where legend has it that the building was designed so that there could be no corner offices, the expanse of glass in individual offices is said to be a dead giveaway as to rank. Five windows are excellent, one window not so great." – Enid Nemy Recently I was honored to
Behind the Scenes

Article

Capturing the Seasons

By Curator Division
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AOC Photographer Chuck Badal gives a behind the scenes look at how some of his favorite photos of the Capitol were captured — from the roof of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building.
Behind the Scenes

Article

A Legacy of Service

By Sharon Gang
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You never forget your first real job. A good one, with a good mentor, can ingrain work habits that will be carried with you throughout your career. My first job after college was on Capitol Hill working as a staff assistant for then-Rep. Daniel K. Akaka. At the end of the 112th Congress, now-Senator
History & Discoveries

Article

Deciphering the Calendar Stone in the Capitol Rotunda

By Matt Guilfoyle
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Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) Matt Guilfoyle investigates the myth of the Mayan Calendar at the U.S. Capitol. The Mayan Calendar has drawn a lot of attention lately, largely surrounded by myth and misunderstanding. It has even drawn focus to a lesser-known image in " The Frieze of American
Behind the Scenes

Article

Capturing Bartholdi's Fountain

By Curator Division
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Architect of the Capitol (AOC) photographer Susanne Bledsoe walks us through a shot of the "Fountain of Light and Water" in Bartholdi Fountain and Gardens on the U.S. Capitol Grounds.
Programs & Events

Article

Capturing Autumn

By Curator Division
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Michael Dunn, Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) chief of photography, draws upon his many years of experience to share tips for photographing the U.S. Capitol Grounds in fall.