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Public Notice

Article

Tree Dedicated for the People of New Hampshire

By AOC Staff
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This morning the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation gathered on the U.S. Capitol Grounds to dedicate a tree in honor of the people of New Hampshire.
"Project funding will support the lifespan of [campus] facilities as well as address critical needs ranging from preserving priceless artwork to replacing roofs, installing emergency generators and improving campus security." - Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton
Public Notice

Article

AOC Makes FY 2023 Budget Request to House Committee

By AOC Staff
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Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton testified April 27 in front of the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives.
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Public Notice

Article

AOC Celebrates Grant Memorial Anniversary

By AOC Staff
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Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton joined the U.S. Capitol Historical Society to celebrate the 200th birthday of Ulysses S. Grant and the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Grant Memorial.
Some of the first visitors back in the USBG Conservatory after it reopened.
Public Notice

Article

U.S. Botanic Garden Reopens to Visitors

By AOC Staff
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The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) Conservatory reopened to the public today, April 1, marking a full reopening of all areas of the USBG.
View of a walkway and benches on the U.S. Capitol Grounds.
History & Discoveries

Article

Top 5 Spots to Enjoy Spring on the Capitol Campus

By AOC Staff
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Spring in Washington, D.C., is one of the most beautiful times to visit the nation's capital. Learn about five beautiful, and less known spots, to enjoy the warm weather near the U.S. Capitol.
View of a pagoda tree on the north side of the U.S. Capitol.
Public Notice

Article

Living On, The Olmsted Way

By AOC Staff
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Two original Olmsted trees will be removed for safety reasons this spring.
Portrait of Architect of the Capitol employee Arthur Logan.
Behind the Scenes

Article

The Path to Becoming an Architect

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Arthur Logan was working as an electrician helper in 2005 when a coworker told him, "You're in the wrong field. You need to be an architect."
USBG Arborist Shaun Abell, who helped install the new, higher fogger system, at the top of the Tropics house.
Projects

Article

Employees Lead U.S. Botanic Garden Horticultural Renovations

By Devin Dotson
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Several USBG employees recently led projects inside the Conservatory to improve the growing spaces and showcase more of the permanent plant collection.
Photograph of Milton Lee Dennis.
Doing Good

Article

Surviving to Thriving

By Erin Courtney
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Having a purpose, even amid profound grief, often sustains people who have experienced unspeakable losses. One AOC employee has found such a purpose, and with it hope and a drive to help others struggling with mental health challenges.
A balustrade at the Russell Senate Office Building.
Projects

Article

Covering the Home Team

By Justin Kieffer
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The amount of talent needed for all the projects around the Capitol campus is high, and fortunately the AOC boasts a deep bench of employees.
View of the U.S. Capitol from the West.
Public Notice

Article

U.S. Capitol Grounds Recognized as Level III Arboretum

By AOC Staff
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The U.S. Capitol Grounds has successfully "branched out" as a significant arboretum — its accreditation was recently increased from Level II to Level III by ArbNet.
The Summerhouse, obscured by the plants, vines and trees of Olmsted's original design, blends into the landscape.
History & Discoveries

Article

Olmsted's Never-Built Retreat

By Franklin Bradley
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Before it was cut from the budget, Olmsted had begun designing a south summerhouse; his sketches for it have been rediscovered.
An Architect of the Capitol street sweeper cleans up in Washington, D.C.
History & Discoveries

Article

The Architect of the Capitol Sweeps Up the Past

By Morgan Green
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When Jim Kaufmann, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum Director, happened across an 1891 street-sweeping map while going through cultural landscape reports, he had no idea how simple an old map could make caring for the U.S. Capitol Grounds.
The team found and collected seeds from the rare Glen Rose yucca (Yucca necopina), native only in a few counties in Texas.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Collecting and Growing Texas Native Plants for Conservation and Climate Change Adaptation

By Devin Dotson
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Throughout 2020 while the United States Botanic Garden was closed to the public, the Horticulture team continued stewarding its plant collection. Several Horticulture team members were paying special attention to a new batch of plants grown from seeds harvested during a plant-collecting trip to
Stone preservation on the U.S. Capitol.
Projects

Article

At the AOC, It's Always Home Improvement Time

By Justin Kieffer
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While most people have one structure to take care of, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is hard at work on multiple projects to care for the buildings across Capitol Hill.
AGA Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting
Public Notice

Article

A Decade of Excellence – AOC Receives Award for 10th Year in a Row

By AOC Staff
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For the tenth consecutive year, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) received the Association of Government Accountants' (AGA) prestigious Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) for its Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Performance and Accountability Report (PAR).
Tholos Magazine, Volume 18, Special Edition.
Public Notice

Article

Special Issue of Tholos Magazine Now Available

By AOC Staff
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A new special edition of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) employee magazine, Tholos, is now available.
A member of the Capitol Grounds and Arboretum team at work in the park above the House office buildings garage.
Behind the Scenes

Article

New Pesticide Recertification Program

By Kate Holder
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Recertifications during the COVID-19 pandemic required a new approach.
Map illustration of John Adam's route: 1. Philadelphia 2. Downingtown 3. Lancaster 4. York 5. Frederick 6. Rockville 7. Georgetown *. Final Destination: Washington, D.C.
History & Discoveries

Article

John Adams' Carriage Ride to Washington, D.C., in 1800

By Franklin Bradley
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President John Adams issued a letter to all federal agencies on May 15, 1800, directing the "removal of the public offices, clerks and papers" from the capital city of Philadelphia. In that single sentence, Adams started the final move of the U.S. government to its permanent home, the newly created
One of the four Olmsted lanterns on the west side of the U.S. Capitol Grounds, restored in 2020.
Projects

Article

Olmsted Lanterns Restoration

By Kate Holder
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The large bronze and glass lanterns are mounted on stately sandstone piers with intricately carved sandstone caps.
View of the U.S. Capitol during Sunrise in January 2019.
Behind the Scenes

Article

U.S. Capitol Clean-up

By AOC Staff
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The events of January 6 left most of the nation at a standstill, but Architect of the Capitol (AOC) employees immediately went to work, restoring the building and grounds to their proper condition so that Congress could safely reconvene and inaugural preparations could get back on track.
View of the north congressional stand under construction for the 2021 inauguration.
Programs & Events

Article

By the Numbers: Presidential Inauguration 2021

By Erin Nelson
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Much goes into the presidential inauguration at the U.S. Capitol. Here are a few numbers that help set the stage for this special day.
Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
History & Discoveries

Article

Honoring the U.S. Capitol Guides Buried in Congressional Cemetery

By Blake Lindsey
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In December 2019, a group from the Capitol Visitor Center Social Committee gathered at the cemetery to place markers on the graves of these guides and learn more about their lives.
Sequester Team Leader Ladislaus “Dave” Jagoda in front of the cogeneration system at the Capitol Power Plant
Behind the Scenes

Article

Capitol Power Plant Employees Power Through the Pandemic

By Kate Holder
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Showing Incredible Dedication in Uncertain Circumstances
Charles “Buddy” Greenwell III in front of “The Box.”
Behind the Scenes

Article

Cool Tools: "The Box"

By Kate Holder
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What Began as a Demonstration for Kids Is Now a Unique Training Tool
Children pick beans in the Bruno Vegetable Garden at Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Alabama.
Doing Good

Article

U.S. Botanic Garden Helps Urban Agriculture Programs at 28 Public Gardens Affected by COVID-19

By Devin Dotson
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Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Is All the More Important During the Pandemic
Benjamin Henry Latrobe was the second Architect of the Capitol, first hired in 1803 by President Thomas Jefferson.
History & Discoveries

Article

Benjamin Henry Latrobe's Capitol Contributions

By Kate Holder
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Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the second Architect of the Capitol, is considered by many to be the "father of American architecture." Latrobe was one of the first fully trained architects in America; he helped popularize Neoclassical and Greek Revival architecture in the new nation.
A small funeral for Representative Lewis was held in the Rotunda, with social distancing measures in place.
Programs & Events

Article

John Lewis' Lying in State: A New Normal

By Morgan Green
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AOC Teams Adjusted to New Safety Protocols and Successfully Served This Unprecedented Event
Anthony Littlejohn completes the COVID-19 cleaning protocols for AOC vehicles.
Behind the Scenes

Article

COVID-19 Cleaning Protocols

By Erin Nelson
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AOC Staff Put In the Work to Keep Us Safe During COVID-19
This 1873 photograph shows how the USBG's first Conservatory had grown from a single Victorian greenhouse to this large, five-part Conservatory with 14 support greenhouses.
History & Discoveries

Article

U.S. Botanic Garden at 200: Deeply Rooted, Branching Outward

By Devin Dotson
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For 200 years, the U.S. Botanic Garden has been showcasing plants to visitors from around the globe. Originally proposed by George Washington to establish a place for Americans to learn about useful and engaging plants.