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Lunette above a door of the modern-day Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
History & Discoveries

Article

Artfully Yours, Benjamin Franklin

By erin.courtney | April 17, 2017
In second grade, I read "Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia" by Margaret Cousins. The book left me enthralled by the life of one of the greatest thinkers in American history. From birth to death, Franklin led a complex and interesting life. Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, inventor, writer and
Senate Park Fountain
History & Discoveries

Article

By the Numbers: Senate Fountain

By andrew.dentamaro | April 12, 2017
One of the overlooked gems on Capitol Hill, the Senate fountain, is nestled between Union Station and the U.S. Capitol, atop the Senate upper park. A hexagonal granite monolith with high jets of water spouting from its center, the Architect of the Capitol received authorization for its construction
James Madison Memorial Building
History & Discoveries

Article

Then & Now: Madison Building

By franklin.bradley | April 5, 2017
For $75 a month, you could rent a Capitol Hill apartment across the street from the magnificent Thomas Jefferson Building in a quiet neighborhood with tree-lined brick sidewalks, broad alleys and neighbors who could be laborers, lawyers or congressmen. At least, you could 60 years ago. A view of the
Preparation for spring on Capitol grounds.
History & Discoveries

Article

Falling Into Spring

By erin.courtney | March 29, 2017
Spring is the season of new beginnings when the Earth seems to come to life again. But it is the year-round planning, preparation and hard work of the Capitol Grounds team that ensures buds bloom, vibrant colors delight and fragrant flowers excite the senses on Capitol Hill. Ted Bechtol, Capitol
One of 330 Capitol Hill elevators maintained by the AOC.
History & Discoveries

Article

Historic Firsts: Capitol Hill Elevators

By erin.nelson | March 23, 2017
Before I started my research for this article, I had already outlined it in my head. An introduction highlighting the 160th birthday of the passenger elevator followed by a short summary of our own first passenger elevator. As I explored the history of the first Capitol Hill elevator, I soon
Blue heron carved in stone at the focal point, the central fountain, in the perimeter wall surrounding Capitol Square.
From the Architect

Article

Architect's Notebook: Design with Purpose

By stephen.t.ayers | March 15, 2017
As many of you know, I love birds. I made the mistake of announcing at a meeting some time ago that I occasionally listen to CDs of bird calls and songs as I drive to and from work. Most of the members of my team have made fun of me since then, while a few other bird enthusiasts have secretly come
Women are integral members of the Dome Restoration Project
Behind the Scenes

Article

Women's History Month: Christine A. Merdon

By erin.courtney | March 8, 2017
As the mother of a teenager, Christine Merdon is, to say the least, busy. Coaching her daughter's Odyssey of the Mind Team, traveling to basketball games, planning birthday parties and more occupy her nights and weekends. During the day, she fulfills a lifelong dream of working at the Architect of
Projects

Article

It's About Time

By franklin.bradley | December 15, 2016
Time has taken its toll on the United State Capitol's stone, but our preservation effort will restore even the finer details, hand-carved by artisans.
The work of the Capitol Building's Insulation Division is as "behind the scenes" as you can get.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Behind the Scenes: Jack of All Trades

By erin.nelson | December 8, 2016
The work of the Capitol Building's Insulation Division is as "behind the scenes" as you can get. In addition to installing insulation, the shop also supports other divisions in its jurisdiction by performing dust control and hazardous materials abatement work in the Capitol Building and Capitol
Russell Jones of the AOC Construction Division demonstrates a cool tool for applying grout to the Olmsted wall.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Cool Tools: Squaring Off With History

By franklin.bradley | December 1, 2016
Many of the tools we use around the Capitol campus are unique, historic and essential to our mission — in other words, they are cool tools! We asked employees to tell us about their coolest tools, and this feature represents our latest find. In 1873, Congress commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted to
Doing Good

Article

Modern-Day Superhero

By justin.kieffer | November 17, 2016
Brian Roberson volunteers with Angel Flight Soars, working to transport cancer patients and others to treatment centers.
Programs & Events

Article

An Idaho Gem to Grace Capitol Lawn

By ted.bechtol | November 2, 2016
As the Superintendent of Capitol Grounds, each year I am charged with selecting the Capitol Christmas Tree. In 2016, we looked to Idaho – specifically, the Payette National Forest – and began the search with the help of the United States Forest Service (USFS). There are 2.8 million acres of forest
History & Discoveries

Article

New Perspective, New Discoveries: A Close-up Look at Crawford's Progress of Civilization

By michele.cohen | September 28, 2016
Since 1863, Thomas Crawford's marble sculptural group Progress of Civilization has stood in the pediment above the Senate doors on the East Front of the Capitol. Its details have always been difficult to see from the ground, but the scaffold erected for the recent stone restoration project has
History & Discoveries

Article

Letters and Numbers Abound

By erin.courtney | September 1, 2016
No matter where you look on Capitol Hill, numbers and letters abound. Passing three schools and multiple playgrounds on my way to work made me consider the variety of letters and numbers that appear on buildings or in art work on Capitol Hill. Considering the Capitol campus by the numbers (and
Behind the Scenes

Article

Help Plants Beat the Heat

By usbg.staff | July 27, 2016
The heat of summer can be tough on plants. But you can use a few tips from the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) to plan, plant and care for a great garden through the long summer days. Before planting your garden do your research. Washington, D.C., for example, famously lies on the dividing line
Projects

Article

Conserving the Grant Memorial

By michele.cohen | July 18, 2016
The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, star of the House of Cards opening sequence, is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Unveiled in 1922, it was cared for by the National Park Service until 2011, when Congress transferred it to the Architect of the Capitol. The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial on the west
History & Discoveries

Article

Meigs' Miniatures: The Story of the Tiny Doors in the U.S. Capitol

By erin.nelson | July 14, 2016
Throughout the Capitol Building, visitors and staff often pause to imagine what is behind the building's smallest doors. Their guesses are as varied as the architectural details that encompass the Capitol campus. The correct explanation for their existence begins with a fire on Christmas Eve 1851
History & Discoveries

Article

Artfully Yours, Alexander Hamilton

By erin.courtney | July 11, 2016
BANG! With one shot, on July 11, 1804, Aaron Burr fatally wounded Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Hamilton died the next day. Who is this Founding Father slayed by a fellow politician and today's ten-dollar man? Over the course of the last several months, the name Hamilton has been hot. Really hot
History & Discoveries

Article

5 Original Olmsted Trees

By andrew.dentamaro | July 7, 2016
In June 1874, Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) presented a plan for the U.S. Capitol Grounds for a sophisticated landscape that highlighted the building it surrounded. In his submission for the Architect of the Capitol's annual report, Olmsted wrote that, "The ground is in design part of the
Behind the Scenes

Article

Cool Tools: On the Cutting Edge

By lisa.maltbie | June 17, 2016
Every one of us at the Architect of the Capitol, in every job we do, uses tools to serve, preserve and inspire. Many of the tools we use here are unique, historic and essential to our mission—in other words, they are cool tools! We asked employees to submit their coolest tool, and this feature
Doing Good

Article

Bridging the Gap

By erin.nelson | June 13, 2016
Millions of Americans volunteer every year, but few feel compelled to form their own organization. Greg Smith saw a problem in his community that had no solution, so he created one by starting his own non-profit – Kaizen Life Skills. Kaizen is a Japanese word that means continuous improvement, and
From the Architect

Article

Architect's Notebook: Influences at Work and Play

By stephen.t.ayers | June 7, 2016
Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers reflects on influences in his work, and the work of others, at the U.S. Capitol. We are all an assembly of parts, pieces and life experiences, and we bring those experiences to the things we do every day. It's what makes us who we are! I've come to learn
Behind the Scenes

Article

One Team, One Energy Reduction Mission

By laura.condeluci | June 2, 2016
The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) achieved an extraordinary goal at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 — successfully meeting the mandate to reduce energy consumption more than 30 percent from our 2003 baseline. This 30 percent reduction is a major accomplishment on its own. But it's even more
Behind the Scenes

Article

A Passion for Pedaling

By jamie.herr | May 18, 2016
In 2014, Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers stood before a large group of bicycle enthusiasts to accept a Bicycle Friendly Business Honorable Mention Award from the League of American Bicyclists. In his speech he challenged his staff to get the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) designated as a
Programs & Events

Article

Lend Me Your Ears

By andrew.dentamaro | May 13, 2016
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." ― Plato The laying of the U.S. Capitol's cornerstone on September 18, 1793, would not have been complete without appropriate celebration. When President George Washington led a company of
Projects

Article

What's Happening Behind the Capitol Scaffolding?

By erin.courtney | May 10, 2016
To answer this question, we travel to a brick building in Vienna, Virginia, where the hum of an industrial-sized machine is unmistakable. Littering the fenced-in courtyard of the building are massive slabs of stone of all shapes and colors. Carving of a new rosette begun by a computerized numerical
Behind the Scenes

Article

Energy Savings Performance Contracts Help AOC Exceed Energy Goal

By erin.courtney | April 18, 2016
The Energy Policy Act of 1992 authorized the use of private sector financing to implement energy conservation methods and energy-efficiency technologies by federal entities. Congress provided a mechanism, through Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC), to accelerate investment in cost-effective
History & Discoveries

Article

Artfully Yours, Thomas Jefferson

By erin.courtney | April 13, 2016
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." On April 13, 1743, Thomas Jefferson was born near present-day Charlottesville, Virginia
Behind the Scenes

Article

Lighting the Way to Energy Savings

By franklin.bradley | April 12, 2016
The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) achieved a 30 percent total energy reduction by the end of fiscal year 2015 that was mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The Senate Jurisdiction's efforts were integral to the AOC meeting its agency-wide goal. One of the key-energy saving
Projects

Article

Stopple Valve System

By r.c.vaughn | April 5, 2016
Of the many challenges associated with maintaining and renovating a building that is more than 100 years old, one of the most difficult is working on the building's water systems. In buildings such as the Cannon House Office Building, the traditional method of fixing a water issue is to drain the