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On the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue sits a building that serves as both a symbol of our nation’s strength and a model of historic architecture.
Built in the wake of the American Civil War, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) was meant to demonstrate the stability of the American government following the reunification of the nation.
The General Service Administration commissioned architecture historian Thomas Groom to write a book about the history of the EEOB. “The full measure of a civilization is really defined by its buildings,” he said, “When we think of Egypt, we think of the Pyramids. When we go to Greece, we think of the Parthenon. You go to Rome for the Forum and the Colosseum. Those buildings really express the values of that time and what inspired people, and this building does that.”
Alfred Mullett designed the building to house the Departments of State, War and Navy under one roof as an indication of American unity. The building was completed in 1888, and today the same three departments operate from within the EEOB.
“[The Eisenhower Executive Office Building] represents permanence, stability, and quality,” Grooms said, “and those are the things that we look for in our government.”
With signature mansard roofs, protruding pavilions, and an abundance of columns, Mullett’s design follows the French Second Empire style of architecture. This architectural style was one the most sophisticated of the time and this building represents an architectural era in Washington, D.C.
“It took 17 years to build,” Grooms said, “It was treated like a work of art and everything about it exudes quality.”
Formerly known as the Old Executive Office Building, the EEOB contains more than 550 rooms that were designed to serve different purposes. The building houses the offices to the Vice President, the Secretaries of State, War and Navy, as well as grand libraries for each department.
Beyond the architecture significance of the EEOB in Washington, D.C., the building’s occupants have been central in establishing and maintaining America’s position as a world power and symbol of democracy.
Eisenhower, of course, spent considerable time there before he was elected President, as did both Theodor and Franklin Roosevelt. Presidents Hoover, Johnson, and Nixon worked in the building during their presidencies. Hillary Clinton chose to work from the Eisenhower Building while her husband served as President. Even Thomas Edison spent two years working in the building.
Grooms’ book “The Eisenhower Executive Office Building: Symbol and Legacy,” which includes exclusive photos of the building’s interior, will be available for purchase this October.
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Reporting 2013 