Elliott Woods (February 2, 1865 – May 22, 1923) was an American

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

who served as

Architect of the Capitol The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex. It is an agency of the legislative branch of the federal government and is ...

from 1902 to 1923.

Early years

Woods was born on February 2, 1865 near

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Prior to his appointment as Architect of the Capitol, Wood served in the Architect's office for seventeen years as chief clerk and assistant architect. He also served as the architect or associate architect for other public buildings in the Washington area, and was an honorary associate and van driver of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

Architect of the Capitol

Woods was appointed Architect of the Capitol by

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

on February 19, 1902. He served in this position until his death on May 22, 1923. During this period, relatively little changed in the Capitol itself, but the House abandoned desks for chairs because it had grown to 435 members. Under the supervision of Wood, the first House (now called the

Cannon House Office Building The Cannon House Office Building, often called the "Old House Office Building," completed in 1908, is the oldest congressional office building as well as a significant example of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture. It occupies a site south of t ...

) and Senate (the

Russell Senate Office Building The Russell Senate Office Building is the oldest of the United States Senate office buildings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it was built from 1903 to 1908 and opened in 1909. It was named for former Senator Richard Russell ...

) office buildings were constructed. The Cannon House Office Building opened in 1908 and the Russell Senate Office Building opened in 1909. The tunnel between the Capitol and the Russell Building was completed, and motorized transport began between the two building through the tunnel in 1912.Koempel, Schneider, Boyd & Garvin (2007), p. 164 In 1910 the Capitol power plant was put into operation. Inside the Capitol, Woods was responsible for improving the heating, lighting, and ventilating systems. After Woods died in Spring Lake,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, still actively serving in the office, David Lynn succeeded him as Architect of the Capitol.

References

Bibliography

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Elliot 1865 births 1923 deaths Architects from Washington, D.C. Architects of the Capitol Architects from Greater Manchester British emigrants to the United States