The John A. Wilson District Building, popularly known simply as the Wilson Building, houses the municipal offices and chambers of the
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
and the
Council of the
District of Columbia
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
. Originally called the District Building, it was renamed in 1994 to commemorate former Council Chair
John A. Wilson.
Completed in 1908, during the administration of 26th President
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 ...
, the building is a contributing structure to the
Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site
Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in the city of Washington, D.C. Established on September 30, 1965, the site is roughly bounded by Constitution Avenue, 15th Street NW, F Street NW, and 3rd Street NW. The hi ...
.
History
The original site of the John A. Wilson Building was a streetcar power station that a fire had destroyed in 1897. With the "Public Building Act" of 1902, the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
authorized $550,000 for the purchase of the property and an additional $1.5 million (later increased to $2 million) for the construction of a new District municipal building. Previously, the D.C. government had been housed in the old
District of Columbia City Hall, a historic
neoclassical styled structure on Indiana Avenue, constructed 1822–1849 by
George Hadfield.
A competition for the design of the new District Building called for "classic design in the manner of the English Renaissance". The
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
firm of
Cope and Stewardson won the contract, and construction started in 1904. The building was dedicated on July 4, 1908 by
Henry MacFarland,
President of the Board of Commissioners. While the building has continuously served as the municipal offices of the District's local government, the
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, ...
housed 200 visiting servicemen there during World War II.
In 1977, twelve gunmen took about 150 people hostage at three sites around the District of Columbia. During the crisis, later known as the
1977 Hanafi Siege, two of those gunmen held about a dozen hostages inside the council chambers on the fifth floor of the District Building. Then-councilman
Marion Barry
Marion Shepilov Barry (born Marion Barry Jr.; March 6, 1936 – November 23, 2014) was an American politician who served as the second and fourth mayor of the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1991 and 1995 to 1999. A Democrat, Barry had served ...
was hit by a stray bullet during the commotion, which left two others dead, including
DC Protective Services Police Officer Wesley Cantrell. The press room at the Wilson Building is named in memory of Maurice Williams, a 24-year-old reporter killed during the attack.
In 1995, two-thirds of the Wilson Building was leased to the
federal government for a period of 20 years due to the district's inability to pay for needed repairs; during that time, the district paid approximately $8 million per year to the
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. gover ...
to lease back the space. The district government was able to regain use of the entire building after the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
approved funds for major renovations. The offices of Mayor
Anthony Williams and DC Council were temporarily relocated to
One Judiciary Square.
Exterior
The District Building was designed in the
American Beaux Arts classical revival style and takes up the entire block between 14th and 13 1/2th Streets NW, south of Pennsylvania Avenue across from
Freedom Plaza
Freedom Plaza, originally known as Western Plaza, is an open plaza in Northwest Washington, D.C., United States, located near 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, adjacent to Pershing Park. The plaza features an inlay that partially depict ...
. The base of the building is made of grey granite from Maine, while the upper four stories are constructed of white marble from
New York. The main entrance to the building features an eagle with outstretched wings surrounded by two sculptures representing "Justice" and "Law." The fifth (attic) story features alternating male and female sculptures of heroic figures that represent: sculpture, painting, architecture, music, commerce, engineering, agriculture, and statesmanship.
In January 2005, the statue of
Alexander Robey Shepherd
Alexander Robey Shepherd (January 30, 1835 – September 12, 1902), was one of the most controversial and influential civic leaders in the history of Washington, D.C., and one of the most powerful big-city political bosses of the Gilded Age. He ...
,
Governor of the District of Columbia from 1873 to 1874, was restored to its original location in front of the Wilson Building at the northwest corner. It had been removed in 1979 during the first year of Mayor
Marion Barry
Marion Shepilov Barry (born Marion Barry Jr.; March 6, 1936 – November 23, 2014) was an American politician who served as the second and fourth mayor of the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1991 and 1995 to 1999. A Democrat, Barry had served ...
's administration.
Current use
Following the
District of Columbia Home Rule Act
The District of Columbia Home Rule Act is a United States federal law passed on December 24, 1973, which devolved certain congressional powers of the District of Columbia to local government, furthering District of Columbia home rule. In par ...
, the appointed Mayor-Commissioner form of government was replaced by a locally elected
Mayor of the District of Columbia and
Council of the District of Columbia who maintain their offices within the Wilson Building. The D.C. Council chamber, committee rooms, and legislative staff offices are also in the building.
In October 2006, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities opened the City Hall Arts Collection. Art pieces from a diverse group of D.C.-area artists are on public display throughout the building. Works include a glass casting by
Michael Janis of the
Washington Glass School; paintings by
Felrath Hines (former chief conservator of the
Hirshhorn Museum
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is an art museum beside the National Mall, in Washington, D.C., the United States. The museum was initially endowed during the 1960s with the permanent art collection of Joseph H. Hirshhorn. It was desi ...
),
Sylvia Snowden, and Mark Cameron Boyd; photographs by
Alexandra Silverthorne, Harlee Little, and Max Hirshfeld; and sculpture by
Jae Ko. The portrait of John A. Wilson on display at the main entrance is by renowned portrait painter
Simmie Knox.
See also
*
List of state and territorial capitols in the United States
This is a list of state and territorial capitols in the United States, the building or complex of buildings from which the government of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia and the organized territories of the United States, exercise its ...
Notes
{{National Register of Historic Places
Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
Beaux-Arts architecture in Washington, D.C.
Government buildings completed in 1908
Government of the District of Columbia
Historic district contributing properties in Washington, D.C.
Federal Triangle