McCormick House is the current residence of the Brazilian ambassador to the United States. It is located at 3000 Massachusetts Avenue,

Northwest, Washington, D.C. Northwest (NW or N.W.) is the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located north of the National Mall and west of North Capitol Street. It is the largest of the four quadrants of the city (NW, NE, S ...

in the

Embassy Row Embassy Row is the informal name for a section of Northwest Washington, D.C., with a high concentration of embassies, diplomatic missions, and diplomatic residences. It spans Massachusetts Avenue N.W. between 18th and 35th street, bounded ...

neighborhood.

History

The design of the house was first commissioned in 1908 to well known American architect

John Russell Pope John Russell Pope (April 24, 1874 – August 27, 1937) was an American architecture, architect whose firm is widely known for designing major public buildings, including the National Archives and Records Administration building (completed in 193 ...

(1874–1937) by diplomat

Robert Sanderson McCormick Robert Sanderson McCormick (July 26, 1849 – April 16, 1919) was an American diplomat. Born in rural Virginia, he was part of the extended McCormick family that became influential in Chicago. Early life McCormick was born July 26, 1849, on the ...

(1849–1919) and wife, Katherine Etta ("Kate") Medill McCormick (1853–1932). Both Robert and Katherine hailed from well-heeled backgrounds, being members of a

Nouveau riche ; ), new rich, or new money (in contrast to old money; ) is a social class of the rich whose wealth has been acquired within their own generation, rather than by familial inheritance. These people previously had belonged to a lower social cla ...

class of nineteenth century Americans that came into sudden wealth as the nation industrialized. Married to Robert in 1876, Katherine hailed from a prominent Chicago family which included her father

Joseph Medill Joseph Medill (April 6, 1823 – March 16, 1899) was a Canadian-American newspaper editor, publisher, and Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician. He was co-owner and managing editor of the ''Chicago Tribune'', and he was M ...

(1823–1899), the co-owner of the "

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

" and one-term mayor of Chicago following the Great fire of 1871. The McCormick side of the future McCormick-Medill publishing dynasty came into money through the business successes of Robert's father

Cyrus McCormick Cyrus Hall McCormick (February 15, 1809 – May 13, 1884) was an American inventor and businessman who founded the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which became part of the International Harvester Company in 1902. Originally from the Blue ...

, the inventor of the revolutionary

McCormick reaper The McCormick reaper was a famous agricultural implement that sharply improved farm productivity in the 19th century. The reaper cut grain like wheat much faster than was possible with hand tools. It was made by the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co ...

machine which transformed American and world agriculture. The McCormick – Pope mansion was not completed until 1931, 23 years after the commencement of construction. The

Brazilian embassy This is a list of diplomatic missions of the Federative Republic of Brazil, excluding Honorary Consulates. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil was established by Emperor Pedro I in 1823, shortly after the independence of Brazil. Brazil m ...

purchased the Neoclassical architectural style home in 1934, three years after it was completed, for two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000). Brazil was the second nation after the United Kingdom to have an embassy on what is today

. In 1971, a new chancery was constructed next door. The very modernist mirrored glass walled structure was designed by famous Brazilian architect

Olavo Redig de Campos Olavo Redig de Campos (1906–1984) was a Brazilian architect, important in the 20th century development of the Brazilian style of Modernist architecture. Redig de Campos was born in Rio de Janeiro, however, his father was a diplomat and he spe ...

(1906–1984).

References

External links

wikimapia1921 Vintage Ad McCormick House, Washington, D.C. Photo
Embassy Row Houses completed in 1931 Diplomatic residences in Washington, D.C. Historic district contributing properties in Washington, D.C. John Russell Pope buildings {{WashingtonDC-stub