The Russian ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C. historically known as the Mrs.
George Pullman House, is a
Beaux-Arts building
located at 1125
16th Street Northwest, Washington, D.C. in the
Downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...
neighborhood.
The building is designated as a contributing property to the
Sixteenth Street Historic District. It is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
,
and was listed on the
District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on 8 November 1964.
History
Built in 1910 to the designs of architectural firm
Wyeth & Sullivan,
the building is three and a half stories high and is made of brick bearing walls with steel floor and roofing members.
The building permit estimated the cost at $125,000, whereas the completed house ended up costing $361,000 in 1910.
The building was built at the request of Mrs.
George Pullman for her daughter Florence Pullman, who was married to Illinois House Representative
Frank O. Lowden.
Due to Frank Lowden's deteriorating health he left Washington in the spring of 1911, and Mrs. Florence Pullman - who never moved into the house - sold it in 1913 to her friend
Natalie Hammond.
In 1913 the house was sold to Russia
for $350,000 to serve as the Russian Embassy
during
Nicholas' reign. Ambassador
George Bakhmeteff became its first occupant.
From 1933 till 1991, the building served as the
Embassy
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a Sovereign state, state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase ...
of the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, and from 1991 till 1994 it served as the
Embassy of Russia.
Since then it has served as the residence for the Russian ambassador in Washington, D.C.
Events
Beginning in 1970, a vigil was held there, over
Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union.
In 1967,
U.S. Navy communications specialist
John Anthony Walker walked into the embassy. In 1980,
Ronald Pelton, a
National Security Agency communications analyst, walked into the Soviet Embassy.
In 1989, during
glasnost,
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science, military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of ...
among others were invited to receptions there.
In 1991, there was a protest over events in
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
.
Gallery
File:Russian Embassy, 1119 16th.jpg, Photo taken between 1919-1920
File:The flag of the U.S.S.R. flew only a few days after this image was taken of the Chancery and residence of the Ambassador of the Russian Republic, Washington, D.C LCCN2011631258.tif, Flying the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
flag
File:Russian ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C. main building.jpg, Flying the Russian flag
See also
*
Embassy of Russia, Washington, D.C.
*
List of diplomatic missions of Russia
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Russia. These missions are subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia), Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Russia, Russian Federation has one of the largest networks of embassies and cons ...
*
List of ambassadors of Russia to the United States
References
External links
Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C.
Wikimapia info on the Ambassador's ResidenceDC Preservation info on the Ambassador's ResidenceLibrary of Congress photos of the exterior and interior of the Ambassador's Residence
1910 establishments in Washington, D.C.
1910s architecture in the United States
Diplomatic residences in Washington, D.C.
Historic district contributing properties in Washington, D.C.
Houses completed in 1910
Russia–United States relations
Russian ambassadorial residences
Russian-American culture in Washington, D.C.
Soviet Union–United States relations
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