Florida House, sometimes called "Florida's Embassy" or "The Manning House", is a privately owned education and information center located in Northeast

Washington, D.C. ) , 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, ...

It provides a meeting, classroom and reception space for Floridians and others when visiting the Nation's capital. Florida House is also the name of a non-profit 501(c)(3)

charitable organization A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ...

funded through private

donation A donation is a gift for charity, humanitarian aid, or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including money, alms, services, or goods such as clothing, toys, food, or vehicles. A donation may satisfy medical needs such as ...

s; the building is not owned by the State of Florida nor is it supported by Florida taxpayer dollars. Florida House is located on Capitol Hill, directly behind the Supreme Court at the corner of East Capitol and Second St. NE, and offers a view of the

United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...

. Florida House conducts educational, cultural and award programs including the Florida Congressional Intern Seminar Series, and is visited by about 15,000 people each year."There's Only One State Embassy In Washington. Of Course, It's Florida's" Eliza McGraw, ''Atlas Obscura'', 28 October 2016
/ref> In addition to rest and relaxation (including a free glass of

orange juice Orange juice is a liquid extract of the orange tree fruit, produced by squeezing or reaming oranges. It comes in several different varieties, including blood orange, navel oranges, valencia orange, clementine, and tangerine. As well as vari ...

, Florida's official beverage), visitors find information on tours, restaurants, attractions,

historic site A historic site or heritage site is an official location where pieces of political, military, cultural, or social history have been preserved due to their cultural heritage value. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have been rec ...

s, shopping and directions.

Mission

Florida House is a "State Embassy" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. that connects, celebrates, and champions Florida to the world.

History

The historic residence was constructed in 1891 by architect Edwin C. Manning. It is a Victorian style row house. The house was documented for the

Historic American Buildings Survey Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) responsible for administering the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes ...

. Rhea Chiles, the wife of then

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

U.S. Senator

Lawton Chiles Lawton Mainor Chiles Jr. (April 3, 1930 – December 12, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 41st governor of Florida from 1991 until his death in 1998. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United State ...

, saw the home and proposed it be made into a sort of embassy for Florida in Washington D.C. Opening its doors on October 26, 1973, Florida House became the first, and remains the only, "State Embassy" in Washington D.C. Its purpose is to serve the people of the State of Florida. Florida House is an education and information center and provides meeting, classroom and reception space for Floridians visiting Washington D.C. The Victorian-style row house that is now Florida House was built in 1891 by Edwin Manning, an architect working on the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

. By the time Rhea Chiles walked past the house in 1972, the neighborhood was unsafe, the second floor had caved in, the windows were boarded up, and homeless people were living in the basement. A "For Sale" sign stood out front. Recalling that one of her children had asked where Florida's embassy was during a tour of Embassy Row, she used that vision to raise $120,000 from friends in Florida then added $5,000 of her own money to purchase the house. It operated on a shoestring budget for ten years. Following the collapse of the beams holding up the third floor in 1982, major structural and interior

renovation Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, ...

was conducted. The trustees decided that the

furnishings ] The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose object is the design and manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. It includes most of the arts making objects for the interiors of buildings, and interior design, but not usual ...

in the house would reflect that of a home in 1891. Every piece of furniture and art was a gift from a Floridian.

Organization

Florida House is owned by a nonprofit Foundation (nonprofit organization), foundation. The foundation is managed by a board of trustees representing a cross-section of business, cultural and philanthropic leaders of Florida. No state or federal tax dollars support the house or its operations. Funding of the house is by individual contributions from Floridians, corporate sponsors and the board of trustees. Rhea Chiles was chairman emeritus of the house until her death in 2015. According to the bylaws, the spouse of the current governor is invited to serve as honorary chairman. Officers of the board of trustees include: chairman, senior vice chairmen made up of spouses of current or former elected officials, vice chairman, secretary and treasurer. The executive director maintains the day-to-day operations of the house and its programs. The state is divided into regions, with regional groups hosting yearly fundraisers."Friday Files", Scott Maxwell, ''Orlando Sentinel'', 10 March 2010
/ref>

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Florida House On Capitol Hill 1973 establishments in Washington, D.C. Event venues established in 1973 Buildings and structures in Washington, D.C. Diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C. Historic preservation organizations in the United States Politics of Florida Capitol Hill