The Armed Forces Retirement Home – Washington, also called Old Soldiers' Retirement Home, is a retirement home for retirees of the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

located in the Park View neighborhood of

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

The complex forms an

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...

that was 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 ...

in 2007. President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home is on the campus.

History

The

Armed Forces Retirement Home The Armed Forces Retirement Home refers to one of two Old Soldiers' retirement homes, one in Gulfport, Mississippi, the other in Washington, D.C., that house veterans and retired members of the United States Armed Forces. Current status In ...

was established as the northern branch of the United States Military Asylum in 1851. The property was originally the country estate of Washington banker

George Washington Riggs George Washington Riggs (July 4, 1813 – August 24, 1881) was an American businessman and banker. He was known as "The President's Banker." He was a trustee of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Peabody Education Fund. Early life Riggs wa ...

. The government purchased the estate's and an additional using an endowment collected by General

Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as Commanding General of the United States Army from 1841 to 1861, and was a veteran of the War of 1812, American Indian Wars, Mexica ...

. He had received $150,000 in lieu of pillaging during his occupation of

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

in 1847. The facility was known as the U.S. Soldiers' Home from 1859 to 1972 and as the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen's Home from 1972 to 2001. It has been known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home – Washington since 2001. Four

American Presidents The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the officeholder leads the executive branch ...

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He also served as the United States Secretary of State, secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvan ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was the 19th president of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881. Hayes served as Cincinnati's city solicitor from 1858 to 1861. He was a staunch Abolitionism in the Un ...

and

Chester A. Arthur Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was the 21st president of the United States, serving from 1881 to 1885. He was a Republican from New York who previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A. ...

, summered at the home. Lincoln spent a quarter of his presidency in residence. It was here that he worked on the final draft of the

Emancipation Proclamation The Emancipation Proclamation, officially Proclamation 95, was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. The Proclamation had the eff ...

in 1862. While no fighting took place on the site during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

it was used as a signal post. Given the elevation Lincoln was able to view various skirmishes that arose nearby. Military officers that are associated with the home's operation include Generals Winfield Scott,

William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a General officer, general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognit ...

Philip Sheridan Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with General-i ...

and

Surgeon General Surgeon general (: surgeons general) is a title used in several Commonwealth countries and most NATO nations to refer either to a senior military medical officer or to a senior uniformed physician commissioned by the government and entrusted with p ...

Joseph K. Barnes.

Architecture

The historic district includes a collection of 19th and early 20th century buildings and extensive historic landscapes. There are 39 contributing buildings and a total of 140 contributing properties that date from 1842 to 1951. The Lincoln Cottage is the centerpiece of the property. It is the original

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

-style cottage known as Corn Rigs. It was built from 1842 to 1843 as the home for George Riggs. Development of the asylum began in 1852 when the Riggs home was enlarged and the placement of a flagstaff, which marks the establishment of a military installation. The next three masonry buildings were completed by 1857. Other buildings were constructed over next century. The grounds also include recreational areas, statuary, war relics, and other features.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armed Forces Retirement Home - Washington Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Military facilities on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Residential buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.