Beneath our feet lies a story of transformation. It is a tale of how one building made way for another. Today we stand where the Richards Building once stood. This building was the headquarters of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. It served this purpose from 1871 to 1929.
The Richards Building was located in Washington D.C. Its location was just south of the United States Capitol. In 1929, it was demolished. The Longworth House Office Building was constructed in its place.
Adolf Cluss designed the Richards Building. The building consisted of two connected units. The Main Building faced New Jersey Avenue. The Back Building faced South Capitol Street. The Main Building’s exterior featured the Rundbogenstil style. It had red brick walls. Brown stone trim added to its character. The roof was slate with a red, blue, and green pattern. The design included many windows. It also featured an innovative ventilation system.
A. and T. A. Richards constructed the Richards Building in 1871. They leased it to the United States Coast Survey. In 1878, the survey was renamed the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. The builders designed the building like a hotel. It had many small rooms. This was a precaution. If the government did not renew the 10-year lease, it could be used as a hotel. This design posed challenges. The layout was not ideal. It created difficulties for its use as a printing and lithographic plant. The same was the case for the machine and carpenter shop.
The Richards Building was not fire-proof. When the Butler Building was built nearby in 1873, measures were taken. The superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey requested a fire-proof section in the Butler Building. This section would store valuable survey records, maps, and engraving plates.
In 1891, the United States Government purchased the Richards Building. By 1916, the building was inadequate. United States Secretary of Commerce William C. Redfield addressed the United States Congress. He stated that the Richards Building should be one of the first to be destroyed.
The Coast and Geodetic Survey relocated to the Department of Commerce Building in 1929. Subsequently, the Richards Building was demolished. The Longworth House Office Building was erected on the site.
Think about the bustling activity that once filled this space. Imagine the surveyors meticulously charting coastlines. Picture the draftsmen creating detailed maps. All of that occurred within the walls of the Richards Building. The building is gone now. However, its history remains woven into the fabric of this city.
The Richards Building story reminds us that even buildings are transient. They evolve to meet the changing needs of society. Though the Richards Building is no longer physically present, its legacy endures. It lives on in the maps and charts created within its walls. It continues to contribute to the history of Washington D.C.