Where America Gets Down to Business

 

The rich history of the U.S. Chamber building traces itself back to one of the 19th century's greatest thinkers, Daniel Webster. In 1841, friends of Webster purchased a three-and-a-half story home on the ground now occupied by the U.S. Chamber building. Webster's home was the site of a number of historic events, including final negotiations with Great Britain over Maine's boundaries that resulted in the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842.

 

In 1849, Webster sold his house to the prominent Washingtonian W.W. Corcoran, whose art collection today remains close by. Several other dignitaries lived in Webster's former home over the years before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ultimately purchased the land. It broke ground in 1922, having selected Cass Gilbert, designer of the Supreme Court Building and the Treasury Annex in Washington, D.C., and one of the most renowned architects of the day, to design a building to reflect the organization's prestigious mission.

 

Three years and $3 million dollars later, the U.S. business community had its headquarters. Marked by three-story Corinthian columns and an Indiana limestone surface, the exterior of the building reflects the Chamber's commitment to solid, traditional American values, while the interior public rooms and space reflect the organization's dynamic, forward-thinking mission.