Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.

8th and I

"The Oldest Post of the Corps"

Selection of the Site

The selection of the site for the Barracks was a matter of personal interest to President Thomas Jefferson, who rode through Washington with Lt. Col. William Ward Burrows, the second commandant of the Marine Corps, in search of a suitable location. The site now occupied was approved due to its proximity to the Washington Navy Yard and because it was within easy marching distance of the Capitol.

Early 19th Century

Marines of the Barracks

The training of new officers and recruits started at the Barracks soon after it was established and continued throughout the 19th century. Until 1901, it was also the location of Marine Corps Headquarters. Marines from the Barracks participated in the defense of Washington in the War of 1812, and served in the Indian Wars of 1826-37, the war with Mexico, the Civil War and the Spanish American War. Most recently, Marines from the Barracks deployed to Southwest Asia and participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Home of the marine band

"The President's Own" United States Marine Band's mission is to perform music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Founded in 1798 by an Act of Congress, the Marine Band is America's oldest continuously active professional musical organization.

A national historic landmark

The National Historic Landmark (NHL) and National Register-listed US Marine Corps Barracks and Commandant’s House District is significant as the oldest continuously active US Marine Corps installation in the United States. Marine Barracks Washington (MBW) under the National Register of Historic Places is significant under Criterion A for its contributions to the history of the US Marine Corps and for its association with the US Marine Corps Band. It is also significant under Criterion C for its association with architect George Hadfield and the architecture firm Hornblower & Marshall, and as a representation of early-American military architecture.

MBW Main Post was established in 1801 as the US Marine Corps Headquarters, on land selected by US Marine Corps Commandant William Ward Burrows and President Thomas Jefferson. It originally consisted of present-day Building 6, Commandant’s House, the Parade Ground, and non-extant barracks and support buildings, designed by architect George Hadfield. Hadfield, an English-trained architect, was superintendent of construction of the US Capitol, and designed numerous other buildings in Washington, DC, which led President Thomas Jefferson to dub him “our first architect.”

According to the original design of MBW Main Post, major features included the Commandant’s House, Parade Ground, and Center House which occupied a square block. The Commandant's House was located on the north side, and was either surrounded by open space, or a garden, separated by a fence from the Parade Ground to the south. West of the Parade Ground was Center House, which consisted of a central two-story building that housed officer’s quarters, flanked by single-story wings that housed barracks, administrative and support offices, an armory, and a band room. These buildings were all constructed of brick and were built by the US Marine Corps.

Building initiatives throughout the 1800s included reconstruction of Center House, and band hall, and shooting gallery. However, in 1900, all buildings, with the exception of the Commandant’s House, were determined inadequate and proposed for replacement. The firm of Hornblower & Marshall was awarded a contract for the redesign of the installation. Their plan called for the construction of two two-story buildings, present-day Building 8, Battalion Headquarters and Building 9, Applied Instruction. Building 8 was located on the east or 9^th Street SE side, extended almost the length of the entire block, and functioned as a barracks. Charles McCaul Company was responsible for the construction of the building. Building 9 consisted of a two-story wing on the south, or H Street SE side of the complex, intended for use by the US Marine Corps Band, and included a large concert hall. Both buildings were constructed of brick with a series of covered single-story walkways set behind an arcaded loggia. In addition, Buildings 1-5, Officer’s Quarters were developed on the west, or 8^th Street SE side of the installation. Hornblower & Marshall are responsible for the design and Arthur Cowsill, a local D.C. builder, is responsible for their construction.

Although MBW Main Post has undergone renovations over time, it represents an important example of military architecture dating to the early-19^th and 20^th centuries, designed by noted architects. It has served as the residence of the US Marine Corps Commandant since 1805 and is home to the US Marine Corps Band; often called the President's Own. Furthermore, the Commandant’s House is one of the very few public buildings in Washington, DC that survived the attack and subsequent burning of the city by British troops during the War of 1812.

History of building 8

Building 8, Battalion Headquarters was originally constructed to serve as barracks for the installation. In 1975, Building 20 was constructed to provide housing, and Building 8 was converted for use as an administration building.

Currently, Building 8 functions as the Battalion Headquarters for Marine Barracks Washington. The building is the Main Post’s hub providing work and meeting spaces which support general administrative and professional services. The three-and-a-half story building also facilitates training and educational courses, a public works shop, and changing rooms. The exterior of Building 8 functions as the ceremonial backdrop of Marine Barracks Washington’s Evening Parade, an event which takes place every Friday night in the summertime.

In 1900, with the exception of Quarters 6-Commandant’s House, all buildings at Marine Barracks Washington was determined inadequate for the growing garrison and slated for replacement. From 1900 to 1911, architecture firm Hornblower & Marshall designed new barracks (Building 8), the Band Hall (Building 9), Quarters 1–5, and Post 1 (Building 10) at the main entry.

Constructed 1902-1905, Building 8 was part of the new installation designed by Hornblower & Marshall. Joseph C. Hornblower and J. Rush Marshall formed architectural firm, Hornblower & Marshall, in 1883 which lasted until 1923. The firm established a reputation in Washington as one of the best residential architects by designing houses for the social and political elite.

The new building was constructed at a cost of $81,874 and contained of a gymnasium, dormitories for the headquarters guard, a kitchen, and a mess hall. The rectangular plan, two-story brick building extends along the east side of the parade grounds from G Street SE to I Street SE. Three pavilions rose above the two-story building: The central pavilion was topped by a machicolated brick cornice and crenellated limestone parapet, rising an additional one-and-a-half-story above the side-gable roof below; the two flanking pavilions to the north and south were capped with a hipped, slate-tile roof and rose a half story above the lower portion of the building. An arcaded loggia spanned the entirety of the east elevation. Hornblower & Marshall’s design intent was to create a cohesive aesthetic between Building 8 and neighboring structures by incorporating a similar cornice, belt course, and color of brick. The exterior of Building 8 prominently serves as the ceremonial background to the weekly (seasonal) evening parades at the Main Post.

Exterior

Building 8 is a two-story, brick building laid in five-course American bond with a rectangular footprint and a slate-clad, hipped roof. The building’s primary façade faces the Parade Grounds and is comprised of an arcaded loggia on the first floor and evenly spaced, replacement one-overone, double-hung window sashes with cast stone lintels and sills on the second. The two stories are bisected by a cast stone belt course. Three pavilions overlook the slate roof and maintain their original design by Hornblower & Marshall. The central pavilion rises one-and-a-half stories above the lower portion of the building and features a distinctive machicolated brick cornice and crenellated cast stone parapet. The central pavilion’s original arched windows have been replaced with modern sashes that do not fill the original opening and, subsequently, the arches have been infilled with painted wood panels. Additional pavilions are located to the north and south of the center of the building and are discernibly smaller than the central one, rising a half-story and capped with hipped, slate-tile roofs. The exterior of Building 8 prominently serves as the ceremonial background to the weekly (seasonal) evening parades at the Main Post.

Interior

The interior of the building is used as headquarters and office spaces that support general administrative and professional services. Several other offices are located throughout Marine Barracks Washington yet this building is the administrative center. Additionally, the building accommodates classroom and training areas, a public works shop, and locker/changing rooms. A majority of the interior’s original floor plan and finishes were removed during renovations to accommodate the changing programmatic uses needed by the US Marine Corps.

The interior retains few original materials, though the Marine Barracks, in coordination with external agencies, coordinated preservation and rehabilitation of historical interior finishes. Efforts included:

Rehabilitation of tongue & groove wood floors
Preservation of the interior metal stairwells and wooden handrails
Rehabilitation of mosaic floor tiles that once served a communal shower room
Preservation of painted ceiling beams