Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. is located at 8th and I Streets, Southeast in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
Established in 1801, it is a
National Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance. All NHLs are listed in the National Register of Historic Places...
, the oldest post in the
United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, and home to the
Commandant of the Marine CorpsThe Commandant of the Marine Corps is the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
since 1806. It is also one of the oldest government buildings in continuous use in Washington, D.C., though some sources conflict on whether the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
is a year older.
The buildings at the Marine Barracks are some of the oldest in Washington.
Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. is located at 8th and I Streets, Southeast in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
Established in 1801, it is a
National Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance. All NHLs are listed in the National Register of Historic Places...
, the oldest post in the
United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, and home to the
Commandant of the Marine CorpsThe Commandant of the Marine Corps is the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
since 1806. It is also one of the oldest government buildings in continuous use in Washington, D.C., though some sources conflict on whether the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
is a year older.
History
The buildings at the Marine Barracks are some of the oldest in Washington. In 1801,
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States , the principal author of the Declaration of Independence , and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States...
and Commandant LtCol William Ward Burrows rode horses about the new capital to find a place suitable for the Marines near the
Washington Navy YardThe Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy. The Yard currently serves as a ceremonial and administrative center for the U.S...
. Burrows chose the location and hired architect
George HadfieldGeorge Hadfield was born in Livorno, Italy of English parents, who were hotel-keepers. He studied at the Royal Academy, and worked with James Wyatt for six years before emigrating to the United States....
to design the barracks and the Commandant’s House.
When the British
burned WashingtonThe Burning of Washington took place on August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812 between the British Empire and the United States of America. British forces occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following the American defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg. The facilities of...
during the
War of 1812The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , lasted from 1812 to 1815. It was fought chiefly on the Atlantic Ocean and on the land, coasts and waterways of North America.There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S...
, they also captured the Marine barracks, whom they had defeated at the
Battle of BladensburgThe Battle of Bladensburg was a battle fought during the War of 1812. The defeat of the American forces there allowed the British to capture and burn Washington, D.C. It has been called "the greatest disgrace ever dealt to American arms."-Background:...
. It is traditionally held within the Marine Corps that, out of respect for the brave showing of the Marines at Bladensburg, the British refrained from burning the barracks and the Commandant's house. Another possible reason is that they intended to use it as a command post, but left the area before this could be done.
Square 927, now the block surrounded by 8th & I, and 9th & G Streets S.E., was entered in the
National Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1972, and was then designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior in 1976.
8th and I has been the home of the Silent Drill Platoon and the "President's Own" U.S. Marine Band since the barracks' establishment in 1801 and the residence of the Commandant since 1806, when the Commandant's House was completed.
Duties
- Funeral escort for Marines and dignitaries.
- Ceremonial honor guard for state functions.
- Security Forces for Camp David and the White House.
- Parades
- Friday Evening Parade
- Tuesday Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial
- Provide military correspondence courses for Marines and other services through tenant company Marine Corps Institute.
- Training to maintain MOS
A Military Occupational Specialty code is used in the United States Army and United States Marines. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used. In the United States Navy, a system of naval ratings and designators is used along with Navy Enlisted Classification ...
proficiency and emergency preparedness.
The Marines assigned to the D.C. barracks must meet strict height and weight standards, since they perform in ceremonial parades, funerals, and other ceremonies for presidential and other national dignitaries. During the summer months, a Sunset Parade is held every Tuesday evening at the Marine Corps War Memorial in
RosslynRosslyn is an unincorporated area in Northern Virginia located in the northeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, north of Arlington National Cemetery and directly across the Potomac River from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Rosslyn encompasses the Arlington neighborhoods of North Rosslyn...
,
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue...
near
Arlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery, in Arlington County, Virginia is a military cemetery in the United States, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a descendant of Martha Washington. The...
. In addition, an Evening Parade takes place at the Barracks every Friday evening from late spring until the end of summer. Both Sunset and Evening Parades are open to the public.
See also
External links