United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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History, Art & Archives of the U.S. House of Representatives

Edition for Educators—Chamber Music

by History on August 29, 2016

Whether singing the national anthem or humming along during the latest concert on the Capitol lawn, a stirring refrain is never far from the House Chamber. This month’s Edition for Educators focuses on the long musical history of the House and its Members.

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Categories: Education

Postcards from the House(s)

by Art on August 24, 2016

At the turn of the century, you could send a picture and a message across the country to share your adventures with friends and family for just a penny. How many bore pictures of Representatives’ homes?

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Categories: Art & Artifacts

Gone Fishin’

by Archives on August 15, 2016

John Nance Garner Holding Fish
When legislative sessions run long and the sun bakes down on the Capitol dome, sometimes Members of Congress just want to go fishing. A congressional recess tradition, fishing has long been a respite from the humidity and politics of Washington, and a source of unbelievable stories.

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Categories: Art & Artifacts, People, Photography

We Can’t Make This Stuff Up Either

by History on August 8, 2016

A pianist, a professor, and an anthropologist walk into the Capitol. It sounds like the set up for a bit joke. However, in researching the institution, we occasionally stumble upon a few stories that prove once again that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. This edition features a well-known Member and his lesser known musical career; a tenthidean cephalopod on the House Floor; and the weight of a Members’ brain.

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Categories: People, Institution

Father Knows Best

by History on August 1, 2016

Shortly after noon on an unseasonably mild Thursday in late February 1842, a hush fell over the House as the venerable John Quincy Adams creakily arose from his chair. Just weeks earlier, the House had considered censuring the gray-haired Massachusetts Congressman whom many knew as Old Man Eloquent to punish him for manufacturing a crippling debate about the evils of slavery. But on this day Adams eulogized North Carolina’s Lewis Williams, whom colleagues revered as the “Father of the House”—the Member with the longest continuous service.

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Categories: House Practice & Traditions, People

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Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov