The National Archives Celebrates 50 Years on South Pulaski Road in Chicago

We are celebrating American Archives Month with a series on National Archives history. Today’s post comes from Elise Fariello, an archives specialist at the National Archives at Chicago. The National Archives and Records Center building in Chicago is 50 years old in 2023! The building, located at 7358 South Pulaski Road, was built in 1973 … Continue reading The National Archives Celebrates 50 Years on South Pulaski Road in Chicago

A look back at 2014

What a year! Here's some of the highlights of the last 12 months of the National Archives that we shared on our blog. Thanks for reading in 2014--we'll see you in 2015 with more pieces of history! The National Archives turned 80 The Historian of the National Archives, Jessie Kratz, shared the stories of an agency … Continue reading A look back at 2014

Carting the Charters

Visitors to downtown Washington, DC, on December 13, 1952, were treated to an interesting sight—armored vehicles escorted by a barrage of military and police personnel. It wasn’t a holiday or the Presidential motorcade or a visiting dignitary. On that chilly December morning, passersby saw the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States … Continue reading Carting the Charters

Making Room for Records

Continuing our celebration of American Archives month, today’s post comes from Christina James, intern in the National Archives History Office. Since it opened and began accepting records in 1935, the National Archives has had to face the issue of space. Housing the records of the Federal Government is no small task, even when only 1-3 … Continue reading Making Room for Records

“The Posner Affair”

Continuing our celebration of American Archives Month, today’s post comes from Christina James, an intern in the National Archives History Office. As the inscription on the west side of the National Archives Building reads, the National Archives is home to “the chronicles of those who conceived and builded the structure of our nation.” Primarily thought … Continue reading “The Posner Affair”

Survey of Federal Archives

Continuing our celebration of American Archives Month, today’s post comes from Tom Ryan, an intern in the National Archives History Office. Do you ever wonder where records were stored before the National Archives was created in 1934? Photograph of storage conditions of the Office of Indian Affairs records, 1935.(National Archives Identifier 74228359) Before 1934, the federal … Continue reading Survey of Federal Archives

Symbols of Significance: The Pediments of the National Archives Building

October is American Archives Month! To celebrate the month dedicated to all things archives, we will feature weekly posts on the history of the National Archives. Today’s post comes from Christina James, intern in the National Archives History Office. Measuring 118 feet wide and 18 feet high at their peaks, the pediments on the north and south sides of … Continue reading Symbols of Significance: The Pediments of the National Archives Building

Doors of Monumental Proportions

Today’s post comes from Jessie Kratz, Historian of the National Archives. On June 19 the National Archives celebrates its 80th anniversary. Constitution Avenue Entrance with doors closed, 6/13/1936. (National Archives Identifier 7820634) If you have ever visited the National Archives in Washington, DC, you may have noticed two very, very large bronze doors that mark the … Continue reading Doors of Monumental Proportions