Chamber of Commerce of the United States
Facing the northwest corner of Lafayette Square, where the burly figure of Baron Von Steuben, drillmaster of General Washington's Revolutionary troops, stands on its tall pedestal, is the home of the United States Chamber of Commerce. The building occupies the historic site of the Stockton and Corcoran houses, the latter once the residence of Daniel Webster. Diagonally across the street stands the "House of Blood", where Commodore Stephen Decatur died after a duel with Commodore Barron. In the immediate vicinity are the sites of a number of other house wehre American history has been made...
During the next decade the National Chamber of Commerce became so firmly entrenched and the need for a permanent home so pressing that plans were formulated for the latter's construction. This massive building, dedicated in 1925, cost approximately $3,000,000, raised through subscriptions from 13,000 businessmen, members of trade associations, and chambers of commerce in every State in the Union. Nearly 200 cities are represented in the list of contributors inscribed on a huge plaque in the entrance lobby.
The Chamber of Commerce Building is one of the more important works of Cass Gilbert, the architect who designed the new Supreme Court Building. The structure is of modernized Greek classic design, and an impressive example of adaptation of an ancient architectural style to modern needs with a minimum loss of interior space. Noticeable classic details of the exterior are the Corinthian columns and the Erechtheum door motif on the H Street facade. Like many of the new Government buildings, the exterior is of Indiana limestone. -Washington, City and Capital, 1937, pg. 545-546.
The building continues to serve as the headquarters for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The building is in excellent condition and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.