He was history teacher and came to congress and realized there was no organization saying nice things about the congress and thought there ought to be somebody who did that and created the u. S. Capitol Historical Society as a way to create an organization whose responsibility would be to educate the public about the capital, the capital building, the people who served here and the architecture thats here. For over 50 years, we have been doing this with publications. With guide books to the capital. Calendars that we produce and many members purchase and issue to their constituents. And other ways. Were formed by congress, but were not a federal agency. Were a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. We have to raise all of our own dollars for people who help sponsored this evening tonight are part of that organization of people who help us stay in business. And every year we try and honor a committee of the congress. This year the ways and Means Committee and we try and alternate between
And subsequent financial reforms. Im donald ritchie, the senate historian, and we are in the Senate Caucus room in the Russell Senate Office Building. Before cspan started covering the senate, this was the most famous room in the capitol complex th, becausee this is where major hearings had been televised coming back newsreels covered it in the 1920s and 1930s, but television came along in 1940. This is where viewers would have seen the crime investigation, the kefauver crime investigation, the mccarthy hearings and the watergate hearings. So this was the most televised room until the Senate Chamber was open to television. I bring people in here from time to time. You can hear the echoes. Point of order, mr. Chairman. You can hear the gavel. Of the chairman. My point of order. [gavel bangs] counsel advised the chair that the senator is engaging in a statement im getting sick of getting interrupted in the middle of a sentence. Mr. Chairman, do i have the floor or do i not . Oh, be quiet
Representatives came. In the 1850s, they had to put on the wings. By the 1870s, they were crowded. They couldnt find space for the sn senators to work. Offices were their discs in the chamber. Of course, they were constantly besieged there. So eventually they kept adding space to the capital. They built terraces in the 1870s and added extra rooms and that p wasnt enough. In the 1890s, they bought an old apartment house, which is down constitution avenue about where the taft stands today. For a while, senators moved in there, to the envy of many house members, because that gave senators private offices, at least some of the senators. But the building had been built as an apartment house, not an Office Building. The weight of an Office Building was too much. It began to sink. The elevator shaft was seven inches lower by the time they moved out. That was pulling the floors apart. It was unsafe. It was a fire trap. It was very uncomfortable. People complained about it. It would have been e
Before cspan started covering the sessions, this was where the major hearings were televised going back to news reels covering it in the 1920s and 30s. Television came after long in the 1940s. This is where viewers would have seen the crime investigation, army mcarthur hearings, water gate hear agos. This was the most famous televised room until the chamber was open to television. I bring people in here from time to time. You can hear the echoes. You can hear the gavel of the chairma chairman. The story of congress is the story of the nation. Thats a story of growth. The capital started as a very small sand stone square box. It sort of grew as states entered the union and more senators and representatives came. In the 1850s so many entered they had to put on two wings for Current Senate and house chambers. By the 70s they were crowded and couldnt find space for senators to work. Initially senators offices were their desk in the chamber. They were constantly besieged there. So eventuall
Each week, American History tvs artifacts takes you t each week, American History tvs american artifacts takes you to. Museums. Opened in 1909, the Russell Senate Office Building was constructed to ease chronic conditions. We will learn about the noted Senate Investigations held in the caucus room. From the 1912 titanic inquiry to the 1930s hearings about the causes of the 1929 stock market crash. Im donald ritchie, the senate historian, and we are in the Senate Caucus room in the Russell Senate Office Building. Before cspan started covering the senate, this was the most famous room in the capitol complex th, becausee this is where major hearings had been televised coming back newsreels covered it in the 1920s and 1930s, but television came along in 1940. This is where viewers would have seen the crime investigation, the Army Mccarthy hearings, the watergate hearings. So this was the most televised room until the Senate Chamber was open to television. I bring people in here from time t