Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (former headquarters)
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Just a short walk away from the White House, and directly across from the Old Executive Office Building, is the former headquarters of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP). The organization, a foreign policy think tank, has centers in Washington, D.C., Moscow, Beirut, Beijing, Brussels, and New Delhi. The CEIP was established in 1910 by Andrew Carnegie to advance cooperation between nations and promote the active international engagement of the United States of America. Owing to this building's association with the organization, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
Images
Exterior view of the former headquarters of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Image by AgnosticPreachersKid - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9598838
Andrew Carnegie in 1913
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace was founded by American Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1910. He believed that strong international laws and organizations could eliminate war, an idea to which he was strongly committed. In order to further this goal, he established the endowment with a gift of $10 million in mortgage bonds, entrusting his trustees with managing and using the funds for the purpose of "hasten[ing] the abolition of international war, the foulest blot upon our civilization."1
Today, the current D.C. headquarters of the CEIP is responsible for eight programs: The Nuclear Policy Program, Russia & Eurasia Program, South Asia Program, Democracy & Rule of Law Program, Asia Program, Energy & Climate Program, Middle East Program, and Europe Program. It has been ranked as the third most influential think tank in the world by the University of Pennsylvania's 2015 Global Go To Think Tanks Report.
Built in 1860, the former headquarters of the CEIP is located across from the Old Executive Office Building. It once served as the private residence of Peter Parker (the building is also known as the Peter Parker House). Parker was a physician and was known as the "father" of medical missions to China. Architecturally, the brick structure is an Italianate-style row house. It is now part of the Blair House complex, which consists of four adjoining row houses that serve as the official residents for guests of President of the United States.
The Peter Parker House has served as offices for the Bureau of Pan American Republics (the precursor to the Organization of American States) from 1888 to 1908. It became the national headquarters for the CEIP in 1910 and continued to function as such until its move to Massachusetts Avenue in 1948. This specific structure was designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL) on May 30, 1974; and is a contributing property to the Lafayette Square Historic District, which was designated a NHL historic district on August 29, 1970.
Today, the current D.C. headquarters of the CEIP is responsible for eight programs: The Nuclear Policy Program, Russia & Eurasia Program, South Asia Program, Democracy & Rule of Law Program, Asia Program, Energy & Climate Program, Middle East Program, and Europe Program. It has been ranked as the third most influential think tank in the world by the University of Pennsylvania's 2015 Global Go To Think Tanks Report.
Built in 1860, the former headquarters of the CEIP is located across from the Old Executive Office Building. It once served as the private residence of Peter Parker (the building is also known as the Peter Parker House). Parker was a physician and was known as the "father" of medical missions to China. Architecturally, the brick structure is an Italianate-style row house. It is now part of the Blair House complex, which consists of four adjoining row houses that serve as the official residents for guests of President of the United States.
The Peter Parker House has served as offices for the Bureau of Pan American Republics (the precursor to the Organization of American States) from 1888 to 1908. It became the national headquarters for the CEIP in 1910 and continued to function as such until its move to Massachusetts Avenue in 1948. This specific structure was designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL) on May 30, 1974; and is a contributing property to the Lafayette Square Historic District, which was designated a NHL historic district on August 29, 1970.
Sources
1. "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Accessed October 1, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_Endowment_for_International_Peace.
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (former Headquarters)." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Accessed October 1, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_Endowment_for_International_Peace_(former_headquarters).
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Headquarters." City Walking Guide. Accessed October 1, 2016. https://www.citywalkingguide.com/dupontcircle/carnegieendowmentinternationalpeaceheadquarters.
Langland, James (ed.), "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace," The Chicago Daily News Almanac and Year-Book for 1926. Chicago: Chicago Daily News Company, 1925; pg. 591.