Florida House on Capitol Hill

Florida House on Capitol Hill
Location Washington, D.C.
Address 1 2nd St NE
Coordinates 38°53′24.3″N 77°0′12″W / 38.890083°N 77.00333°W / 38.890083; -77.00333Coordinates: 38°53′24.3″N 77°0′12″W / 38.890083°N 77.00333°W / 38.890083; -77.00333

Florida House on Capitol Hill, sometimes referred to as Florida's Embassy (even though legally, individual states do not have embassies as do foreign governments) or the Manning House, is a privately owned education and information center located in central Washington, D.C.. It provides meeting, classroom and reception space for Floridians and others when they visit the nation's capital city. Florida House is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded solely through private donations; the building is not owned by the State of Florida nor is it supported by Florida taxpayer dollars.

Located on top of Capitol Hill, directly behind the Supreme Court at the corner of East Capitol and Second St. NE, Florida House offers a view of the United States Capitol.

Florida House conducts educational, cultural and award programs each year including the Florida Congressional Intern Seminar Series. around 15,000 people visit Florida House each year.[1] In addition to rest and relaxation (including a free glass of orange juice, Florida's official beverage), visitors meet a staff on hand with information on tours, restaurants, attractions, historic sites and directions.

Mission

Florida House is Florida's Embassy in Washington, D.C. that connects, celebrates and champions Florida to the world.

History

Opening its door on October 26, 1973, Florida House became the first, and remains the only, "State Embassy" in Washington DC. Its purpose is to serve the people of the State of Florida. Florida House is an education and information center and provides exclusive meeting, classroom and reception space for Floridians visiting Washington DC.

The Victorian-style row house that is now Florida House was originally built in 1891 by Edwin Manning, an architect working on the Library of Congress. By the time Rhea Chiles walked past the house in 1972, the neighborhood was unsafe, the second floor had caved in, the windows were boarded up and homeless people were living in the basement. But there was a "For Sale" sign out front. Recalling one of her children had asked where Florida's embassy was during a tour of Embassy Row, she used that vision to raise $120,000 from friends in Florida then added $5,000 of her own money to purchase the house.

It was operated on a shoestring budget for ten years and the beams holding up the third floor collapsed in 1982 causing interior tumbling, and major structural and interior renovations were subsequently done. The trustees determined the furnishings in the house should reflect that of a home built in 1891. Every piece of furniture and art has been a gift from a Floridian.[2]

Organization

Florida House is not owned by the State of Florida, but rather by the people of the state through a nonprofit foundation. The foundation is managed by a Board of Trustees representing a cross-section of business, cultural and philanthropic leaders of Florida. No state or federal tax dollars support the house or its operations. Funding of the house is by individual contributions from fellow Floridians, corporate sponsors and the Board of Trustees. Rhea Chiles was Chairman Emeritus of the House until her death in 2015. According to the bylaws, the spouse of the current governor is invited to serve as Honorary Chairman.

Officers of the Board of Trustees include: Chairman, Senior Vice Chairmen made up of spouses of current or former elected officials, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The Executive Director maintains the day-to-day operations of the house and its programs. The state is divided into regions, with regional groups hosting yearly fundraisers.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "There's Only One State Embassy In Washington. Of Course, It's Florida's" Eliza McGraw, Atlas Obscura, 28 October 2016
  2. ↑ "Florida House on Capitol Hill - FloridaHouseDC.org". www.floridahousedc.org.
  3. ↑ "Friday Files", Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 10 March 2010
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