The section of the mall the Department of Agriculture Complex resides upon had been assigned to the department since soon after its establishment in 1862. During the Civil War, the area held supply yards and livestock to support the Union troops. Next, the department erected greenhouses and carried out various plant propagation experiments. The grounds soon became a showcase for both popular and exotic plants. The administration building was constructed in 1868, aligned with the Smithsonian Castle. A herbarium and agricultural museum were established. The wings of the existing building were erected in 1904 and 1908. Funding was denied to the project and the construction of the central block would have to wait until 1928.
In February 1979, the building was the target of a massive demonstration for higher farm prices by the American Agriculture Movement. Thousands of farmers with hundreds of tractors and other vehicles converged on Washington. The result was a huge traffic jam, called by many as the worst in Washington history. The farmers were penned inside the Mall by a barricade of Metrobuses and garbage trucks, and began a siege that was to last for weeks.
More information on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its missions can be found on USDA's Home Page.
Smithsonian Castle and Various Art Galleries
