U.S. Treasury Building East Wing

Historic view of Mills' designed U.S. Treasury East Wing

The Treasury Building was originally designed by Robert Mills. An excellent book on Robert Mills is available from the American Institute of Architects and other sources. John Bryan was editor and author of much of the chapters on the South Carolina portion of the carrer of Robert Mills. It contains little specifically on the Treasury Building but the Mills Papers prepared by Pamela Scott is a good resource as is the curator's office of the Treaury building located at the Treasury Department. The Treasury Department quickly outgrew the space and Mills was asked to design an extension. His life ended before the decision was made for the continuation of construction. The construction was controversial but the main intention was to build a large fire proof structure. Several fires in Washington destroyed important records and Congress recognized the importance of future Government buildings surviving fires. The design selected was the best technologically known at the time for a building that could survive fire hazards. The classical design was in keeping with the desire of Congress to use a style of architecture that symbolized democratic republics of ancient Greek and Rome. They also insisted Mills use sandstone from a nearby quarry for the exterior (which Mills resisted because the stone deteriorated in time and had to be replaced with the present exterior with the exception of the inner court exterior walls). Interior walls are brick. In public stories the brick walls were faced with plaster. It is simple and functional. The original entrance is seen in the drawing to the present second floor.

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