Old Naval Observatory
Old Naval Observatory | |
| Location | 23rd Street and E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°53′42″N 77°03′05″W / 38.895103°N 77.0514428°W |
| Built | 1844 |
| Architect | James Melville Gilliss |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000864 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 12, 1965 |
The Old Naval Observatory is a historic site at 23rd and E Street in Northwest, Washington, D.C. It is where the United States Naval Observatory was located from 1844 to 1893, when it moved to its present grounds. The original observatory building, built 1839–40, still stands, and is a designated National Historic Landmark as of 1965. The Washington meridian of 1850 passes through the Observatory.
The campus around the old observatory is split into two parts: the Potomac Annex to the east (where the observatory stands) and the E Street Complex, also known as Navy Hill, to the west. These two parts are separated geographically as the Potomac Annex is at the top of the hill, while the E Street Complex is farther down. The E Street Complex is also designated as a National Historical Landmark as of December 14, 2016.
The campus for many years housed the Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, which moved out in 2012. The property has been taken over by the State Department.