WASHINGTON — The Lockkeeper’s House, the oldest building on the National Mall, is on the move and is undergoing a makeover.
The structure, built in 1837, moved a few feet from where it was located, on the corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue Northwest.
The Trust for the National Mall calls it a gateway to the National Mall.
The move was part of the Constitution Gardens revitalization project. After undergoing renovations, the Lockkeeper’s House will have a visitor’s information center and a digital exhibition about the history of the National Mall.
According to National Park Service, the Lockkeeper’s House is the only remnant of the C&O Canal Extension, which was used to connect the Washington City Canal and the C&O Canal in the early 1830s. Then, the person who manned the lock to the house collected tolls and kept records of trade on the canal, said NPS. In the 1900s, the Lockkeeper’s House was used as Park Police headquarters and for park maintenance storage.
Watch a video of the relocation of the Lockkeeper’s House, courtesy of EarthCam.
