At first glance, D.C.’s U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters, with its vast corridors (measuring 7 miles in total) and looming facade, give off the same vibes as many other massive government buildings in the heart of downtown: imposing, impossibly large and mysterious.
At one time, the USDA was the largest building in the country in terms of square footage. If you lined up all 12 million bricks used to make the building end to end, you’d be able to reach Salt Lake City, Utah.
But buried deep within the bowels of this structure, among the whopping 4,500 offices inside, there’s a cluster of about half a dozen rooms that hide the District’s least known, off-the-beaten-path “museum.”
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax got an exclusive tour inside the USDA Museum, packed with a rich history of forgotten knickknacks that cultivate the centuries-long story of farming in America.
Founded by Wayne Connelly, a 36-year veteran employee who has served as a budget analyst for the USDA, the museum is a collection of items he’s harvested from all over. Over the past few years, he’s grown his collection from four artifacts to over 2,000.
Wayne describes himself as the first and only “agriculturian,” or a historian/curator of farming history memorabilia. Some items in his museum are from antique shops, others from estate sales, and some have been pulled from the vast nooks and crannies within the gargantuan USDA building itself.
Entering inside is like stumbling into a set piece from a Harry Potter movie.
Old farming tools, various maps and newspaper clippings (which seem to jump out at you off the page), a host of mini sculptures and trophies, and even little pieces of replica food are strewn across tables, shelves and desks in a manner that Wayne describes as “controlled chaos.” To stick with the film analogy, think the Room of Requirement or the Ministry of Magic meets a barnyard.
As Matt found out, every item inside the museum relates back to one theme: food.
Come along with him on his latest video adventure, where he explores the history of the industry many might take for granted, but certainly can’t live without!
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