United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
Search the website
Discover the rich heritage of “the People's House” and its central role in U.S. history since 1789. Explore its unique story and the men and women who have shaped it. Browse its collections. Access historical data and other research resources.

Whereas: Stories from the People’s House

April 13, 2026

Revolutionary War Veterans in the House Collection

Revolutionary War veterans are well represented in the portraits of the House of Representatives. Paintings of two heroes of the Revolution, George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, have been in the House Chamber for almost two centuries. Five Speakers of the House served in the Continental Army during the war and are memorialized in the Speaker portrait collection. In a livelier vein, veteran and Representative Matthew Lyon wields a pair of fire tongs in the House print “Congressional Pugilists.”
More >

House History

Representative Jeannette Rankin: Suffragist in the House

Unlike other early women in Congress, Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana came from a suffrage background with long experience as a lobbyist before her election in 1916. Learn how the first woman in Congress influenced the passage and ratification of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.
More >

About The Offices

This site is a collaborative project between the Office of the Historian and the Clerk of the House's Office of Art and Archives. The offices preserve, collect, and interpret the heritage of the U.S. House, serving as the institution’s memory and a resource for Members, staff, and the general public.

Explore

Featured Collection Object

Featured Oral History

Singing in the House Chamber

Singing in the House Chamber

Featured Records

House Journal of the 1st Congress

House Journal of the 1st Congress

Letter in Favor of Prohibition

Letter in Favor of Prohibition

Historical Highlight

A Historic Change in the Oath of Office April 15, 1929

A Historic Change in the Oath of Office

The Swearing-in of Representatives Ruth Bryan Owen of Florida and Ruth Hanna McCormick of Illinois April 15, 1929

The Swearing-in of Representatives Ruth Bryan Owen of Florida and Ruth Hanna McCormick of Illinois

Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov