United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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Amplifiers Installed in the House of Representatives

Black and white photograph of the House Chamber with amplifiers, shaped like ten horns, hanging from the ceiling near the rostrum. The chamber is nearly empty, but several people speak in a group on the floor./tiles/collection/1/13458.xml
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Reverse of photograph with maker’s information, caption reading, “Amplifiers which have been installed in the House of Representatives aid in carrying the voice to all parts of the big chamber,” and handwritten text reading, “Washington DC Public Bldg”/tiles/collection/1/13459.xml
Download this image
Black and white photograph of the House Chamber with amplifiers, shaped like ten horns, hanging from the ceiling near the rostrum. The chamber is nearly empty, but several people speak in a group on the floor.
Reverse of photograph with maker’s information, caption reading, “Amplifiers which have been installed in the House of Representatives aid in carrying the voice to all parts of the big chamber,” and handwritten text reading, “Washington DC Public Bldg”
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Date

1922-11-23

Maker

National Photo Company

Dimensions

6 1/2 × 8 1/2 in. (16.5 × 21.6 cm)

Accession Number

PA2015.03.0044

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

The first loudspeakers in the House Chamber arrived in 1922. Ten trumpets suspended from the ceiling carried the sound to all corners of the room. Although the noise was loud, Members agreed that it was incomprehensible. The entire system was pulled out in 1924, and the House operated without amplification for the next decade.

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