The History of USDA Slide Show

The history of the US Department of Agriculture can be traced back to 1839 when the Agricultural Division of the Patent Office was established. The mission of this Division was to acquire, propagate, evaluate and distribute seeds and plants, and to collect agricultural statistics and production information. In 1862, the Agricultural Division became the US Department of Agriculture.

In 1865, the USDA began its move from the Patent Office building to " Street Map for Reservation No.2 ". The Reservation was located on 35 acres of land between 12th and 14th Streets and the Canal (now Independence Avenue) and B Street (now Constitution Avenue). In 1868, a building, designed by Adolf Cluss, was constructed on the south side of the Reservation. In 1871, a Victorian-style Conservatory, also designed by Adolf Cluss, was constructed just west of the Agricultural Building.

As the mission and research program expanded, additional land and facilities in the surrounding Washington, Maryland, and Virginia area were leased. During the late 1930's, all the research facilities in Maryland, Virginia and Washington were co-located at the "National Agricultural Research Center" in Beltsville, MD.

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Early History

Part 1 Patent Office, U.S. Propagation Garden

Part 2 USDA Established, Move out of Patent Office, Conservatory Contructed, Arboretum Americanum,

Plants

Part 1 Expanded Program, Additional Facilities, Add Land

Part 2 Wilson Reorganization, Flower Shows

Part 3 Arlington

Part 4 Cherry Trees, Yarrow, Glen Dale, 1930 Organization. Depression

Part 5 Henry A. Wallace, Beltsville. Experimental Farm Moves, Mall

Animals

Part 1 Bureau of Animal Industry, Benning Rd, Bethesda, Wilson Reorganization

Part 2 Beltsville, Dairy and Animal Husbandry, Poultry

Part 3 Henry C. Wallace, 1930 Organization, Depression

Part 4 Henry A. Wallace, Animal Disease moves to Beltsville, CCC, Poultry Road

Part 5 Turkeys, Animal Husbandry and Dairy

Arboretum

Part 1 Introduction, Geometrical Flower Beds

Part 2 Annual and Perennial Plants, Trees and Shrubs, Conservatory

Part 3 Museum, Greenhouses

Part 4 Flower Shows

Part 5 Tourist Attraction, Move to Anacostia Site

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