Millions visit the expansive National Mall each year in Washington, D.C., to see the towering Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, Washington Monument and more. They likely walk right by the Lockkeeper's House — a diminutive, storied house, nestled at the corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue. But the oldest building on the National Mall is now at the forefront of its revitalization.
Built in 1837, the 350-square-foot building was home to the lockkeeper of the Washington City Canal. The house was originally situated on the corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, when 17th Street was a wharf and Constitution Avenue was the canal. The canal became defunct in the middle of the 19th century, turning into an open sewer and a health hazard, until it was filled in the early 20th century. Later, a road widening project resulted in the house sticking out into the street. So, in 1916, the house was moved out of the street and placed closer to the Mall, on what is now the sidewalk along Constitution Avenue. After being boarded up for over 40 years, the house was moved once again in 2017 and now sits 30 feet inland from its previous spot.
