Armed Forces Retirement Home Historic District

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The Armed Forces Retirement Home Historic District includes a collection of 19th- and early-20th-century buildings, as well as an extensive historic landscapes. Dating from 1842 to 1951, the focal point is Lincoln Cottage, the centerpiece of the property. The Gothic Revival-style cottage was originally known as Corn Rigs, as it was built between 1842 and 1843 for George Riggs. In 1852, following a push to establish a soldiers' home in DC, Congress purchased the cottage to use as a home for retired and disabled U.S. Army Veterans. The asylum continued to develop with the construction of surrounding buildings in the years that followed. In addition to the buildings, the historic grounds -- and the statuary and war relics that decorate them -- comprise part of the historic district.

The historic district includes 140 contributing properties, as well as Soldiers’ Home National Historic Site (United States Military Asylum). Lincoln Cottage has been designated a National Monument.

DC Inventory: May 22, 2008
National Register: December 5, 2007