Building History

In 1871 thirteen coordinated row dwellings were completed on F Street NW, between 17th and 18th street. The buildings were named Michler Place in honor of the U.S. commissioner of public buildings and grounds, Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Michler, a close friend of President Ulysses S. Grant.

Michler Place’s construction was financed by Alexander Robey “Boss” Shepherd, the second governor of the territorial government of the District of Columbia. Following the Civil War, much of Washington was in shambles, and trees and roads were demolished in service of the war effort. Looking toward the coming celebration of the nation’s centennial, the city and Shepherd realized that drastic renovations were needed. Shepherd was fiercely committed to making Washington a city worthy of being the nation’s capital, and thanks to the “Boss,” Washington was reborn. Prior to the 1870s, government employees rarely brought their families to Washington.

After the construction of residential buildings, like those at Michler Place, employees and their families seldom left. Michler Place represented Washington’s efforts to become a truly national urban center.

“Boss” Shepherd broke the budget in his quest to rebuild Washington, DC. He requested $91,900 for the renovation of F, G, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st streets, and ended up spending $230,322.17.

When the Panic of 1873 happened, the people of DC were less forgiving of Shepherd and did not remember his revitalization of the city fondly. Congress penned a 3,000-page investigation that blamed Shepherd for negligence, impropriety, robbery, illegal actions, and more. Apparently he had invested heavily in areas where he or his friends had building developments. Congress did not censure Shepherd due to his close relationship with President Grant, but the territorial government (of which he was governor) was disbanded.

In 1876, his business had failed, and he and his family emigrated to Mexico, where he made another fortune in silver.

After 1940, Michler Place became increasingly commercial in character, and the houses were converted into offices, beauty shops, dry cleaners, and restaurants. On January 18, 1979, the buildings were designated a landmark in the District of Columbia. Although the dwellings were largely demolished in 1980, portions of the facades were preserved and incorporated into a new building, which took the address of 1777 F Street, NW.

In 2007, the Council on Foreign Relations purchased the building to serve as its Washington office. After extensive renovations, which resulted in LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Gold Certification, the Council on Foreign Relations inaugurated the building in 2009.