A few days ago I received an email from a friend regarding the original OSS headquarters in Washington DC, which has come under threat of being demolished by the US State Department, the owners of the site. It took five seconds of research for me to realize that the complex was an historical treasure and that I need to do something to help.

“Although they have seen changes since 1945, the OSS headquarters’ three core buildings and central quadrangle remain one of Washington’s most intact and significant World War II sites…

With its service as the headquarters of the OSS, as well as the CIA from its founding in 1947 to 1961, the campus’ legacy as the birthplace of the American intelligence and special operations communities is unrivaled. 

Although its historical significance seems indisputable, the OSS headquarters faces a complex and contested path to preservation. The push to preserve the complex began when The OSS Society heard rumors that the State Department, which currently owns the site, intended to demolish the buildings to make way for a development called the “Potomac Hill Diplomatic Center.” Although the State Department has recently awarded a contract for a master development plan that includes a historic preservation study, the OSS buildings’ survival remains far from assured.” -OSS Society Journal Excerpt