Existing comment:
Clara Barton Lived and Worked Here
Clara Barton and the Civil War
While living in rooms on the third floor of 437 Seventh Street, NW, Clara Barton conceived of a series of volunteer-based initiatives that would eventually lead to the formation of the American Red Cross in 1881. Two months after the start of the Civil War, in June 1861, Barton rented two rooms here, just blocks from the US Patent Office where she was employed as a clerk. Dividing her time between work and battlefield support, Barton's living quarters were transformed into a storeroom for supplies and a base for relief operations. In 1865, at the close of the war, Barton organized the Missing Soldiers Office to gather and disseminate information about soldiers missing in action, initially housing this ambitious operation in her living quarters before expanding into adjoining rooms. While directing the Missing Soldiers Office from 1865 to 1868, Clara Bartom embarked on a highly successful lecture tour, furthering her national acclaim. |