Nebraska Avenue Complex facts for kids
The Nebraska Avenue Complex (often called NAC) is a group of buildings in Washington, D.C. You can find it at 3801 Nebraska Avenue NW. This place used to be the home of the Mount Vernon Seminary. It also housed important parts of the U.S. military, like the Navy Communication Security Section.
Today, the Nebraska Avenue Complex is the main headquarters for the United States Department of Homeland Security. This department helps keep our country safe. The complex is located near AU Park and is surrounded by Nebraska Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue.
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A Look at the Nebraska Avenue Complex's Past
For many years, from 1917 to 1942, the Nebraska Avenue Complex was a school called Mount Vernon Seminary. It was a place where young women studied.
But by the end of 1942, the United States Department of the Navy took over the buildings. They officially bought the land on July 20, 1943, for $1.1 million. After the Navy bought it, the area was renamed the Communications Supplementary Annex.
Between 1943 and 1946, a very important group called the Communication Security Section worked here. They moved from another Navy building in Washington, D.C. Later, on July 7, 1948, the name changed to Navy Communications Station. It changed again on September 21, 1950, to Naval Security Station (NAVSECSTA).
From 1943 to 1949, the Annex also housed the Naval Code and Signals Laboratory. This lab worked on secret codes and signals.
The National Security Agency's Early Home
In September 1950, two Navy groups joined together. They formed the Naval Security Group, with its main office at NAVSECSTA.
Starting in 1951, the Station became home to units from the National Security Agency (NSA). The NSA is a government agency that protects U.S. information systems. After the NSA was officially created in 1952, its headquarters and a special security branch were located here.
Over the years, the names of these Navy groups changed a few times. By 1971, it was known as the Naval Security Group Command Headquarters.
In November 1995, the main staff of the Communication Security Group moved from the Nebraska Avenue Complex. They moved to Fort George G. Meade.
Another Navy group, the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Command, was also at the complex. They were there from December 1990 to August 2001.
On October 16, 1998, the Naval Security Station officially closed down. It then became known as the Nebraska Avenue Complex. From 1998 to 2005, several other Navy offices were located here. These included groups that looked at costs, public safety, and international programs.
The Department of Homeland Security Moves In
In 2002, a new office called the Office of Homeland Security moved into the complex. This office was created the year before to help protect the country.
Later, this office became the United States Department of Homeland Security. The Nebraska Avenue Complex then became the main headquarters for this important department.
Since 2005, the complex has been owned by the General Services Administration. This agency manages government buildings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grew very large. It needed more space than the Nebraska Avenue Complex could offer.
So, in 2007, the DHS bought the West Campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital. This was meant to be a much larger headquarters. However, as of 2019, construction and renovations were still happening. Only some DHS staff had moved to the new location.
