The Women Who Lived at CIA — Central Intelligence Agency
Very interesting read, and nice share by the CIA on International Women's Day, 2018.
Margaret and Florence had been living comfortably on their estate for fifteen years when the US Government began purchasing the surrounding land for federal use. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) acquired 742 acres near Georgetown Pike to build a research facility. Watching the government buying up the surrounding acres, Margaret and Florence decided to be proactive and reached a settlement with the government. The women would be paid $54,189 upfront to purchase their property, but they could remain living onsite. Once both women passed away, the government would take over the property.
Satisfied with this agreement and optimistic that the FHWA would be their only neighbor, the women returned to life as normal on the estate. The CIA was only a year old at the time and headquartered on E St. in Foggy Bottom. The possibility of its relocation never even crossed their minds.
The CIA workforce, however, was quickly outgrowing its temporary buildings scattered across the National Mall. In time, CIA Director Allen Dulles began looking for a location to build a new headquarters building. He wanted a location that would offer a campus-like setting, land that would afford greater security and privacy, and an area accessible to CIA employees. Of the several sights he was considering in the Washington, DC area, the land surrounding the Calvert Estate was the most suitable.
Very interesting read, and nice share by the CIA on International Women's Day, 2018.