Mar

March 15, 1882

Portrait of Spencer Fullerton Baird (1823-1887), second Secretary (1878-1887) of the Smithsonian Institution. Baird, an ornithologist, arrived in Washington in 1850 to become Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, a post he held for 28 years. Upon the death of Joseph Henry, the first Secretary of the Smithsonian (1847-1878), he became Secretary. In this image Baird is facing more forward and only slightly looking to the right. Baird noted in his desk diary that William Bell came to photograph him on January 10, 1867

A letter from Secretary Spencer F. Baird is laid before the U.S. Congress proposing to have the interior of the Smithsonian Institution Building East Wing remodeled and fireproofed, including a new arrangement of floors, partitions, and roofs, which would double the internal capacity of the building without disturbing its present architectural style. The wing, which was not damaged by the 1865 fire, had a wood and plaster interior at the time of the remodeling request. To support his request, Baird includes an extract from a building inspector’s report noting that the east wing and connecting corridor contain all the records and valuable documents of the Institution. As the interior is entirely of wood, the report recommends the wing be completely cleared out and rebuilt and furnished with improved modes of communication and egress.

Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives