The Pentagon The Pentagon The Pentagon, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase "The Pentagon" is often used as a metonym for the Department of Defense and its leadership. The building was designed by American architect George Bergstrom and built by contractor John McShain. Ground was broken on September 11, 1941, and the building was dedicated on January 15, 1943. General Brehon Somervell provided the major motivating power behind the project; Colonel Leslie Groves was responsible for overseeing the
Construction of the Virginia approaches to Arlington Memorial Bridge Lee Boulevard.) was then under construction in a west-northwesterly direction from Falls Church, Virginia. At the time, its exact western terminus had not yet been decided, although many expected it to link with Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Virginia State Highway Commission, which was providing some of the money for Lee Highway, agreed with the NCPC. But Arlington County, which was building the highway, remained silent on the issue. Arlington County and Virginia officials were quiet about their preferences for the approaches in 1926 and 1927. The NCPC had the authority in the D.C. metropolitan area not only to approve