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 the Wilson Boulevard approach could not be submitted to the state of Virginia to obtain funding from the Civil Works Administration. Without federal funding, the project appeared dead. The federal government pledged in December 1933 that WPA money would be available in the future to hire laborers to begin the extension of the roadway. But by June 1934, no funds had come forth. The Arlington County Civic Federation urged the County Board of Supervisors in July 1934 to appropriate funds for the extension of Wilson Boulevard to Arlington Memorial Bridge. CWA funds for the approach appeared to have been secured