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 had arisen. The best geographic route for Lee Boulevard crossed the northwestern tip of Fort Myer. The War Department was willing to grant an easement to the state to construct this road, but insisted on maintaining jurisdiction over the property. That was unacceptable to the state of Virginia. Other federal officials said that the federal government would also continue to reserve the right to build other approaches to Arlington Memorial Bridge, which the state of Virginia also opposed. The state of Virginia then proposed that federal legislation be enacted to transfer the land to the state. The commandant of Fort