It’s huge. It’s brown. It’s 19 feet tall. Honestly, if you’re driving through the Anacostia neighborhood in Southeast Washington, D.C., and you don't notice it, you probably shouldn't be behind the wheel. We’re talking about the Big Chair in DC, a landmark that is exactly what it sounds like, yet holds a weirdly heavy amount of local history in its mahogany-colored slats.
Most people come to the District for the marble. They want the Lincoln Memorial or the Washington Monument. They want the stuff that feels permanent and official. But this chair? It’s different. It’s a piece of "Roadside Americana" dropped right into the middle of an urban landscape that has seen more change in the last fifty years than almost anywhere else in the city.
What is the Big Chair in DC anyway?
Back in 1959, the Curtis Brothers Furniture Company had a problem. They needed people to notice them. In the mid-century marketing world, "bigger" was usually synonymous with "better," so they commissioned Bassett Furniture to build them a giant. It wasn't just a marketing gimmick; it was a statement. At the time of its unveiling, it was touted as the "World's Largest Chair."
Is it still the largest? No. Not even close. Casey, Illinois, and various spots in Italy have since built chairs that would make this one look like a footstool. But in 1959, it was the king.
The original was made of solid African mahogany. It weighed 4,600 pounds. Think about that for a second. That is the weight of a large SUV perched on a corner in Southeast. It wasn't just a statue; it was a feat of mid-century engineering. The Bassett company actually built it to scale—specifically, it's an exact 15-to-1 replica of a Duncan Phyfe style armchair.
The Curtis Brothers Legacy
The Curtis Brothers weren't just random businessmen. They were staples of the Anacostia community. At a time when the neighborhood was transitioning and facing significant economic shifts, their furniture showroom was a massive anchor. The chair stood outside their store at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and V Street SE.
It became a lighthouse for locals. "Meet me at the Big Chair" became a standard direction. If you knew where the chair was, you knew where you were in the world.
A Near Death Experience for a Giant
Wood rots. That’s the simple, annoying truth of outdoor landmarks. By the time the 2000s rolled around, the Big Chair in DC was in rough shape. Decades of D.C. humidity, rain, and snow had turned the mahogany into something resembling wet cardboard. It was a safety hazard.
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In 2005, the chair was dismantled.
People panicked. When a landmark disappears, even a goofy one, it feels like the soul of a neighborhood is being sanded down. For a while, there was just an empty pedestal. It looked lonely. There were rumors it would never come back, or that the cost of restoration was too high for a city dealing with more pressing infrastructure issues.
But the community pushed back. They wanted their chair.
In 2006, a "new" chair was installed. It looks identical to the original, but it’s actually made of aluminum. Smart move. It’s painted to look like mahogany, but it won't rot, and it won't be eaten by termites. This version was fabricated by a company called David M. Schwarz Architects and sculpted by the folks at Prosperity Plus. It cost about $40,000 to bring it back to life, which, in the grand scheme of D.C. spending, is basically pocket change for the amount of cultural value it provides.
Why Anacostia Matters to the Story
You can't talk about the chair without talking about Anacostia. Historically, this neighborhood has been separated from the "power centers" of D.C. by the Anacostia River. It’s a place with deep roots—home to Frederick Douglass’s estate, Cedar Hill, which sits just a few blocks away from the chair.
The chair is a symbol of resilience. While the shops around it changed, while the Curtis Brothers eventually closed their doors, and while the city underwent massive gentrification waves, the chair remained.
A Glass House in the Sky?
Here is a weird fact that sounds like an urban legend but is actually true: for a brief period in the summer of 1959, a woman lived on top of the chair.
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Her name was Verna Ross Orndorff. As a publicity stunt, she lived in a glass-walled "apartment" built right onto the seat of the chair. It had a bed, a telephone, and even a television. She stayed up there for 42 days. Imagine the 1950s heat in D.C., trapped in a glass box, 19 feet in the air, while people stared at you from the sidewalk. It was peak mid-century weirdness.
She eventually came down, the glass house was removed, and the chair went back to being just a chair. But that story adds a layer of surrealism to the site that you just don't get with the Lincoln Memorial.
The Technical Specs (For the Nerds)
If you’re into the "how" of things, the Big Chair in DC is actually a pretty impressive bit of geometry.
- Height: 19 feet, 6 inches.
- Base: Roughly 10 feet wide.
- Material: High-grade aluminum (originally mahogany).
- Style: Duncan Phyfe (characterized by carved legs and lyre-shaped backs, though the chair is a simplified version).
It’s currently maintained by the District government, specifically under the purview of local neighborhood initiatives. It serves as the unofficial gateway to the Anacostia Business District.
Visiting the Chair Today
If you’re planning to see it, don't expect a gift shop or a ticket booth. It’s just... there. It’s on a street corner. You can walk right up to it.
The best way to do it? Grab a coffee at a local spot like Busboys and Poets (which is nearby and a cultural hub in its own right) and take a walk. The intersection is busy. You’ll see buses, commuters, and kids walking home from school. It’s a living part of the city.
Pro Tip: If you’re a photographer, show up during the "golden hour" right before sunset. The way the light hits the brown paint makes it look surprisingly like real wood, and the shadows it casts across MLK Avenue are dramatic.
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Real Talk: The "World's Largest" Debate
Look, if you go to Google and search for the biggest chair, you’re going to find the "Broken Chair" in Geneva or the giant stool in Italy. The Anacostia chair lost its title a long time ago.
Does that matter? Not really.
The value of the Big Chair in DC isn't in its dimensions. It's in its survival. In a city that is constantly tearing things down to build glass-and-steel luxury condos, a giant 1950s chair is a middle finger to the blandness of modern architecture. It’s quirky. It’s slightly ridiculous. It’s 100% D.C.
People often overlook Southeast D.C. when they visit. They stay in Northwest. They stay near the Mall. They miss out on the actual character of the city. Heading across the river to see the chair gives you a chance to see the Frederick Douglass house and the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum. It’s a better way to see the "real" Washington.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you're ready to see this thing in person, here’s how to handle it like a local:
- Transport: Take the Green Line to the Anacostia Metro Station. It’s about a 10-minute walk from there. Or, use a rideshare—just put in "The Big Chair" as your destination. Most drivers know exactly where it is.
- Combine it with History: Walk three blocks up the hill to the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. You need a reservation for a tour of the house, but the grounds are free and offer the best view of the D.C. skyline you can find anywhere.
- Support Local: Don't just take a selfie and leave. Hit up the local businesses. Anacostia has some of the best soul food and Caribbean spots in the city.
- Check the Calendar: The neighborhood often holds festivals or "Art All Night" events right at the base of the chair.
The Big Chair isn't just a piece of furniture. It’s a landmark that refused to go away. It’s been through rot, neglect, and the disappearance of its original owners, yet it still stands on that corner, 19 feet of aluminum-covered history watching over the streets of Anacostia.
Next Steps for Your DC Adventure
- Check the NPS website for Frederick Douglass house tour times so you can pair the trips.
- Download a local transit app like Citymapper; the bus lines around MLK Avenue are frequent but can be confusing for newcomers.
- Look up "Art All Night DC" dates if you're visiting in the fall—the area around the chair becomes a massive outdoor gallery.