WASHINGTON — Steps away from the U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court and Library of Congress sits a Victorian house displaying the American and Florida state flag.

The building is called Florida House on Capitol Hill, and it's the only "state embassy" in D.C. Go inside and you will receive a free cup of orange juice. 

What You Need To Know

  •  Florida House is the only "state embassy" in Washington, D.C. 

  •  Rhea Chiles spearheaded the effort to create Florida House, which first opened in 1973

  •  Florida House hosts programs and tours for visitors

Rhea Chiles, who in the late 1960s was the wife of future senator and Florida governor, Lawton Chiles, came up with the idea of Florida House as a result of a family vacation in D.C.

"They got lost going around the Lincoln Memorial, ended up on Embassy Row, and, when she was explaining to the children what embassies do, they said, ‘Well, if we're lost, why don't we go to Florida's embassy?'" said Florida House on Capitol Hill Interim Executive Director Liz Doyle. "When she explained states don't have embassies, she thought, 'Well, but why not?'" 

In 1972 she saw an old house for sale at 200 East Capitol St. NE. It was built in 1891 by Edwin Manning, an architect of the Library of Congress. She raised $125,000 to buy it, and it opened in 1973.

"Mrs. Chiles really liked the sound of 'Number One 2nd St. NE,' so she had the address changed and the front entrance actually moved to the back of the house," Doyle said. 

The house is nonpartisan and doesn’t receive government funding. More than 155 trustees from across the state help to maintain and raise money to keep it operating.

Its website declares Florida House “connects, celebrates, and champions Florida to the world.” It features Florida artwork and relics, and hosts programs and tours. 

"There's a congressional wall so people can connect with the members of their delegation," Doyle said. "We're happy to look up who their representative is, if they don't know. We have some beautiful antiques, with stories about where they came from."

"We usually have about 10,000 visitors a year and that number comes from visitors who just walk up and ring our doorbell and want to take a tour. Or school groups or even groups who rent the house and are here for our rental space," said Florida House on Capitol Hill Program and Development Manager Claire King. 

During Spectrum News' visit, Florida students interning in D.C. for the summer stopped by to take a break and take in the house.

"It's beautiful — it feels it feels like Florida," said Florida State University student Grady Anderson.

"It's really pretty," added FSU student Ella Garcia. "They gave us orange juice on our way in, so that was nice."