The current House chamber opened to the public on 16 December 1857. According to the Congressional Globe, at noon Wednesday the 16th of December 1857, the House of Representatives met in the new Hall of the House in the south wing of the Capitol extension.

A prayer was offered that day commemorating the Hall by Reverend Andrew G. Carothers, pastor of the Assembly’s Church of Washington City;

“Glorious and Eternal Jehovah! The Supreme Governor of the Universe, we bow before thy throne. We most humbly beseech thee to regard with thy favor all who are in authority, the President and the Vice President of the United States, the Senators and Representatives in Congress assembled, the Presiding Officer of this House, and all who are entrusted with executive, legislative and judicial responsibilities. May this Hall, now dedicated by thy servants, the Representatives of the people, as the place wherein the political and constitutional rights of our countrymen shall ever be maintained and defended, be a temple of honor and glory to this land. Let the deliberations and decisions of this Congress advance the best interests of our Government, and make our nation the praise of the whole earth, for Christ’s sake. The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

After the prayer Mr. Warren rose in the New Hall to hear the motion by Representative Sherrard Clemens of Virginia instructing the Clerk of the House to begin drawing for seats in the new House Chamber. Names of Members were written on paper and placed in a box to be chosen and read by the Clerk of the House.

Since its full occupancy in 1857, the current House of Representatives has been host to numerous events. Its ornate marble rostrum was where many Speakers controlled and managed the floor business up until the House Chamber renovation in 1950 where it was replaced with the current wood rostrum in 1951. Such notable events include the debates preceding and during the Civil War, use of the chamber to house Civil War Union Soldiers, declarations of War on Spain in April 1898, on the Central Powers for World War I in April 1917, and on Japan and eventually the Axis Powers in December of 1941. Other events include the 1954 shooting of Members of Congress on the House floor by Puerto Rican nationalists, the Civil Rights debates of the 1960’s, Vietnam and War Powers Act and many others. The chamber has been host to the longest serving Speakers in History, Sam Rayburn of Texas followed closely by Tip O’Neill of Massachusetts.