A few years before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US government began planning the country's participation in World War II. Young military and civil servants from all over America flocked to Washington, who needed to be provided with housing.
In 1943, one of the largest female dormitories was built on the territory of Arlington farms in a few months. Lady Eleanor Roosevelt personally supervised the construction and on October 15, 1943 approved the opening of 7,000 temporary apartments for military and civil servants. 10 barracks occupied an area of more than 11 hectares. Each barracks was named after one of the American states. Civilians lived in six buildings, the other four were occupied by participants in armed actions.