History
Our History, Our Service Logo
Logo for the 100th anniversary of African-American special agents, 1919-2019.
Preserving Bureau History: Photo collage
Photo collage of current and historic photos from the FBI's history program.
Our History, Our Service
Logo for 100-year anniversary celebration of African-American special agents.
Identification Order of Clyde Barrow, October 24, 1933
The Bureau joined the chase for Bonnie and Clyde in 1933. Until then, we lacked the jurisdiction to get involved in what were local crimes. But in the spring of that year we gathered evidence from a stolen car that had crossed state lines—and traced it to the elusive pair. That led to federal interstate car theft charges and enabled us to officially join the manhunt in May 1933.
John Dillinger with His Arm on Lake County Prosecutor Robert Estill (AP Photo)
Gangster John Dillinger, center, strikes a pose with Lake County prosecutor Robert Estill, left, in the jail at Crown Point, Indiana, in February 1934. This photograph and similar ones helped lead to the firing of Estill and the sheriff (not pictured, but her arm is holding Estill’s). AP Photo.
Jones James Wormley Application in 1919
James Wormley Jones was one of the first—if not the first—of the Bureau's early African-American agents.
Joseph Corbett Mugshot in 1951
This March 19, 1951 mug shot was taken upon Joseph Corbett, Jr.’s incarceration at the California Institution for Men, in Chino, California, where he was sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. He escaped from prison and committed the kidnapping and murder of Adolph Coors, III while a fugitive.
Special Agents Jesse and Robert Strider
Father and son agents Jesse and Robert Strider served in our L.A. office from the 1940s through the 1970s, tackling difficult fugitive investigations, military deserter matters, and other cases.
Telegram of Chicago Special Agent in Charge Melvin Purvis to Director Hoover on March 3, 1934, Page 1
Describes Dillinger’s escape from the Lake County Jail at Crown Point, Indiana on March 3, 1934 using a gun carved out of soap to fool the guards.
Telegram of Chicago Special Agent in Charge Melvin Purvis to Director Hoover on March 3, 1934, Page 2
Describes Dillinger’s escape from the Lake County Jail at Crown Point, Indiana on March 3, 1934 using a gun carved out of soap to fool the guards.
Dillinger Wanted Flyer Circa 1933
Wanted. Bank Robbery. John Dillinger, white, 30 years, 170 lbs., 5’ 7 1/2” tall, light chest hair, gray eyes, medium comp. Scars and Marks: Cut cic. 3/4” long at base of middle finger. Any information or if located, notify the Indiana State Police, Room #126, State House, Indianapolis, or the nearest Sheriff or Police Authority. Wanted for Murder at Lima, Ohio.
Special Agent Frederick Ayer
Frederick Ayer was one of two agents who reported to Colonel Gordon Sheen in France at SHAEF, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, in January 1944.
Special Agent Application in 1909
Earliest application for special agent position in the Department of Justice in 1909.
Special Agent Credentials, 1909
One of the first special agents credentials, dated November 22, 1909.
Special Agent Emilio Kosterlitzky
Special Agent Emilio Kosterlitzky, Russian-born military officer who joined the FBI at the age of 63 in 1917 and later served as an undercover agent.
Stanley Finch
Stanley Finch, chief examiner for the Department of Justice and Director of the Bureau of Investigation, considered the first Director of the FBI.
Attorney General Bonaparte (Library of Congress)
Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte in September 1906. Library of Congress photo.
FBI's First Identification Order
The FBI's first Identification Order was for William N. Bishop, a 23-year-old soldier who slipped out of the stockade at Camp A. A. Humphreys—today’s Fort Belvoir—in northern Virginia on December 2, 1919. It was the FBI's first wanted poster, and it put the Bureau squarely in the fugitive-catching business just eleven years into its history.
First Graduating Class of the FBI's National Academy in 1935
The first graduates of the Bureau’s training program for national police executives, the forerunner of today’s National Academy, in 1935.
Founding Order of the FBI
Founding order of the FBI creating a force of special agents dated July 26, 1908 and signed by Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte.
Will West
In 1903, confusion over the identity of convicted criminal Will West with another convict at Leavenworth federal prison in Kansas helped spell the end of the Bertillon method and the rise of fingerprinting as the primary means of identification.
William West
In 1903, confusion over the identity of convicted criminal William West with another convict at Leavenworth federal prison in Kansas helped spell the end of the Bertillon method and the rise of fingerprinting as the primary means of identification.
Barker Home and Weapons
The Florida home (right) where “Doc” and “Ma” Barker were killed in a shootout with Bureau agents. Top Right: Cache of Barker weapons recovered by agents after the January 16, 1935 firefight in Ocklawaha, Florida.
Fingerprint Examiners in 1929
Fingerprint examiners of the Identification Division in 1929, five years after the FBI began managing the nation's fingerprint collections.
George "Machine Gun" Kelly
Mugshot of George "Machine Gun" Kelly (real name George Barnes), gangster and kidnapper who reportedly said "Don't shoot, G-men" when arrested in Memphis in 1933.
Elizabeth Bentley FBI File
Elizabeth Bentley was a Soviet spy who defected in 1945 and accused dozens of members of the U.S. government of espionage. One official she named as possibly connected to the Soviets was Alger Hiss.
Roy Moore, Cartha DeLoach and Hoover in Mississippi
Cartha “Deke” DeLoach, center, joins FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and Roy Moore, special agent in charge of the Jackson Field Office, during a ceremony in Jackson, Mississippi on July 10, 1964.
Gun Collection in 1965
The gun collection was created in 1933, a year after the FBI launched the Technical Crime Laboratory, a forerunner to today’s FBI Lab.
Guy Hottel
Guy Hottel entered the FBI as a special agent in 1934. In December 1936, he was named acting head of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; he was appointed special agent in charge the following May and served until March 1941. Hottel was re-appointed special agent in charge in February 1943 and served until 1951, when he took a position in the Identification Division. He retired in 1955.
Guy Hottel Memo, 1950
Part of a March 22, 1950 memo by Guy Hottel, special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office, regarding UFOs. The Hottel memo does not prove the existence of UFOs; it is simply a second- or third-hand claim that we never investigated. Some people believe the memo repeats a hoax that was circulating at that time, but the Bureau’s files have no information to verify that theory.
Attorney General Bonaparte in President Roosevelt’s Cabinet
President Roosevelt’s Cabinet. Attorney General Bonaparte is the third from the left. Library of Congress photo.
Lab Technician in the 1950s
An FBI laboratory technician in the 1950s. Since the early 1930s, the FBI has helped pioneer the application of scientific principles and techniques to solving cases and catching spies, terrorists, and criminals of all kinds.
Mug Shots of Baby Face Nelson
“Baby Face” Nelson was born Lester M. Gillis on December 6, 1908, in Chicago, Illinois. He was a prolific and particularly violent criminal, robbing banks and murdering several lawmen (including three FBI agents) and innocent bystanders before being taken down Bureau agents in 1934.
New Agents Train on Rooftop in the 1930s
New agents train on the rooftop of the former FBI Headquarters building in Washington, D.C. in the 1930s. Today, the FBI trains new agents and partners alike on its campus in Quantico, Virginia.
Radio Operator During World War II
An FBI radio operator on the job during World War II, part of the Bureau's many efforts to protect the nation during the conflict, from exposing enemy intelligence operations to going undercover to root out Axis spies.
Sacramento Agents and Staff in 1967
Two of the first agents in Sacramento, California are greeted by receptionists in 1967.
Stanley Finch
Stanley Finch, chief examiner for the Department of Justice and Director of the Bureau of Investigation, considered the first Director of the FBI.
Bonnie and Clyde
Clyde Barrow and his companion, Bonnie Parker, were shot to death by officers in an ambush near Sailes, Bienville Parish, Louisiana on May 23, 1934.
Special Agents Shaw and Lorek
Steve Shaw, left, and Chris Lorek were special agents and members of our Hostage Rescue Team.
Agents on a Stakeout in 1939
Two agents on a stakeout during a kidnapping case in 1939. Congress gave the FBI responsibility for investigating kidnappings following the abduction and murder of the young son of aviator Charles Lindbergh in 1932.
FBI Agent Trainee in Front of Seal
A new agent trainee walks by the FBI seal on a wall at the FBI Academy in December 2012.
Velvalee Dickinson Doll Shop
Doll shop in New York City owned by Velvalee Malvena Dickinson and used as a front for her espionage on behalf of Japan during World War II.
Velvalee Dickinson Letter
Second of five letters written in code at the direction of the Japanese Naval Attaché in New York to disclose intelligence from U.S. shipyards to the enemy in the case of treasonous dolls involving Velvalee Dickinson.
Disaster Squad Gear
Tools and equipment of early FBI Disaster Squad, formed in August 1940 to help identify victims of airline crashes and other events.
Lockerbie Crash (AP Photo)
A Scottish police officer searches for clues near the nose of the downed Pan Am Flight 103 on a farm outside of Lockerbie. AP Photo
Nazi Troops in Nuremberg in 1935 (National Archives)
A mass roll call of Nazi troops in Nuremberg, November 9, 1935. National Archives photo.
Vonsiatsky and German American Bund in 1940s
Members of the German American Bund parade through the streets of New York in the 1940s. Anastase Vonsiatsky on the far left pled guilty to espionage in 1942.
Car in Mississippi Burning Case
The Ford station wagon driven by civil rights activists Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman that was discovered on June 23, 1964 following their disappearance. Its charred condition resulted in agents naming the case MIBURN, short for Mississippi Burning.
Mysterious Letter That Mentioned Vasilli Zubilin
A copy of the mysterious letter that appeared at FBI Headquarters discussing Soviet espionage during World War II.
Police Bulletin on Elizabeth Short
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that were on file with the Bureau.
Espionage Equipment in the 1950s
Spying equipment consisting of carefully hollowed containers (shaving brush, batteries, nails, cufflink) for transmitting microfilm messages to Moscow.
Fingerprinting Work During World War II
FBI fingerprint files and examiners at the D.C. National Guard armory at 2001 East Capitol Street SE during World War II.
Special Intelligence Service Map
Map showing coverage by FBI Special Intelligence Service (SIS) in the Western Hemisphere.
Vasilli Zubilin in 1943
In World War II, the Second Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Washington—Vasilli Zubilin—attempted to infiltrate a Berkeley, California, lab doing work for the Manhattan Project, America’s secret atomic bomb program.
FBI Agent in Brazil in the 1940s
An FBI Special Intelligence Service (SIS) special agent uses a desktop lab to photography documents in the 1940s.
FBI Laboratory in the 1940s
Wartime FBI Laboratory with diverse laboratory equipment to analyze evidence.
National Academy Students on Range in 1936
Students on the gun range during a 1936 session of the FBI’s National Academy.
Early FBI Academy Facility
Pre-1972 facility used by the FBI for law enforcement training at the Quantico, Virginia Marine Corps base.
Lab Agent Examines Evidence in 1961
Special agent in the FBI Lab compares markings on wood chips found at a crime scene with the markings on an axe.
Director Hoover with President John Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy (AP Photo)
Director Hoover meets with President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy in February 1961. AP Photo.
Dummy Head in Alcatraz Escape in 1962
Dummy head in bed used to fool Alcatraz guards during Morris and Anglins escape. Black and white version also exists. This is cell 138 of Frank Morris.
Guard Examines Hole Made by Alcatraz Escapees
Prison guard uses flashlight to show hole made by Alcatraz convicts to escape cell in 1962.
Special Agent Johnnie Gibson on Car Radio
Special Agent Johnnie Gibson uses a car radio on assignment in the 1970s.
Watergate Complex
Aerial view of the Watergate complex, site of June 17, 1972 burglary of Democratic National Committee Headquarters that became synonymous with the President Nixon cover up and eventual resignation. The break-ins occurred in the office building in the center.
Acting Director L. Patrick Gray Testifies on Watergate (AP Photo)
Acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray testifies before Congress during the Watergate hearings. AP Photo.
Clerks at Work in the 1970s
During the 1970s, more women began joining the ranks of the FBI, including (for the first time since the 1920s) as special agents.
FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt
FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt, who later admitted to being "Deep Throat" during the Watergate investigation.
Cryptologist in the 1970s
Cryptologist at the FBI Laboratory works to break codes with pencil and paper, a code of alphabetic secrets, and messages board behind him.
FBI Agents Arrest Mobster in 1988 (Robert Maass/CORBIS)
FBI agents arrest a member of the New York Mafia in March 1988. Robert Maass/CORBIS.
FBI Headquarters in 1975
The FBI Headquarters building at 935 Pennsylvania, NW, in Washington, D.C., as its construction was just finishing up.
Hogan's Alley Buildings (Black and White)
Hogan's Alley, the fake town at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia used for FBI training, in 2003.
President Reagan Assassination Attempt
President Ronald Reagan right after being shot by John Hinckley on March 30, 1981. Following the attack, the FBI launched a massive investigation to determine Hinckley’s motives and whether or not others were involved in the assassination attempt. Tracing Hinckley’s life and movements across the country, the FBI concluded that he had acted on his own.
Ted Bundy Wanted Poster
Serial killer Ted Bundy, who was added to the FBI's Top Ten Fugitives list on February 10, 1978. On February 15, 1978, Bundy was arrested in Pensacola, Florida, by local police after he was stopped for speeding while driving a stolen vehicle.
Early Hostage Rescue Training
Hostage Rescue Team training exercise with HRT members rappelling from a helicopter in the 1990s.
First National Academy Class
The first class of police officers at the FBI’s police training school, National Academy.
Wall Street Bombing in 1920 (Library of Congress)
Aftermath of bombing at Wall Street financial district in New York on September 16, 1920, killing over 30 people and injuring some 300. Library of Congress photo.
Aldrich Ames
Mugshot of CIA employee Aldrich Hazen Ames on the day of his arrest for espionage on February 21, 1994.
Dynamite Hidden by Eric Rudolph
Some of the nitroglycerin dynamite hidden by fugitive Eric Rudolph and recovered by the FBI and other authorities in April 2005. Also located were fully and partially constructed bombs and remote control detonators. Rudolph, who exploded bombs at the Atlanta Olympics and other locations from 1996 to 1998, was captured by a police officer on May 31, 2003.
Eric Rudolph Wanted Poster
On May 31, 2003, former FBI Top Ten Fugitive Eric Robert Rudolph was arrested by police officer J.S. Postell while rummaging through a trash bin behind a rural grocery story in Murphy, North Carolina.
FBI Evidence Experts Survey Crime Scene in D.C. Sniper Case
FBI evidence experts surveying a crime scene during the D.C. Beltway sniper case in October 2002. John Allen Muhammed and Lee Boyd Malvo used a hole in the trunk of their Chevy Caprice to shoot 10 victims.
Joseph Valachi Testifies on the Mob (AP Photo)
Joseph Valachi testifies before the Senate on October 1, 1963, showing how he was initiated into the Mafia by having to burn a crumbled ball of paper in his hands while taking the mob oath. AP Photo.
Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. (National Archives)
Rosa Parks with Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1955. National Archives photo.
Special Agent Lenore Houston
In the 1920s, the Bureau appointed the first trio of women known to serve as Bureau special agents and among the first women in federal law enforcement. One of these early agents was Lenore Houston, who was assigned to the Washington Field Office from 1924 to 1928.
FBI’s Massive Crime Indexing Files
The FBI's massive indexing files for non-criminal cards within the Identification Division in 1950 at FBI Headquarters. Eventually these paper records would turn into electronic files.
Firebombed Freedom Rider's Bus in 1961
Firebombed greyhound bus in Anniston, Alabama, on May 14, 1961 used by freedom riders to challenge the refusal to enforce U.S. Supreme Court decisions that ruled segregated public buses were unconstitutional.
Scottish Police and Downed Pan Am Flight 103 (AP Photo)
A Scottish police officer searches for clues near the nose of the downed Pan Am Flight 103 on a farm outside of Lockerbie in December 1988. AP Photo.
Agent Comforts Man Who Lost Loved One in Oklahoma City Bombing (Reuters)
An FBI agent comforts a man who lost a loved one in the April 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing. Rueters photo.
Devastation in Lockerbie Following Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing (AP Photo)
A massive crater created in the town of Lockerbie by the crash of Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988. AP Photo
Strategic Information and Operations Center on November 19, 1998 (AP Photo)
Nestled deep in the heart of FBI Headquarters is the Bureau’s high-tech command center—called the Strategic Information and Operations Center, or SIOC—which was created in 1989 to centrally manage one or more crisis situations. The center went through a major upgrade in 1998 and later became the nerve center of the FBI’s massive 9/11 investigation. AP Photo.
Aldrich Ames Arrest
CIA Analyst Aldrich Ames is arrested by FBI agents outside his home on February 21, 1994. Ames provided a wealth of secrets to the Soviets, leading to the compromise of more than 100 U.S. intelligence operations and to the deaths of 10 American assets.
FBI Agent Next to Wreckage of TWA Flight 800 (Reuters)
The mysterious mid-air explosion of TWA Flight 800 some nine miles off Long Island in July 1996 led to a long and difficult investigation. The FBI’s scuba team in New York helped scour a 40-square-mile patch of the ocean floor, recovering the remains of all 230 victims and over 95 percent of the airplane. Terrorism was initially suspected as the source of the explosion, and despite a raft of speculation, a massive, 17-month investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the explosion was caused by mechanical failure. Here, an FBI agent stands next to the reconstructed plane in a Navy hangar. Reuters.
FBI Agent Searches for Clues Following Kenya Embassy Bombing (Reuters)
An FBI agent rakes through debris looking for clues following the car bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya in August 1998. Reuters.
FBI Agent Searches for Eric Rudolph
An FBI agent hunting for Eric Rudolph (inset) in the forests of North Carolina in July 1998 takes a sip of water. Rudolph, wanted for setting off bombs at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and at three other locations, was captured rummaging through a dumpster by a North Carolina police officer in May 2003. Reuters.
Hanssen "Ellis" Drop Site
In the FBI Special Agent Robert Hanssen espionage case, the "Ellis" drop site--under a footbridge over Wolftrap Creek near Creek Crossing Road at Foxstone Park near Vienna, Virginia--where Hanssen clandestinely placed a package containing highly classified information for pick-up by his Russian handlers.
Hanssen "Lewis" Signal Site
In the Robert Hanssen espionage case, the "Lewis" Signal Site--a wooden utility pole located at the North-West corner of the intersection of 3rd Street and Carlin Springs Road near the metrobus stop--used by Hanssen and his Russian handlers.
Hanssen Package of Classified Materials
Package dropped by FBI spy Robert Hanssen at the Ellis drop site on February 18, 2001, containing classified materials for pick up by his Russian handlers.
Second Hijacked Plane Crashes into the WTC (AP Photo)
The second hijacked airplane moments before it crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m. AP Photo.
Anthrax Letter Addressed to Senator Leahy
Amerithrax (anthrax investigation) envelope addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy, postmarked October 9, 2001.
Car Bombing in Baghdad in August 2003 (AP Photo)
The aftermath of a car bombing in Baghdad in August 2003. The FBI helped investigate the blast and many more like it. AP Photo.
FBI Agent Fingerprints Saddam Hussein After Capture
An FBI agent fingerprints former Iraq leader Saddam Hussein after he was pulled out of his spider hole on December 13, 2003.
FBI Agents at the World Trade Center on September 16, 2001 (Reuters)
Two FBI agents at the site of the World Trade Center in New York on September 16, 2001. Reuters photo.
FBI SWAT in New Orleans Following Hurricane Katrina (AP Photo)
An FBI SWAT Team helps local law enforcement on the streets of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. AP Photo.
Identification Division
An examiner studies a fingerprint card in the Bureau’s Identification Division, a precursor to today’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division.
Index Cards
The digitization of millions of files began years ago, but went into high gear over the last two years as the FBI began transitioning to the Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, a state-of-the-art digital platform of biometric and other types of identity information.
Fingerprint Examiner
In the 1930s, the Bureau’s Identification Division compiled the largest-ever collection of fingerprints from files collected from partner law enforcement agencies.
Betty Grable Extortion Letters 3
Getting ready to toss the "pay-off package" from the Bureau's blue sedan
Betty Grable Extortion Letters 6
Closing in on the criminal, Russell Eugene Alexanderson, as he tries to make a break for it
Many Faces of John Dillinger
Nine images showing the face of John Dillinger as it changed over the years.
Criminal Profile of John Dillinger
From September 1933 until July 1934, Dillinger and his gang terrorized the Midwest, killing 10 men, wounding seven others, robbing banks and police arsenals, and stage three jail breaks that left a sheriff dead and two guards injured.
Dillinger Identification Order
Identification Order No. 1217 for John Dillinger on March 12, 1934. The poster is marked "Cancelled."
Pretty Boy Floyd Identification Order
Identification Order No. 1194 for Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd, wanted for his role in the Kansas City Massacre.
"Pretty Boy" Floyd
The collection includes one of gangster “Pretty Boy” Floyd’s Colt Model 1911 pistols. This particular pistol once hung on Director J. Edgar Hoover’s so-called “wall of shame,” which included weapons belonging to criminals who were sought by the Bureau.
Biograph Theater in the 1930s
The Biograph Theater in Chicago, Illinois, where John Dillinger spent the last hours of his life seeing a gangster movie "Manhattan Melodrama" with two women companions on the night of July 22, 1934.
Dallas Office in the Early 1930s
United States Post Office & Courthouse. The fourth floor was home for the Dallas FBI during the early 1930s. Looking northwest from Bryan Street and St. Paul.
Identification Division in the 1930s
FBI fingerprint examiners from old Identification Division in 1932.
Surveillance in Duquesne Spy Ring Case in the Early 1940s
FBI agent conducting filmed surveillance of undercover operation in Duquesne Spy Ring case at double agent William Sebold's bogus office in Manhattan.
Apartment Building on Kenmore Avenue in Chicago in the 1940s
Apartment building where Roger Touhy and members of his gang were captured by the FBI on December 29, 1942.
Identification Order for Bonnie and Clyde, 1934
Identification Order No. 1227 for Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, dated May 21, 1934.
Al Capone Mug Shot 1939
Alphonse Gabriel “Al” Capone rose to infamy as a gangster in Chicago during the 1920s and early 1930s.
Karpis and Director Hoover After Arrest in 1936
FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, left, after the arrest of Alvin Karpis in New Orleans on May 1, 1936.
Man Working on 1938 Ford Model T (Library of Congress Photo)
Black and white photo of man working on a 1938 Ford Model T car (Library of Congress photo)
Nazi Spies in 1938 Espionage Case
Left to right, Dr. Ignatz Greibl, who fled; and the three convicted spies: Otto Hermann Voss (six years), Johanna Hoffman (four years), and Erich Glaser (two years).
Alcatraz Prison in 1932
Aerial view of Alcatraz Island and its federal penitentiary in January 1932.
Dallas Field Office, 1937-1943
The Tower Petroleum Building, 1907 Elm, opened in 1931. The FBI was on the 12th floor from 1937 to 1943.
FBI National Academy Class, April 1938
Black and white photo of seventh FBI National Academy class, April 1938.
Charlotte Agents Take Target Practice in 1945
Charlotte agents take target practice at the Spencer Mountain Range in May 1945. This firing range, located on land provided by the U.S. Army, was used by FBI Charlotte during the 1940s.
Early Chicago Field Office (National Archives)
Building used by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Field Office. National Archives photo.
Cleveland Agents Load Boxes in Corruption Probe in July 2008 (AP Photo)
FBI agents load boxes confiscated from offices in the Cuyahoga County Administration Building into a truck. The FBI and IRS raided the building and other locations in the Cleveland area as part of a corruption probe.
Cleveland Field Office in the Late 1950s or 1960s
The Cleveland Division building on Ontario Avenue in the late 1950s or 1960s.
Cleveland Receptionist Circa the 1950s
The FBI first stationed agents in Cleveland during its earliest days as an organization. By 1914, there was an official Bureau office in the city with a special agent in charge.
Entrance to an Early Cleveland Division Office
The FBI first stationed agents in Cleveland during its earliest days as an organization. By 1914, there was an official Bureau office in the city with a special agent in charge.
Grover Cleveland Bergdoll
Philadelphia agents chased draft evader Grover Bergdoll for two decades; he was arrested by the U.S. Army in 1939 when he returned to the country from overseas.
CLEVELAND DIVISION — Do It For James Foundation
The Cleveland Division honors the Do It For James Foundation. In November of 2022, Timothy and Tamia Woods lost their only child, James, to suicide after falling victim to sextortion. They channeled their grief into the Do It for James Foundation to build awareness for kids and families to prevent similar tragedies. Accepting on behalf of the organization is Timothy Woods.
Space Shuttle Columbia Crew (NASA Photo)
The crew of the space shuttle Columbia’s last mission. (NASA Photo)
Hangar with Pieces of the Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Photo)
Pieces of the space shuttle Columbia, recovered after the February 1, 2003 crash, placed in a NASA hangar. (NASA Photo)
ERT During Space Shuttle Columbia Recovery Efforts (FEMA Photo)
An FBI Evidence Response Team surveys terrain during recovery efforts of the space shuttle Columbia in Texas in 2003. (FEMA Photo)
Memorial for Space Shuttle Columbia Crew Member (NASA Photo)
A makeshift memorial in Hemphill, Texas marks where remains of a crew member from the space shuttle Columbia were discovered in February 2003. (NASA Photo)
Drug Bust by Columbia Agents in 1990
Columbia agents off the coast of Venezuela in 1990 seize more than 800 Kilos of cocaine.
Second Dallas Field Office
The Dallas National Bank Building, 1530 Main Street, was brand new in 1927 when it became the second home for the FBI in Dallas.
Dallas Field Office, 1943-1953
The Mercantile Bank Building, 1704 Main Street. The 13th floor was home to the FBI from July 1943 to June 1953.
Dallas Field Office, 1953-1964
The Santa Fe Building, 1114 Commerce located adjacent to the Earl Cabell Federal Building. The 12th floor was headquarters for FBI Dallas from June 1953 to April 1964.
Dallas Field Office, 1964-1980
The Mercantile Continental Bldg., 1810 Commerce. The FBI occupied the second floor from April 1964 to June 1980.
Dallas Field Office, 1980-2002
Landmark Center Building, 1801 N. Lamar. The FBI was located in this West End Historic District building for 22 years, from June 1980 to November 2002.
First Dallas Field Office Building
The “Old” Dallas Federal Building and Post Office, circa 1930s, from Commerce and S. Ervay looking northeast. The FBI’s first home in Dallas was on the second floor, 1914-1927.
Early Denver Field Office Building
The Bureau has had an office in Denver since its earliest days as an organization. In 1911, Roy O. Samson was serving as special agent in charge.
Detroit FBI Agent Puts Albanian Criminal Drini Brahimllari into Car
A Detroit FBI agent puts Albanian criminal Drini Brahimllari into a car after his February 2008 return to the U.S. to face racketeering charges in Michigan.
Early Detroit Field Office Building
Even before the FBI’s official founding, a special agent was assigned to conduct investigations in Detroit for the Department of Justice. By 1911, there was an official field office led by Special Agent in Charge J. Herbert Cole.
Special Agent in Charge Francis Crosby - 1960s FBI El Paso
A black-and-white portrait depicting Francis Crosby, who led the FBI's El Paso Field Office in the 1960s.
El Paso Division Building in the 1960s
The El Paso Division performed a wide array of other duties during the 1960s.
El Paso Special Agent Manuel Sorola
Manuel Sorola joined the El Paso office as a special agent in 1922 and served the FBI until the late 1940s.
Early Honolulu Field Office
The first FBI office in Honolulu was opened in April 1931 to establish a presence on the Hawaiian Islands—then a U.S. territory— mostly to handle immigration and fugitive matters but also to address concerns about rising Japanese militarism in the Pacific.
Early Houston Field Office
In July 1940, E.L. Richmond was appointed special agent in charge to head up the new office in Houston.
J. Edgar Hoover in Jackson, Mississippi
Director Hoover greets Jackson Police Department Chief W.D. Rayfield (left) and Jackson Mayor Allen C. Thompson (right) in the newly opened Jackson FBI Field Office on July 10, 1964.
Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri
Early picture of Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. Site of the Kansas City Massacre in 1933. Library of Congress photograph.
Kansas City Massacre
Scene in front of the Kansas City railroad depot on June 17, 1933 moments after the ambush to free prisoner Frank Nash from his law enforcement handlers, known as the Kansas City massacre.
Early Kansas City Division
From its earliest days, the FBI has had a presence in Kansas City, Missouri.
Knoxville Special Agent in Charge Richard B. Hood
By May 1, 1937, Richard B. Hood was designated acting Special Agent in Charge, and the new Knoxville Division was opened for business in the Hamilton National Bank building.
Early Los Angeles Field Office
The FBI has conducted investigations in the Los Angeles area since its founding as an organization in 1908. By the start of 1914, the Bureau had opened a permanent office in the city under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge John M. Bowen.
