The Old United States Chancery, Colombo (also known as the American Center or the former United States Chancery) is a historic building located at 44 Galle Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka. It currently serves as the offices of USAid in Sri Lanka.
History
The building was originally constructed by J. H. Meedeniya Adigar, who named it Rickman House. It later became the home of D. R. Wijewardena, the founder of the Lake House newspaper group, who married Meedeniya's eldest daughter, Alice. The property is notable for its land title, which under the original old Dutch deed extends down to the ocean — one of only a few such cases in Colombo.
In 1903, the building was purchased by Wijewardena's mother, Helena, who demolished the existing residence and rebuilt a new dwelling named Sri Ramya. The new structure was designed by architect Herbert Henry Reid. Helena Wijewardena occupied the residence until her death in 1940. In May 1934, the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore and the Indian painter Nandalal Bose stayed at the house for a fortnight when Tagore brought a troupe of Bengali dancers to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
In 1951, the building was purchased by the Government of the United States to serve as the chancery of its Embassy in Sri Lanka. It functioned in that capacity until the United States Embassy relocated to new premises in 1985. The building was then transferred to USAid, which continues to use it as their offices.
Location and coordinates
- Address: 44 Galle Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Coordinates: 6°55′09″N 79°50′48″E
Alternative names
- Rickman House (original name)
- Sri Ramya
- United States Chancery
- American Center
