Bachelor quarters for present-day officers are on the floors above ground level. A well-appointed dining room is on the main floor. The dining room is supported by a galley in the basement. Throughout the main floor of Center House are various reminders of Marine Corps history and tradition. Authentic weaponry and paintings on loan from the Marine Corps Museum help create the friendly, comfortable atmosphere noticed by nearly every guest on the first visit to Center House.
A former Commanding Officer of the Barracks (1956-58), General Chapman is accorded a special place of honor in Center house. He was a tireless innovator, being responsible for many Barracks “firsts.” These include the installation of saluting guns at the south end of the Parade Deck, the initiation of the first Evening Parade, and many of the now-familiar parade elements, such as the “fix bayonets” to music and the placement of red-jacketed trumpeters on the ramparts. The Commandant’s sword and ribbons were acquired by CHA from his family, and were presented to Center House in 2002.
Note: General Chapman's sword was re-encased during the 2017-2018 Center House Artifacts Preservation Project, and is now displayed a museum-quality mount in the Center House dining room.