History Short: The White House

On July 16, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, establishing a permanent capital for the United States along the Potomac River. President George Washington worked with French engineer Peter (Pierre) Charles L'Enfant to select the sites for federal buildings, including the White House and the United States Capitol.

L'Enfant originally imagined a “vast palace” for the President – a residence five times the size of the house which would eventually be built.

James Hoban's original White House design

Washington ended up dismissing L'Enfant (for insubordination!), and decided that the design of the White House would be determined by separate architectural competitions in 1792. James Hoban, an Irish architect living in Charleston, South Carolina, won the design competition.

Later in 1792, English, Scottish, and Irish wage laborers and others were hired and worked alongside each other for the next eight years to build the White House. They worked, quarrying and transporting stone, cutting timber, producing bricks, and building the walls and roof. Throughout each phase of construction, they worked as axe men, stone cutters, carpenters, brick makers, sawyers, and laborers.

Although George Washington kicked off the project, John Adams was the first President to actually occupy the White House in 1800.

The White House has a rich and fascinating history. If you’d like to discover more details, we recommend visiting the White House Historical Association’s website.

The White House Historical Association is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1961 by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy with a mission to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of America’s executive residence. 🇺🇸