1792 : White House cornerstone laid
The cornerstone is laid for a presidential residence in the newly
designated capital city of Washington. In 1800, President John Adams
became the first president to reside in the executive mansion, which
soon became known as the "White House" because its white-gray Virginia
freestone contrasted strikingly with the red brick of nearby
buildings.
The city of Washington was created to replace Philadelphia as the
nation's capital because of its geographical position in the center of
the existing new republic. The states of Maryland and Virginia ceded
land around the Potomac River to form the District of Columbia, and
work began on Washington in 1791. French architect Charles L'Enfant
designed the area's radical layout, full of dozens of circles,
crisscross avenues, and plentiful parks. In 1792, work began on the
neoclassical White House building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue under
the guidance of Irish American architect James Hoban, whose design was
influenced by Leinster House in Dublin and by a building sketch in
James Gibbs' Book of Architecture. President George Washington chose
the site.
On November 1, President John Adams was welcomed into the executive
mansion. His wife, Abigail, wrote about their new home: "I pray heaven
to bestow the best of blessings on this house, and on all that shall
hereafter inhabit it. May none but wise men ever rule under this
roof!"
In 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was set on fire along
with the U.S. Capitol by British soldiers in retaliation for the
burning of government buildings in Canada by U.S. troops. The
burned-out building was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged under the
direction of James Hoban, who added east and west terraces to the main
building, along with a semicircular south portico and a colonnaded
north portico. The smoke-stained stone walls were painted white. Work
was completed on the White House in the 1820s.
Major restoration occurred during the administration of President
Harry Truman, and Truman lived across the street for several years in
Blair House. Since 1995, Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House
and Lafayette Square has been closed to vehicular traffic for security
reasons. Today, more than a million tourists visit the White House
annually. It is the oldest federal building in the nation's capital.
history.com/tdih.do
1775 : Continental Navy established
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5431
1812 : Sir Isaac Brock saves Canada
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5432
1843 : B'nai B'rith founded
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5433
1977 : Palestinians hijack German airliner
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5434
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The cornerstone is laid for a presidential residence in the newly
designated capital city of Washington. In 1800, President John Adams
became the first president to reside in the executive mansion, which
soon became known as the "White House" because its white-gray Virginia
freestone contrasted strikingly with the red brick of nearby
buildings.
The city of Washington was created to replace Philadelphia as the
nation's capital because of its geographical position in the center of
the existing new republic. The states of Maryland and Virginia ceded
land around the Potomac River to form the District of Columbia, and
work began on Washington in 1791. French architect Charles L'Enfant
designed the area's radical layout, full of dozens of circles,
crisscross avenues, and plentiful parks. In 1792, work began on the
neoclassical White House building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue under
the guidance of Irish American architect James Hoban, whose design was
influenced by Leinster House in Dublin and by a building sketch in
James Gibbs' Book of Architecture. President George Washington chose
the site.
On November 1, President John Adams was welcomed into the executive
mansion. His wife, Abigail, wrote about their new home: "I pray heaven
to bestow the best of blessings on this house, and on all that shall
hereafter inhabit it. May none but wise men ever rule under this
roof!"
In 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was set on fire along
with the U.S. Capitol by British soldiers in retaliation for the
burning of government buildings in Canada by U.S. troops. The
burned-out building was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged under the
direction of James Hoban, who added east and west terraces to the main
building, along with a semicircular south portico and a colonnaded
north portico. The smoke-stained stone walls were painted white. Work
was completed on the White House in the 1820s.
Major restoration occurred during the administration of President
Harry Truman, and Truman lived across the street for several years in
Blair House. Since 1995, Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House
and Lafayette Square has been closed to vehicular traffic for security
reasons. Today, more than a million tourists visit the White House
annually. It is the oldest federal building in the nation's capital.
history.com/tdih.do
1775 : Continental Navy established
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5431
1812 : Sir Isaac Brock saves Canada
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5432
1843 : B'nai B'rith founded
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5433
1977 : Palestinians hijack German airliner
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5434
#########################################
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