The White House Site Plan - Blue - Framed & Mounted Print

Official residence and office of the Chief Executive of the United States, the White House stands as one of the foremost symbols of the U.S. Government. In 1792, Irish-born architect James Hoban won the competition to design the President's house, and was retained to supervise construction. The design was based on the house of Leinster in Dublin. Hoban's design underwent several major changes including the lowering of the original raised basement and the deletion of a third floor and a full-width south porch. The aquia sandstone faced building was first painted with whitewash in 1798. The White House was unfinished but ready for occupancy in 1800 when the government moved to Washington. After the building was burned by British troops in 1814, the house was left as a shell. Only the south front, central portion of the north face, and basement walls were salvageable. Hoban supervised the reconstruction, which was completed by 1817. He also added the south porch in 1824 and the north portico in 1829. The exterior of the main house has remained basically unchanged until the addition of the South balcony in 1948.