1857 Map of Ellipse (Parade)

This copy of an 1857 map shows the White House grounds as they existed during Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan's administrations. It is part of a series of maps drawn in 1935 showing the evolution of the buildings and pathways surrounding the White House. Over time the network of pathways grew and the buildings on either side of the White House expanded in size. The originally known as the "parade" became the oval shaped space known today as the Ellipse. The map's artist is unknown aside from the initials "M.J.W." inscribed.