Main Content

Print of President Washington and James Hoban

Print of President Washington and James Hoban

Artist: N.C. Wyeth
Credit: White House Historical Association

George Washington was the only president who did not live in the White House. He chose both the site and the architect of the White House, but the building was not completed by the end of his second term in 1797. This color print shows Washington, left, with the White House architect James Hoban inspecting the progress of the construction.

You Might Also Like

Collection The Presidents

Biographies & Portraits
Collection President Truman's Renovation

During the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the White House underwent a renovation and expansion so extensive, it changed...
Collection Presidential Inaugurations

In April 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City. Constitutional guidelines for inaugurations are sparse, offering...
Collection An Artist Visits the White House Past

From its construction in 1792, until the 1902 renovation that shaped the modern identity and functions of the interior of the White...
Collection Italy in the White House

Long before the emergence of the United States and Italy as nations, close connections between our two peoples influenced political...
Collection The President's Neighborhood

Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to...
Collection White House in Bloom

Today's White House grounds are a site to behold. What started as 85 acres of land chosen by George Washington, was...
Collection Tudor Place
Collection James Hoban: Architect of the White House

James Hoban's life is a memorable Irish-American success story. In his boyhood he learned the craft of carpenter and wheelwright,...
Bio Dolley Madison

For half a century she was the most important woman in the social circles of America. To this day she...
Bio John Adams

Learned and thoughtful, John Adams was probably more remarkable as a political philosopher than a politician. "People and nations are...
Bio Jacqueline Kennedy

The inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961 brought to the White House and to the heart of the nation a...