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James Hoban's life is a memorable Irish-American success story. In his boyhood he learned the craft of carpenter and wheelwright, and became an architect by profession and a builder by trade. Hoban came to America with high ambitions, and designed and erected many buildings; but what keeps his name alive today arises from one special commission—he was the architect of
As the president's office and home, the White House stands as a symbol of American leadership. President George Washington selected the site and approved the final design, but he never had an opportunity to live in the building once known as the "President's Palace." When the initial construction was finished in 1800, John Adams became the first president to occupy this
Construction on the President's House began in 1792 in Washington, D.C., a new capital situated in sparsely settled region far from a major population center. The decision to place the capital on land ceded by two pro-slavery states-Virginia and Maryland-ultimately influenced the acquisition of laborers to construct its public buildings. The D.C. commissioners, charged by Congress with building the
The restoration of the exterior of the White House, which I performed from 1989 to 1996, was an exciting and challenging task. Dealing with a building of this historic importance added another dimension to my responsibility, and it was with great respect that I strived to uphold the standards of the work of the Scottish masons who originally built this unique m
