“Only president who did not live in the White House,” a tour guide announces. That’s right we are standing in front of George Washington House. While President George Washington selected the site he never actually lived in the White House.
George Washington ended his service as chief executive in 1797. He died in 1799. This was one year before the seat of the federal government moved from Philadelphia to the city named in his honor.
Washington lived in executive residences in New York and Philadelphia. His successor John Adams also lived at the President’s House in Philadelphia.
George Washington was deeply involved in the planning of Washington D.C. He specified the location of the ten-mile square federal district. He also chose the President’s mansion, now known as the White House, and the Capitol.
Washington involved himself in almost all aspects of the project. He continued to do so even after his retirement from the presidency in 1797.
The history of the nation’s capital began in December 1790. President George Washington signed an Act of Congress. It declared that the federal government would reside in a district not exceeding ten miles square on the Potomac River.
President Washington and city planner Pierre L’Enfant chose the site for the new residence. It is now 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Preparations began for the new federal city. A competition was held to find a builder of the President’s House. Irish-born architect James Hoban won a gold medal for his design. Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October 1792.
Although President Washington oversaw the construction, he never lived in it. It was not until 1800 that its first residents moved in. These were President John Adams and his wife, Abigail.
George Washington set precedents for the social life of the president. He set aside the late afternoon for meetings with the public. He used evenings for dinner parties with invited guests.
On Tuesday afternoons, Washington received male callers. The reception was a series of gentlemanly introductions and greetings. Washington was visited in a formal manner as President of the United States. Friday evenings included both women and men. These were less formal affairs featuring interaction with colleagues and other politicians.
George Washington is the only US president to have never occupied the White House. In New York and Philadelphia, the Washingtons occupied grand houses. They received members of Congress, officials, foreign dignitaries and other prominent people. This happened according to a standing weekly schedule.
President Washington’s Farewell Address is one of the most celebrated documents in American history. It warned against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party. It encouraged a focus on education and morality. It cautioned against sectionalism within the nation. It also admonished against entangling foreign alliances. It has continued to have influence over American culture and political debates long past when it was first published.