Hoban's Preliminary White House Specifications (Part I)

This letter was written by James Hoban, designer and architect of the White House, to the Commissioners of the Federal City on October 30, 1792. The letter outlines Hoban's preliminary specifications for the President's House. The letter reads: "In consequence of your appointing me to superintend the Building of the President's House, I have made a calculation of the principal materials that will be wanted for that Building, which I shall submit to your consideration, to point out the mode, that to you, may appear proper to collect them. They are many of them expensive articles and will require much care and attention to the choice of them, being much out of the common line of Building as you will perceive from the inclosed list." Following President George Washington's wish, the President's House would be a house of stone. With the materials and design in place, construction of Hoban's grand design were in place to begin. Please see images 1113631 and 1113628 for parts II and III.