James Hoban White House Competition Design

This plan was drawn by James Hoban circa his 1793-1794 designs for the White House. Hoban, an Irish-born architect, won the competition to design the President's House. The competition was announced by then-Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and the prize for the winner was $500 or a medal of equal value. This drawing captures an initial plan for the North Front of the White House. Winfield Parks photographed this plan in 1962.