Talk about the location. How did the white house and up on the spot in washington dc . Mr. Seale it was part of the city plan that George Washington approved. And a avantgarde plan called for a palace five times the size of this and the sellers were cellars were dug. Washington located the house to put it on the access. One fromre two axis the capital down the mall and one running here. And it runs right down the house. When he reduced the size of the four by a fifth, by fifths, he wanted to still be in the plan as it was supposed to be one of the two great important buildings in washington. Susan we have to remind our viewers that washington in his early career was a surveyor himself. He really understood the location the importance of location. Mr. Seale he did. That was one of the bases of him getting along with the engineer. He did not get along with anyone else. Susan i want to make a note that if you and i are talking, the white house grounds are under construction and were going to hear construction noises. But that is actually one of the stories of this building, that it is perpetually mr. Seale perpetually under construction. Various things change for various reasons. Sometimes it is the planning of a tree, sometimes it is the removal of various security wires or the digging of a basement. It is always under construction. In the book that George Washington himself but the first in the ground. Why was it so personally important for washington that this beauty site for the white house . Mr. Seale because the white house was the smaller of the two buildings specified in the constitution. A house for the congress and a house for the president. Andanted the city to happen this was a smaller building that minute as in the other one. That was his urgency. Susan how far along was he . Mr. Seale very much. He had final approval of everything. It is stone because he wanted it to be stone. Susan lets learn about another character besides washington. Hoven was froms ireland and he was welltrained as an architect. He could build as well as plan. Andas raised in ireland immigrated to the United States to philadelphia, then came here and washington met him in charleston on his southern tour of 1792. And he remembered him. So when a competition for design of this house took place he invited him to enter it and he was the winner from the start because he came up with a design that washington could understand. There was nothing weird about it. Some other entries had thrown rooms and things like that in the president would not do that. This was an english squires house. It was not palatial, except it was in america. The washington light and approve the plan, modify the plan, and saw to it it happened. Susan what was the basic design architecturally in a period style . Lategeorgian, but pattered on an irish house, which is now the capital of ireland. Hoven had been in school all around the building, he knew it well. He submitted that design. It was modified, i dont know by whom, but the plan as built was much more open and simpler. We would call it transparent today. With the rooms and big and secret stairs none of that in this house. Very out of style in england. In scotland, of course. But it has become a little confused in style. Basically it was a georgian country house. That thefind it ironic europeans thought the house was i out of style and yet it has become one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Mr. Seale but they did. Even the scottish workman, they were not doing that kind of work anymore. But they did it here for George Washington. He wanted all the carving. Had done awayhers with anything but the flattest kind of stuff. They gave him what he wanted. Washington wanted carving. Even though he said it was not his style. Susan your book is about the stones of the white house come lets move to that important part of the story. Once stone was decided upon you actually found the quarry where the stone came from. Tell me about that. Mr. Seale it was a sandstone and downriver on the potomac. Actually i did not find it. It has been preserved and owned by the government since 1791. Susan but it is not in use anymore. The countyno, but has taken it and making it a delightful park without hurting it. Just little paths through it. It is not trashed up or anything. It is available for all to see. It was the closest own they could get stone they could get. There was no way to test just how much rock you had in these quarries, except by sounding. They knew what they were doing and it would sound for the stuff. They felt it was enough. Deal andly signed the bought this area, which was a small quarry, over 100 years old. The government expanded over time with leases. But that one part the f kept and it is still there, and that is where the first rocks became stones, were pulled up the river on boats to the site. Susan you really tell in both words and illustrations the backbreaking labor involved in quarrying the stone. Would you tell me that story . Mr. Seale first, they had to clear the site. Fromhey hired slaves plantations to come in and do it. They built a huge kitchen and quarters for them to live in and everything. They were clearing up the trees and bushes. Then they went in and began splitting the stones. Many of the slaves were involved under the direction of the stonemason named williamson. It is funny how simple it all was. They would drill a hole in the sticknd put a green in it and pour water on the stick and it would expand and split the stone. That is how they did this. Then they would get these pieces and make them smaller and smaller. They knew the sizes of rough stone they needed. They would take them and call ramp that went down in the water of the creek, and the boat was waiting for them. It took them down the creek against the current to the Potomac River and stayed in the areas against the bank where the stone was where the water was not so swift. And they pulled the boats of to the site of the white house not exactly, there was a stone yard on the riverbank and they had to judge the stones and trim some. Then the ones they selected were put up a can now with locks to skids for thet on oxen to pull to the site. It was all very methodical. The stones were numbered. When they got to the stone yard there were peoples papers with the sizes they needed. They needed surprisingly few tools. There was the stone yard where had to relieve itself of quarry sap. It would drip and drain. As it dried they would bring it to the table, still under subject to approval. Tables and ite would be shaped exactly as it was needed. And there were drawings. Goodness, we would love to have them. But they got beat up. They use them, so they got thrown away. We have never found any. My work is based on bills and invoices as to what they were doing. Stone that was approved got put on the cutting table and was cut into size. If it was going to have carving onif it was going to have carvig on it, enough was left on the front of the stone, what would be the face of the house enough was left on the stone to carve into. The carving is not stuck on. The carving is carved into the stone. There are a few still on the white house. The blanks then later would be carved and placed in the law. Susan you said you based your research on the bills and invoices. Where were all those kept over the years . Mr. Seale the national archives. Susan and who was responsible for keeping them . Mr. Seale in those days there were no archives until franklin roosevelt. So they were kept in the commissioners office. There was a commission appointed by washington to manage all of this. The First Commission was not very good. They were not paid, they did nothing about building. The Second Commission was more in form. These papers would all be kept by them and i guess they manage away,threw the drawings if any existed. Those papers were still in the commissioner of Public Buildings Office in the 1930s. Now they are available in the national archives, beautifully cared for. Susan as the stone was all the brought from the quarry of river and what is happening to the site to ready the building for that part of the process . Mr. Seale they had to have the foundation dated, and it was so foundation they did, and it was so huge that they filled them and then began Building Foundation walls, which began with rubble and broken bricks and things, and then stone came up. A stonemason from colin from scotland came in. He wanted to do everything. And he began the construction of the stone. And the base of the white house was solid stone. What we would call the basement. It is built on a ridge, the house is. It is a twostory house from the north where we are, and then it drops down onestory. The basement is exposed to the drive. That is where the kitchens, the main room, ultimately the thermos room. They were supposed to be in the attic but they were scared because it was so high. Such a huge building for the time. And it was reduced to storage to save money. When they present this to George Washington he said that is fine, then he enlarged the rest of it 20 . He got half of what he wanted, but he did get what he wanted. At the site they were making bricks like mad, using what was dug out, there were two bricks yards, and they brought an expert from philadelphia. And the Foundation Stones were built up, and then the cornerstone was laid, which was a piece of brass like that with everybodys name on it. It was mashed into the mortar and stone was put on top of it. Never been found. I suspect it was stolen. Enemies of washington, they did not want the house built. People wanted to move the capital to philadelphia or keep it in philadelphia. Washington was not there, so this cornerstone laying was not the one at the capital was very formal. This one got kind of ratty. They drank all night. A guard was put at the place 24 hours a day. So i suspect something went on that we do not know about and did not want anyone to know about here. I suspect its at the bottom of the potomac somewhere. So then construction began. Williamson was an expert. He was from the highlands in scotland, he had worked for the powerful grant family. There is still a house there that he built and his name is there when he was born in the most church when he was christened and all. He was a man in his 60s when he came here. He got irritated at people, particularly irish. Hoven we talked about earlier was really the superintendent. So they clashed bigtime. Level was built by Colin Williamson and it is a beautiful piece of work. Wow that was going on they were building the vaulting inside because they wanted to have stone floors, which they didnt have until years later. Susan the white house lawn today is beautifully landscaped. What was it like when the house is being constructed . Mr. Seale it was pretty torn up, but orderly. They built houses for the workman and it would 12 by 12 and there were 12 by 12 little cottages in rows. They did not have to pay to have those. Whereas Andrew Jackson across the street, the Carpenters Lodge where the carpet is worked, and half the churches in town were founded there and the masonic order, all the stone people were masons. Many others as well. Capital lodge number one still exists there. It was like a village. There were gardens, different families, a few wise were accumulated. Wives were accumulated. Sometimes they came with the workmen. They had markets, where the park is now on pennsylvania avenue. That became a real event on saturdays. They had horse races, lots of gambling. It was a whole village that disappeared when the house was finished. Susan how many years was it altogether . Mr. Seale lets say, 1792 to about 1800. They began selling the house is. Houses. They let james has several houses to put together. Made himself expendable with his arguments and babble over the irish. He just could not stand them. Scots were more iron orderly. The irish were wild. There was a brothel here and lots of booze. Hoven controlled them by making them drawing the militia. They had to come to militia meetings or they got fined out of their salaries. So he controlled his men. Williamson and not stand in your he was old. So he clicked and spent his life here in washington. He quit and spent his life here in washington. All the commission were scots. Scots were all over the area. To findt to scotland stonemasons because by reputation, the scots were the greatest stonemasons on earth. They were not as ornamental as the italians, who worked on the capital later, but they were great stonemasons. They were on jobs in russia and france and everywhere. Lucky, behold, they were and edinburgh, they were on hard times. Newtown was being built, in the adam brothers decided. And a stone mason could buy the lot and he had to build the plan butke adams could fit anything behind it. They were kind of real estate people, too. A moratoriumlished on buildings and skilled workmen were not allowed to leave the country because of the impending trouble with the french during the french revolution. Cots were prominent businesspeople, they were found through their Masonic Lodge in edinburgh, the oldest in the world. Lodge werelives working still nations still nations stonemasons. Seven slipped out from scotland, silaed and then sailed and then walked here. People did not think of that then. I guess thats why they lived so long. The scots were very organized men. They were heads of crews of workman back then. They were highly organized and they brought the house to completion. They knew how to interact. A letter of the other workmen were not experienced at all. Example, wasp, for very difficult here because the boys would not stay. They would just leave. ,he papers are full of ads georgetown papers, alexandria papers. Susan what was the specific role of the scottish summations masons . Mr. Seale they built the stone walls. They are that thick and backed with about three feet of brick. Be exposed tot to the weather but brick to be protected. It is not the strong brick you would have on the outside of a building. If you want to see that brick, a sample, the greenhouse at mount vernon was reconstructed using that brick. Specified great big ones. That is what lined the stone walls. When the stone walls were built, as you face the white house on the left were the stone walls, and on the right, brick. There was immediate cooperation between the stoneman and the brickman. Many of whom were irish. That worked well. The growing vaulting was beautiful. It lasted until the truman renovations than it was replaced with steel. It is imitated down there now. Archings to support the heavy house. The brick masons built that with the stonemasons cooperation. Whens identifiable washington made his last trip here from philadelphia after he left office. He parked in front of the north here, his carriage. He and mrs. Washington were in it, his granddaughter, step granddaughter, and george sonington lafayette, the who was sent to save him from the french revolution. Had thepped and hoban militia that he forced everyone to join, give a 21 gun salute from the walls of the house. It was finished enough not to have windows yet or anything, but washington could see what it looked like. Susan so George Washington was never able to enter the completed white house . Mr. Seale not to our knowledge. Susan people should know there were three basic classes of workers. Masons who scottish did the stonework and carving, the irish workers, and slaves. What was the role of slaves in the actual building . Mr. Seale labor, but more. The scottish stonemasons preferred the hired slaves to apprentices. They picked up fast. It was a desirable job for a slave. The contracts were extensive about how they had to be fed or clothed and cared for. But they learned a skill, so it was no advantage to them in an advantage was to them and perhaps buying freedom. The scots did teach them on the job. I would say about 30 of the black, weree was slaves. They did not have any trouble with them. But they were in every aspect of the word. Susan would you talk about the decorative carvings on the buildings and what is special about it . Mr. Seale the building is decoratively carved because George Washington wanted carving. He even said in a letter to the commissioners, he said i do not think it is so much in fashion anymore. However so, he got it. The stonemasons gave him what he wanted. Two remain. Most of the stonemasons went back home. Two did remain here. One remained permanently, he probably married, i dont know. But they carried out this incredible carving, so beautiful. The greatest part of it is a 14th of swagger over the front door which is carved with lilies and flowers and ribbons and acorns and everything you can think of. Very lush over the front door. Probably the finest example of carving in america for 100 years. Its beautiful. Crestingns they did, the columns. It is not gaudily done. When you walk down the street you do not really see the carving. Its too far. See the bulk of the house but the carving is really special. See the bulk of the house but the carving is really special. And one thing that worked out this time in research is i always wondered what those cabbage roses were in the top of the columns, because that is not classical work. Roses they time he are flat, that is what usually tied on a classical column. These are lush and lots of petals and all that. It seems that in the 1780s, the scots propagated a rose, double rows. It is called a scottish double rows. Crazy. T europe like scottish double rose. Everybody had them. We should have figured that out 20 years ago. But we didnt. That was her trademark. Their trademark, the scottish rose. What happened in the war of 1812 . Mr. Seale our part of the napoleonic war. 1814, the british attacked here and burned the public buildings. The capital was not finished but this one was, and it was burned. It was a military thing, it was not vandalism. They considered it a military act. Beset the house on fire in the middle floor and it burned the attic out and then all collapsed into the main floor and it was literally a vessel. Just a stone walls remained. Some of those were so burned that a fire broke out at 1 00 in the morning, by 1 00 in the morning the rain came in a cracked stones like crazy. The house was rebuilt but largely what is there is what the scots built. And the carving is a same. The rose waspied, kept. The themes the scottish stonemasons started was continued. The house is finished for new years 1818 in james monroe had a big reception on the state floor, as you call the main floor. All the workmen had the same reception down below with the tables and so horses in plenty of beer, wine and crackers. They seemed to like crackers and awful lot. Ats and so forth. Susan the basic design of a Georgian House is essentially a rectangle. When were they added in by what president . Mr. Seale the porticos were probably thought about during jeffersons time. Them. Claimed he designed went and took your offerings of them down all frames in the walls. And they copied them, traced them. Hoban really designed them the idea may go back to jefferson. He did some drawings. It is not very clear, but they were put on. I do not think they did not prepare for them, originally. Thee was a porch put on north front of the house. But it was just a path. It had to be enlarged for the portico. But the vault is still under their. Re. The south portico was completed first in 1824 and that podium was there, the floor, and the columns were added and the roof. It is not a portico but it is called a portico. It does not have the triangular adamant. Hoban did it all. He was the director of the building and the architect. And he died soon after the north portico was finished. Susan i want to get one more story, and that is of the president who helped preserve these walls. Bookid the premise of the is the original stone walls are really all that remains of the white house that George Washington built. Harry truman came in realized it was in such disrepair that major reconstruction had to happen. What was his role in restoring the stonewall . Mr. Seale everything. President truman loved history and he loved symbols in history very much. Maybe coming from his masonic background, i dont know. Themthe architects told they were going to demolish and rebuild it, he said no. He worried about it. Finally he went to yale and they were rebuilding a building there , and the new building inside, and he decided that would happen. Here andt an architect y gutted the house, and not everything, but most of it to trash out of the ft. Myers landfill. The house was reconstructed in