October 13:
1792: White House cornerstone laid
The cornerstone is laid for a presidential residence in the newly designated capital city of Washington. In 1800, President John Adams became the first president to reside in the executive mansion, which soon became known as the "White House" because its white-gray Virginia freestone contrasted strikingly with the red brick of nearby buildings.
The city of Washington was created to replace Philadelphia as the nation's capital because of its geographical position in the center of the existing new republic. The states of Maryland and Virginia ceded land around the Potomac River to form the District of Columbia, and work began on Washington in 1791. French architect Charles L'Enfant designed the area's radical layout, full of dozens of circles, crisscross avenues, and plentiful parks. In 1792, work began on the neoclassical White House building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue under the guidance of Irish American architect James Hoban, whose design was influenced by Leinster House in Dublin and by a building sketch in James Gibbs' Book of Architecture. President George Washington chose the site.
On November 1, President John Adams was welcomed into the executive mansion. His wife, Abigail, wrote about their new home: "I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house, and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but wise men ever rule under this roof!"
In 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was set on fire along with the U.S. Capitol by British soldiers in retaliation for the burning of government buildings in Canada by U.S. troops. The burned-out building was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged under the direction of James Hoban, who added east and west terraces to the main building, along with a semicircular south portico and a colonnaded north portico. The smoke-stained stone walls were painted white. Work was completed on the White House in the 1820s.
Major restoration occurred during the administration of President Harry Truman, and Truman lived across the street for several years in Blair House. Since 1995, Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and Lafayette Square has been closed to vehicular traffic for security reasons. Today, more than a million tourists visit the White House annually. It is the oldest federal building in the nation's capital.
American Revolution
1775 : Continental Congress authorizes first naval force
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/continental-congress-authorizes-first-naval-force
Automotive
1953 : World's first traveling art museum opens in Virginia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/worlds-first-traveling-art-museum-opens-in-virginia
Civil War
1863 : Ohio voters reject Vallandigham
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ohio-voters-reject-vallandigham
Cold War
1957 : Popular sci-fi film reflects America's ambivalence about nuclear weapons
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/popular-sci-fi-film-reflects-americas-ambivalence-about-nuclear-weapons
Crime
1999 : Grand jury dismissed in JonBenet Ramsey murder case
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/grand-jury-dismissed-in-jonbenet-ramsey-murder-case
Disaster
2010 : Chilean miners are rescued after 69 days underground
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chilean-miners-are-rescued-after-69-days-underground
General Interest
1775 : Continental Navy established
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/continental-navy-established
1812 : Sir Isaac Brock saves Canada
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sir-isaac-brock-saves-canada
1843 : B'nai B'rith founded
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bnai-brith-founded
1977 : Palestinians hijack German airliner
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/palestinians-hijack-german-airliner
Hollywood
1950 : Jimmy Stewart stars in Harvey
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimmy-stewart-stars-in-harvey
Literary
1943 : Poet Robert Lowell sentenced to prison
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/poet-robert-lowell-sentenced-to-prison
Music
1975 : Singer Charlie Rich protests John Denver's big win at the CMA Awards
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/singer-charlie-rich-protests-john-denver39s-big-win-at-the-cma-awards
Old West
1845 : Texans ratify a state constitution and approve annexation
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/texans-ratify-a-state-constitution-and-approve-annexation
Presidential
1792 : White House cornerstone is laid
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/white-house-cornerstone-is-laid
Sports
1967 : American Basketball Association debuts
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-basketball-association-debuts
Vietnam War
1966 : McNamara claims that war is progressing satisfactorily
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mcnamara-claims-that-war-is-progressing-satisfactorily
1970 : Sir Robert Thompson advises President Nixon
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sir-robert-thompson-advises-president-nixon
World War I
1915 : Poet Charles Sorley killed at Loos
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/poet-charles-sorley-killed-at-loos
World War II
1943 : Italy declares war on Germany
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italy-declares-war-on-germany
The cornerstone is laid for a presidential residence in the newly designated capital city of Washington. In 1800, President John Adams became the first president to reside in the executive mansion, which soon became known as the "White House" because its white-gray Virginia freestone contrasted strikingly with the red brick of nearby buildings.
The city of Washington was created to replace Philadelphia as the nation's capital because of its geographical position in the center of the existing new republic. The states of Maryland and Virginia ceded land around the Potomac River to form the District of Columbia, and work began on Washington in 1791. French architect Charles L'Enfant designed the area's radical layout, full of dozens of circles, crisscross avenues, and plentiful parks. In 1792, work began on the neoclassical White House building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue under the guidance of Irish American architect James Hoban, whose design was influenced by Leinster House in Dublin and by a building sketch in James Gibbs' Book of Architecture. President George Washington chose the site.
On November 1, President John Adams was welcomed into the executive mansion. His wife, Abigail, wrote about their new home: "I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house, and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but wise men ever rule under this roof!"
In 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was set on fire along with the U.S. Capitol by British soldiers in retaliation for the burning of government buildings in Canada by U.S. troops. The burned-out building was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged under the direction of James Hoban, who added east and west terraces to the main building, along with a semicircular south portico and a colonnaded north portico. The smoke-stained stone walls were painted white. Work was completed on the White House in the 1820s.
Major restoration occurred during the administration of President Harry Truman, and Truman lived across the street for several years in Blair House. Since 1995, Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and Lafayette Square has been closed to vehicular traffic for security reasons. Today, more than a million tourists visit the White House annually. It is the oldest federal building in the nation's capital.
American Revolution
1775 : Continental Congress authorizes first naval force
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/continental-congress-authorizes-first-naval-force
Automotive
1953 : World's first traveling art museum opens in Virginia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/worlds-first-traveling-art-museum-opens-in-virginia
Civil War
1863 : Ohio voters reject Vallandigham
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ohio-voters-reject-vallandigham
Cold War
1957 : Popular sci-fi film reflects America's ambivalence about nuclear weapons
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/popular-sci-fi-film-reflects-americas-ambivalence-about-nuclear-weapons
Crime
1999 : Grand jury dismissed in JonBenet Ramsey murder case
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/grand-jury-dismissed-in-jonbenet-ramsey-murder-case
Disaster
2010 : Chilean miners are rescued after 69 days underground
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chilean-miners-are-rescued-after-69-days-underground
General Interest
1775 : Continental Navy established
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/continental-navy-established
1812 : Sir Isaac Brock saves Canada
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sir-isaac-brock-saves-canada
1843 : B'nai B'rith founded
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bnai-brith-founded
1977 : Palestinians hijack German airliner
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/palestinians-hijack-german-airliner
Hollywood
1950 : Jimmy Stewart stars in Harvey
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimmy-stewart-stars-in-harvey
Literary
1943 : Poet Robert Lowell sentenced to prison
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/poet-robert-lowell-sentenced-to-prison
Music
1975 : Singer Charlie Rich protests John Denver's big win at the CMA Awards
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/singer-charlie-rich-protests-john-denver39s-big-win-at-the-cma-awards
Old West
1845 : Texans ratify a state constitution and approve annexation
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/texans-ratify-a-state-constitution-and-approve-annexation
Presidential
1792 : White House cornerstone is laid
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/white-house-cornerstone-is-laid
Sports
1967 : American Basketball Association debuts
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-basketball-association-debuts
Vietnam War
1966 : McNamara claims that war is progressing satisfactorily
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mcnamara-claims-that-war-is-progressing-satisfactorily
1970 : Sir Robert Thompson advises President Nixon
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sir-robert-thompson-advises-president-nixon
World War I
1915 : Poet Charles Sorley killed at Loos
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/poet-charles-sorley-killed-at-loos
World War II
1943 : Italy declares war on Germany
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italy-declares-war-on-germany
No comments:
Post a Comment