The history of the President's House in Philadelphia

The President's House in Philadelphia was the third U.S. presidential mansion, following the first two in New York City. The three-and-a-half-story brick mansion was built in 1767 by widow Mary Lawrence Masters. In 1772, she gave it as a wedding gift to her elder daughter, Polly, who married Richard Penn, the lieutenant-governor of the colony. Richard Penn entertained delegates to the First Continental Congress, including George Washington, at the house.

During the British occupation of Philadelphia from 1777 to 1778, the house served as the headquarters for General Sir William Howe. Following the British evacuation of the city, American General Benedict Arnold made the house his headquarters. After a fire in January 1780, the house was purchased by Robert Morris, a Founding Father and financier of the Revolutionary War. Morris restored and expanded the house and lived there while serving as Superintendent of Finance.

Philadelphia served as the temporary national capital from 1790 to 1800 while Washington, D.C. was under construction. Robert Morris gave up the house for use by President George Washington, who occupied it from November 1790 to March 1797. Washington's successor, President John Adams, occupied the house from March 1797 to May 30, 1800. After Adams's departure in 1800, the house was converted into Francis's Union Hotel.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons