for almost two hundred years, the white house has stood as a symbol of the presidency, the united states government, and the american people. its history, and the history of the nation's capital, began when president george washington signed an act of congress in december of 1790 declaring that the federal government would reside in a district "not exceeding ten miles square...on the river potomac." president washington, together with city planner pierre l'enfant, chose the site for
