Executive Mansion (Site)
Image by Teemu008
The site of the Executive Mansion, part of Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, a national landmark district (1767). It was built for widow Mary Lawrence Masters in 1767. It was given as a wedding gift to her daugher, who married lieutenant-governor Richard Penn (grandson of William Penn). The Penns entertained many members of the Continental Congress, including George Washington. Penn became the president of the board of the College and Academy of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) in 1773. After Philadelphia was captured by the British, the house became the headquarters for William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, the Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the war. After the British evacuated, it became home to the city military governor Benedict Arnold. Arnold abused his position, profiting from war-related supply movements. It was here that Arnold began plotting to change sides, secretly writing to loyalist politicians. In 1779, Arnold began providing British forced with information about troop locations and strengths. Arnold was court-martialed for his corruption, but was only convicted of two minor crimes. Nonetheless, he resigned his position in protest. Arnold was re-assigned to West Point on August 3, 1780. French purchasing agent took over the house after Arnold left. After the house was damaged by a fire in 1781, Holker sold the house to Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris. George Washington lodged with Morris during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. In 1790, Morris gave up his house so that it could become the Executive Mansion for the President; Morris moved next door. George Washington lived here from Novembre 1790 to March 1797, and John Adams followed from March 1797 to May 1800, when the White House was completed.
Sadly, most of the house was demolished in 1832. The last remnants were though to have been demolished during the creation of Independence Mall in the 1950s. However, in 2000, when ground for the Liberty Bell Center was being excavated, the foundation of the Executive Mansion was discovered. Built on what would have been Washington’s slave quarters, the National Park Service decided to add an exhibit to the center focused on the lives of Washington’s slaves. The site was futher excavated during an archaeology project in 2007.