Germantown White House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Germantown White House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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Picture of the Germantown White House
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 Location in Philadelphia
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5442 Germantown Avenue Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| Area | < 1-acre (4,000 m2) |
| Built | 1752 |
| Architect | David Deshler |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000095 |
| Added to NRHP | January 13, 1972 |
The Germantown White House is a very old and important house in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is also known as the Deshler–Morris House. This house is special because it is the oldest home where a US president lived that is still standing today.
Founding Father George Washington, who was the first President of the United States, stayed here twice during his time as president.
Contents
Building the House and Its Owners
The house has two names because of its first and last owners. David Deshler started building it in 1752. Elliston P. Morris was the last owner. He gave the house to the National Park Service in 1948.
David Deshler was a merchant, which means he bought and sold goods. In 1751–52, he bought a piece of land about the size of two football fields. He then built a small summer house with four rooms.
Twenty years later, he added a much bigger part to the front. This new part had three stories and nine rooms. It made the house one of the fanciest homes in the area.
After Deshler died in 1792, Isaac Franks bought the house. Isaac Franks was a former colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. It was Isaac Franks who rented the house to President Washington.
Later, the house was sold to Elliston and John Perot. In 1834, it was sold again to Samuel B. Morris, who was Elliston's son-in-law. The Morris family lived in the house for over 100 years. Then, in 1948, they gave it to the National Park Service.
History of the House
The Germantown White House has seen many important events.
Revolutionary War Events
On October 4, 1777, there was a big fight near the house. This was part of the Battle of Germantown. After the battle, a British general named Sir William Howe took over the house and stayed there.
President Washington's Stay in 1793
In 1793, a serious sickness called the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 hit Philadelphia. Philadelphia was the capital city at the time. President Washington stayed in the city until September. Then he usually went home to Mount Vernon for the autumn.
When he and a small group of enslaved people returned in early November, Philadelphia was under quarantine. This meant people could not easily enter or leave the city. So, they had to go to Germantown instead. Germantown was about 10 miles outside the city back then.
Washington first stayed at the Dove House. This house was for the headmaster of Germantown Academy. He also traveled to Reading, Pennsylvania, which was about 60 miles away. He wanted to see if Reading could be a temporary capital city.
When he came back to Germantown, he stayed at the Isaac Franks house. This was from November 16 to November 30. His wife, Martha, and two of her grandchildren, Eleanor Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis, joined him. More enslaved people and staff also came later during their stay.
President Washington's Stay in 1794
The next year, in September and October, Washington and his family returned to the Franks house. They came for a vacation. However, President Washington had to leave early. He needed to deal with the Whiskey Rebellion in Western Pennsylvania.
While at the house, he met four times with his most important advisors, called his cabinet. These included Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Edmund Randolph, and Henry Knox. The President also posed for a famous painter named Gilbert Stuart. Stuart had a painting studio nearby. The Washington family also went to the German Reformed Church across the square.
Four enslaved people lived with the Washingtons at the Franks house. Their names were Oney Judge, Austin (her brother), Moll, and Hercules.
Protecting the House
The Independence National Historical Park now takes care of the Germantown White House. In 1972, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important historical places. The house is also part of the Colonial Germantown Historic District. In 2009, the National Park Service officially changed the house's name. It went from "Deshler-Morris House" to the "Germantown White House."
The Bringhurst House
The Bringhurst House is next to the Germantown White House. It was first owned by John Bringhurst. He built carriages and invented the Germantown Wagon. In 1780, he even built a carriage for George Washington.
During the Battle of Germantown in 1777, a British officer named John Bird was sick in the Bringhurst House. He got out of bed to lead his soldiers but was badly hurt in the battle. He was taken back to the Bringhurst House, where he died.
In 1973, the Bringhurst house was given to the National Park Service. This was to help protect the Germantown White House. The Bringhurst property is now being turned into a place for exhibits and a welcome center for visitors.
See also
- President's House (Philadelphia), where Washington lived as president in Philadelphia
- List of residences of presidents of the United States
- Oney Judge, an enslaved maid of Martha Washington
- Hercules (chef), an enslaved cook for Washington's household
- Tobias Lear V, Washington's secretary
- Wyck House
