December 8, 1831

James Hoban, the Kilkenny born architect who designed the U.S. White house, died on this day in 1831. Hoban worked in Ireland as a wheelright and carpenter until his early twenties, when he was given an advanced student placement at the Dublin Society’s Drawing School. He excelled in his studies and became an apprentice under Cork architect Thomas Ivory. After the American Revolutionary War, he immigrated to Philadelphia and established his own architecture firm. In July 1792 he was named winner of the design competition for the White house in the new capitol of Washington, D.C. He rebuilt the South Portico following the 1814 fire.