Washington - White House Area

George Washington selected this area for the White House in 1791. The idea was to create a district for both the Presidential House and Congressional Buildings small enough that they could keep an eye on each other. However, due to construction of the Treasury Building on the east side, the view between the two was lost. Lafayette square lies to the north of the White House and the expansive Ellipse is to the south. The Old Executive Office Building flanks the west side. Other destinations in the neighborhood include the OAS building and the Washington Convention Center.