Below are two amazing engravings of the President’s House and the Capitol Building following the Burning of Washington on August 24, 1814. The engravings were done by William Strickland. The British marched on Washington and attacked the city, but were ordered to only attack public buildings. After their attack, a tornado tore through Washington, bringing rains that helped stop the fires and ended any further destruction by the British.
While the President’s House sat gutted, the Madisons spent the next six months running the executive branch out of the Octagon House at 1799 New York Avenue NW. James Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent ending the War of 1812 in the upstairs circular study there on February 17, 1815.
Source: Library of Congress (Presidents House), Library of Congress (Capitol)
The White House looks more imposing without all the other buildings around it.
That’s how the white house originally looked?