President's Park
Lafayette Square
President's Park, located in Washington, D.C., encompasses the White House, a visitor center, Lafayette Square, and The Ellipse. President's Park was the original name of Lafayette Square. The current President's Park is administered by the National Park Service.
Washington, D.C. was designated as the site for the United States capital in the
1790 Residence Act, with authority given to President George Washington to ready
the capital for the government by 1800. Contests were held to solicit votes for
both the United States Capitol and the President's residence. James Hoban's
design was selected, and he supervised the construction. Later on, the White
House was expanded with the West Wing, which now houses the office of the
president and staff. The White House grounds include the South Lawn, Rose
Garden, Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, and North Lawn.
Lafayette Square is a seven-acre (30,000 mē) public park located directly north
of the White House on H Street, bounded by Jackson Place on the west, Madison
Place on the east, and Pennsylvania Avenue. The square and the surrounding
structures were designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1970.
Planned as part of the pleasure grounds surrounding the Executive Mansion, this
square was originally called "President's Park", which is now the name of the
larger National Park Service unit. The park was separated from the White House
grounds in 1804, when President Thomas Jefferson had Pennsylvania Avenue cut
through. In 1824, the park was officially renamed in honor of the Marquis de
Lafayette, the Frenchman who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Lafayette Square has been used as a racetrack, a graveyard, a zoo, a slave
market, an encampment for soldiers during the War of 1812, and many political
protests and celebrations. Andrew Jackson Downing landscaped Lafayette Square in
1851 in the picturesque style.
Text from Wikipedia
Renwick Museum
White House
West Wing
Executive Office Building
constructing the reviewing stand for President Obama's Second Term Inaugural