With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Excavations unearth window designed by Washington

PHILADELPHIA -- Archeologists said records indicate they have unearthed the crescent-shaped rock foundation of a bow window George Washington designed for a house on Independence Mall where he and successor John Adams resided as president.

Those excavating the site discovered the foundation wall Monday when they broke through a 19th century basement floor. After checking plans and measurements from historical records, Jed Levin, an archeologist with the National Park Service, said Tuesday, "We're now certain. It's the bow window."

Architectural historians say the curved window that expanded the house's State Room was a model for oval rooms in the White House, which was being built in Washington, D.C., when Washington and Adams lived in Philadelphia in the 1790s.

"It's the prototype of the Oval Office," said Douglas Heller, an Independence Hall Association board member.

Read entire article at AP