Background
James Noban was born in 1756 in Ireland, United Kingdom.
(built on the ruins of the former South Carolina Statehouse)
built on the ruins of the former South Carolina Statehouse
(In July 1792, Hoban was named winner of the design compet...)
In July 1792, Hoban was named winner of the design competition for the White House. His initial design seems to have had a 3-story facade, nine bays across (like the Charleston courthouse).
James Noban was born in 1756 in Ireland, United Kingdom.
Mr. Hoban arrived in this country shortly after the end of the American Revolution and settled first at Philadelphia. Moving later to Charleston, S. C., he built several houses there also the State Capitol at Columbia, completed in 1791, which was destroyed during the Civil War.
Early in 1792 when the newly established Federal city was being laid out from die plans of Enfant, Hoban went to Washington to participate in a competition for the home of the President. His design was later awarded the first cash prize of $500.00 together with a city lot. After the comer of,the building was laid in 1793 he remained in charge of the work until 1800 when President John Adams and his wife moved into the not wholly completed mansion. Following the British attack on the city in 1814 and the damage to the house from fire, Hoban was called upon to supervise the work
He emplioyed at intermittent periods during the erection of the Capitol building, and the first State and War Offices, completed in 1818 were built by him. In 1802 when the City was incorporated, he was elected a member of the Council, and remained in Washington during tne rest ot his life, participating in various enterprises, public and private.
In 1802 he was elected a member of the Council
