The White House

First Bank of the United States, Independence National Historical Park

In his boyhood, he learned the craft of carpenter and wheelwright, and became an architect by profession and a builder by trade.

An Irish-American architect, best known for designing the White House in Washington, D.C.&nbsp;

This wax bas-relief on glass portrait is of James Hoban, c 1800. An Irish-American who was an architect of the White House and many other Washington, D.C. landmarks. The portrait is attributed to John Christian Rauschner, a German sculptor who specialized in wax portraits. It was acquired for the White House Collection by the White House Historical Association in 1976.

Irish artist Ron Mercer created a portrait of James Hoban for a postage stamp, while American designer Walter D. Richards, known for the American Architecture Series, illustrated the White House. On September 29, First Lady Nancy Reagan, Postmaster General William F. Bolger, and Irish ambassador Sean Donlon attended a ceremony announcing the stamp. Ireland issued its Hoban stamp that day, but the United States waited until October 13 to mark the 1792 laying of the White House cornerstone. During production, the U.S. Postal Service raised first-class postage from 18¢ to 20¢, effective November 1. To avoid releasing a short-lived 18¢ stamp, the agency unusually issued both denominations with the same design.

Depicted Hoban indicating progress on the President's House to President Washington during an early summer day