The cornerstone of the White House was laid October 13, 1792, on a site selected by President George Washington. Plans for the house were drawn by Irish-born architect James Hoban, who also superintended its construction. (Hoban also supervised the reconstruction of the house after it was burned by the British in 1814, and the erection of the north and south porticos some years later. ) The exterior sandstone walls were painted during the course of construction, causing the building to be termed the 'White House' from an early date. For many years, however, people generally refered to it as the 'President's House' or the 'President's Palace'. The White House was first occupied by President and Mrs. John Adams in November 1800. Most of the building's interior had not yet been completed, and Mrs. Adams used the unfinished East Room to dry the family wash. During Thomas Jefferson's administration, the east and west terraces were constructed. Jefferson's also opened the house each morning to all visitors--an extension of the democratic simplicity he favored and practiced in his social life When James Madison became President in 1809, his wife, the famous Dolley Madison, introduced some of the brilliance and glitter of Old World courts into the social life of the White House. Then, on August 24, 1814, British forces captured Washington and burned the house in retaliation for the destruction by American troops of some public buildings in Canada. Although only the partially damaged sandstone walls and interior brickwork remained, reconstruction of the building began in 1815. And the White House was ready for occupancy by President James Monroe in September 1817. The south portico was built in 1824 the large north portico over the entrance and the driveway, in 1829. Throughout its history, the White House has kept pace with modern improvements. Spring water was piped into the building in 1834, gas lighting was introduced in 1848, and a hot-water heating system was in- stalled in 1853. During Andrew Johnson's administration, the east terrace was removed entirely. In 1881, the first elevator was installed. And in 1891, during Benjamin Harrison's administration, the house was wired for electricity. When Theodore Roosevelt moved into the White House in 1901, its interior was a conglomeration of styles and periods, and the house itself needed extensive structural repairs. Congress appropriated money to repair and refurnish the house and to construct new offices for the president. (399) This article focuses most clearly on ______.