Germantown White House

Philadelphia


George Washington lived here twice making this the oldest presidential residence in the US. In 1793 the first US president sought refuge here from the city's yellow fever epidemic – he liked it so much that he returned the following summer. British General William Howe was the occupant during the Revolutionary War in October 1777. The interior is only open during special events.

It's also known as the Deshler-Morris House after David Deshler, who built the home in 1752, and its last owner, Elliston Morris, who donated it to the National Park Service in 1948.

Transportation

  • train: Germantown
  • bus: 23

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Philadelphia attractions

1. Historic Germantown

0.03 MILES

Pick up leaflets, maps and an admissions passport (individual/family $25/45) covering 16 of Germantown's historic attractions at this information center…

2. Grumblethorpe

0.24 MILES

Built in 1744, this colonial stone home exemplifies Germantown's residential architecture of the time. It was constructed for the prominent Wister family…

3. Wyck

0.53 MILES

Set in lovely gardens, which are open year-round, Wyck was the ancestral home of a Germantown family between 1690 and 1973. The house was renovated by…

4. Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion

0.68 MILES

This stone Victorian Gothic mansion sits in a neighborhood that still looks pretty much as it did in the last half of the 19th century. Inside, the 17…

5. Johnson House

0.8 MILES

This stone 1768 house, which sports scars from the Battle of Germantown, was built by the Johnsons, a Quaker family who were supporters of abolishing…

6. Historic Rittenhouse Town

0.96 MILES

For over 200 years eight generations of the Rittenhouse family lived and worked in this historic village along the Monoshone and Wissahickon Creeks. Tours…

7. Cliveden

1.08 MILES

Home to the prominent Chew family for over 200 years, this 1767 Georgian house and estate was a key location in the Battle of Germantown in 1777. Every…

8. Laurel Hill Cemetery

2.28 MILES

Founded in 1836 this was the first cemetery in the US to be named a National Historic Landmark. Numerous prominent Philadelphians are buried here,…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "usa/pennsylvania/philadelphia/attractions/germantown-white-house/a/poi-sig/1592688/362106",
      "destination": "Philadelphia",
      "continent": "North-America",
      "country": "USA",
      "region": "Pennsylvania",
      "city": "Philadelphia",
      "position": "superzone"
    }