Deshler-Morris House

The Germantown White House (formerly the Deshler-Morris House, Deshler House or Perot-Morris House) is a historic mansion in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the scene of fighting in the Battle of Germantown, and it is the oldest surviving presidential residence, having twice sheltered George Washington during his term of office. The house takes its former name from its first and last owners: David Deshler, who built it beginning in 1752; and Elliston P. Morris, who donated it to the National Park Service in 1948. Deshler, a merchant, bought a 2-acre (8,100 m) lot from George and Anna Bringhurst in 1751-52, and constructed a four-room summer cottage. Twenty years later he built a 3-story, 9-room addition to...