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America’s First Architect
MILLS, Robert (1781-1855). One of the first American’s to be trained as an architect and engineer. He is known as ‘America’s First Architect”. From 1800 until 1820 he worked as an architect in Washington, DC. Along with his friend James Hoban they worked on the construction of The Executive Mansion (White House) and became friends with Thomas Jefferson who was the first president to live in The White House. He designed The Washington Monument which for many years was the tallest structure in the world. He designed more than 50 buildings including The Treasury Building, Patent Office Building now the National Portrait Gallery, the U.S. Post Office and numerous U.S. Custom Houses and court houses.
The Washington Monument cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848 and Mills used the same trowel that George Washington had used to lay the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol in 1793. The monument was opened to the public on Oct. 9. 1888. Robert Mills is also responsible for the first systematic mapping of a U.S. State (South Carolina). Eight signatures of early Washington, D.C and the area of notables who made a subscription for lots of land. of $100.00. The signature of Robert Mills is extremely rare.................... $395.00
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