How was the location of the White House selected?

Located along the banks of the Potomac River, the site of the nation’s capital city was selected after much debate, through a compromise between southern and northern representatives during the late 1780s. The Residence Act of 1790 placed the site along the Potomac River, and gave President George Washington the authority to select the exact location of the new capital city. President Washington marked the spot for the future north walls and entrance of the White House. The chosen location and position for the White House symbolically linked the President’s House to the U.S. Capitol via Pennsylvania Avenue.