▁he ▁supported ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ▁and ▁was ▁dub bed ▁the ▁" Pat ri ot ▁Mayor ." ▁ ▁Design ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁is ▁attributed ▁to ▁architect / builder ▁Robert ▁Smith . ▁Pow el ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Elizabeth ▁( née ▁Will ing ) ▁lav ish ly ▁re decor ated , ▁ ▁creating ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁orn ate ▁inter iors ▁in ▁the ▁Col on ies . ▁The ▁Roc oco ▁pl aster ed ▁ce il ings ▁are ▁attributed ▁to ▁James ▁C low , ▁and ▁the ▁architect ural ▁wood work ▁is ▁attributed ▁to ▁car vers ▁Her cules ▁Cour tn ay ▁and ▁Martin ▁Jug iez . ▁ ▁The ▁Pow el ▁House ▁shared ▁a ▁party ▁wall ▁with ▁the ▁Governor ▁John ▁P enn ▁house , ▁next ▁door . ▁The ▁governor ' s ▁house ▁was ▁conf isc ated ▁during ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War , ▁and ▁George ▁and ▁Mar tha ▁Washington ▁occupied ▁it ▁for ▁several ▁months , ▁following ▁the ▁October ▁ 1 7 8 1 ▁victory ▁at ▁York town . ▁The ▁Pow els ▁ent ert ained ▁the ▁W ash ing tons , ▁and ▁other ▁notable ▁guests , ▁such ▁as ▁Benjamin ▁Franklin , ▁John ▁Adams , ▁Benjamin ▁R ush , ▁and ▁the ▁Mar quis ▁de ▁La f ay ette . ▁▁▁ ▁Philadelphia ▁served ▁as ▁temporary ▁national ▁capital ▁from ▁ 1 7 9 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 0 0 , ▁and ▁President ▁Washington ▁occupied ▁a ▁house ▁on ▁Market ▁Street ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁six ▁years . ▁Prior ▁to ▁moving ▁in , ▁he ▁built ▁a ▁two - story , ▁sem ic irc ular ▁" B