Sip, Savor, & Learn: Form, Function, and Power: The Development of the White House’s East and West Wings

March Sip, Savor, & Learn

Form, Function, and Power: The Development of the White House’s East and West Wings

Join the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County for the March installment of the Sip, Savor, & Learn Speaker Series—an evening that blends historic setting, good conversation, and a thoughtful look at architecture and power.

Held in the elegant surroundings of the Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, this special happy hour program invites guests to arrive early, enjoy refreshments, and connect with fellow preservation and history enthusiasts before settling in for an illustrated lecture.

Preservation Happy Hour

• Date: March 11, 2026
• Time: Happy Hour begins at 5:30 PM | Presentation at 6:30 PM
• Location: Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, 123 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA
• Cost: $37.50 per person. Includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar provided by Roaming Libations.
• Registration: Attendance is limited to 40 guests. Advance registration is required.

Come early to sip your favorite drink, savor delicious hors d’oeuvres, and soak in the historic atmosphere of one of Lancaster’s most significant preservation success stories.

Presentation Topic

Form, Function, and Power: The Development of the White House’s East and West Wings

This illustrated lecture explores the architectural evolution of the White House through the lens of its East and West Wings. Originally conceived as modest service and office additions, these wings gradually transformed into highly specialized centers of governance—mirroring the expanding responsibilities, security needs, and symbolic authority of the American presidency.

Through key moments of expansion, renovation, and reconfiguration, the program examines how architecture responds to institutional growth and political change. Special emphasis is placed on programmatic shifts, preservation of historic fabric, and the ongoing challenge of balancing continuity with modernization in one of the world’s most recognizable seats of power.

About the Speaker

Jean-Paul Benowitz is the director of student transition programs and assistant director of academic advising at Elizabethtown College. A historian by training, he has taught for many years in the college’s history and religious studies departments. Benowitz is the author of numerous articles and books on American history, with particular focus on Old Order Mennonite history and culture in Pennsylvania.