The flagstones for the floor of the portico he imported from Whitehaven, England, and these still remain in place, though many are cracked or broken.
The portico runs the entire length of the house, is over fourteen feet deep and its floor is one hundred twenty-four feet ten and one-half inches above high water-mark, according to calculations made by Washington himself.

From it one commands miles of the Potomac and of the Maryland shore and there are few such noble prospects in America.
Washington owned a telescope and spy glasses and with them could watch the movements of ships and boats on the river.

The portico was a sort of trysting place for the family and visitors on summer afternoons and evenings, and some of the thirty or so Windsor chairs bought for it are still in existence.
[Illustration: West Front of Mansion House, Showing Bowling Green and Part of Serpentine Drive] [Illustration: Experimental Plot, with Servants' Quarters (restored) in Background] This was the second time our Farmer reconstructed his house, as in 1758-60 he had made numerous alterations[6].

In 1758 he paid John Patterson L328.0.5 for work done upon it, and the whole house was pretty thoroughly renovated and remodeled in preparation for the reception of a new mistress.

In March, 1760, we find the owner contracting with William Triplett "to build me two houses in front of my house (plastering them also) and running walls to them from the great house and from the great house to the washouse and kitchen also." By the "front" he means the west front, as that part toward the river is really the rear of the mansion.