In 1758 George William Fairfax obtained the position of collector of the customs for the South Potomac River Naval District (VA. EXEC. JLS. description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds. Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia. 6 vols. Richmond, 1925–66. description ends , 6:100). The fishing party was dining near the customshouse, which was painted white to be clearly seen by ship captains, and thus referred to locally as Fairfax’s White House.