White Hall, Port of Spain

White Hall, at 29 Maraval Road, is the largest residence on the street. Originally called Rosenweg, it was built by Joseph Leon Agostini, a cocoa planter, and was based upon his own design plan. Agostini's family originated from Corsica, hence the influence of Moorish Mediterranean style typical of Southern Italy and Corsica.

Construction began in 1904, by James Moore of Barbados, and took three years to complete – all except the roof, which was completed in 1910. The exterior was clad in white limestone brought from Barbados. The three-storied building contained four reception halls, a library, drawing room, wine cellars, and large galleries. There were six bedroom suites with large dressing rooms and advanced, modern bathrooms. The house had long corridors, wide-sweeping marble staircases, and a service lift between floors.

Agostini died in 1906; his family occupied the residence until they were no longer able to continue mortgage payments, and so it was foreclosed in 1910. Some believe, however, that the Agostinis never lived in White Hall in the first place, as the cocoa industry, which was rather strong at the time the construction started, collapsed while it was still underway.

The new owner, an American, Robert Henderson, renamed it White Hall for the coral stone exterior. To complement the refined dignity of the exterior he also added a delightful variety of interior furnishings. Henderson's heirs, the Seigert family, possessed the house until World War II, when it was commandeered by the United States Forces as the Air Raid Precaution headquarters. In 1944, the building was rented for use as a cultural centre by the British Council.

Although it was returned to the Hendersons after the war, they never lived here again. It had then served a variety of purposes, including public library, National Archives, and Government Broadcasting Unit, until 1949. In 1954 the building was purchased by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, and from 1957 was used by the Pre-Federal Interim Government prior to the formation of the West Indies Federation, in 1958.

Honorable Dr. Eric Williams, Trinidad and Tobago's first Prime Minister, used it as his Office from 1963 to 2009. During that time, the building underwent restoration, in 2000. Eight years later, it was further renovated so it could be used to receive visiting foreign dignitaries.