Local chimney sweep Jeff Schmittinger routinely traveled to Washington D.C. to maintain the 35 fireplaces in the White House. Unrelated: he has also, occasionally, seen signs of Santa Claus.

But in the 1790s, it was a hub of activity: This island provided the stone for the White House. About an hour’s drive from Washington, a quiet, suburban neighborhood gives way to an unassuming ...

Jeff Schmittinger, the owner and founder of Wisconsin Chimney Technicians in Waukesha, Wisc., has been cleaning the chimneys at the White House for 19 consecutive years and three administrations ...