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White House
I INTRODUCTION
White House, official residence of the president of the U.S., built in its original form between 1792 and 1800, and situated at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C. Known variously through its history as the President's Palace, the President's House, and the Executive Mansion, the building has always been most popularly known as the White House. This designation became official in 1901, when Theodore Roosevelt had the name engraved on his stationery. It has been the home of every president in American history with the exception of George Washington, who approved the act that led to its construction. Although the White House has been subject to numerous renovations and additions, it has retained its classically simple character.
II EXTERIOR
The site and the surrounding landscaped lawns and gardens of the White House occupy 7.31 hectares (18.07 acres) and include numerous trees of historical interest. Constructed of Virginia sandstone, the main building is a stately, white edifice, 52 by 26 m (170 by 85 ft), built in the classical style associated with the 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio. An Ionic portico (1829) on the north side faces Lafayette Square. On the south side is a semicircular portico (1824) with a private entrance on the ground floor.
Additions to the original building include the low-lying terraces or pavilions, which were constructed (1807) during the administrations of Thomas Jefferson and reconstructed on those designs in 1902. The West Terrace (50 by 11 m/165 by 35 ft) connects with the three-story Executive Wing (1902) containing the president's office; the East Terrace (66 by 11 m/215 by 35 ft) joins the three-story East Wing (1942).
III INTERIOR
The private apartments of the president occupy the second floor of the main building, and the third floor consists chiefly of guest rooms and quarters for the staff. On the ground floor are cloakrooms, a china room, the kitchen, and the library.
On the first floor are the formal rooms of state, which are open to the public. Among these stately rooms are the East Room, the largest room in the White House, used for state receptions and balls, and where the bodies of William McKinley and John F. Kennedy once lay in state; the oval Blue Room, where the president receives guests at state dinners; the Red Room, in which the First Lady, or president's wife, receives guests; the Green Room, used for informal receptions; and the State Dining Room, used for formal dinners.
IV HISTORY
Before the federal government was established in Washington, D.C., Washington lived in New York City and at Mount Vernon, Virginia. The White House then became the first public building erected in Washington, D.C. It was designed by the Irish American architect James Hoban, who won the $500 public architectural contest. The cornerstone was laid on October 13, 1792, and the building was essentially completed in 1800, when John Adams and his family began to reside there in November.
During the War of 1812, British troops set fire to the structure on August 4, 1814, destroying the interior. Hoban supervised its reconstruction, which was completed in 1817, and also added the south portico. The White House was substantially renovated between 1948 and 1952, during the administration of Harry S. Truman, when new foundations and a steel framework were built to strengthen the original sandstone walls. As a result, the number of rooms was increased from 62 to 132. Renovation costs totaled $5,761,000.
A decade later, during Kennedy's administration, the interior of the White House was refurnished under the supervision of the president's wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. A permanent art collection was assembled for the Executive Mansion, and in 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson issued an executive order establishing the Committee for the Preservation of the White House.
White House, North Portico
The White House, in Washington, D.C., is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. The White House contains 132 rooms, but only 5 of these—the Blue Room, East Room, Green Room, Red Room, and State Dining Room—are open to public visitation.
White House Historical Association
