The White House is the official residence An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside. They may or may not be the same location where they conduct their work-related functions and principal workplace of the President of the United States The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition. The President leads the executive branch of the federal government and is one of only two nationally-elected federal officers. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. joining the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches and civilian protests. Moreover, Pennsylvania Avenue is an important commuter route and is part of the National NW in Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790. The City of Washington was originally a separate municipality within the Territory of Columbia until an act of Congress in 1871 effectively merged the City and the, it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone Aquia Creek sandstone is a type of brown to light-gray freestone used extensively in building construction in Washington, D.C. in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Quarried at Aquia Creek in Stafford County, Virginia, the stone was valuable for its ease of shaping and the quarry's proximity to the tidewater portion of the Potomac River, 45 in the late Georgian style Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United Kingdom, and George IV of the United Kingdom—who and has been the executive residence of every U.S. President since John Adams John Adams was an American politician and the second President of the United States (1797–1801), after being the first Vice President (1789–1797) for two terms. He is regarded as one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. When Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States. Major events during his presidency include the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Lewis moved into the home in 1801, he (with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe) expanded the building outward, creating two colonnades In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, as in the famous elliptically curving colonnades that Bernini added to the façade of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, which embrace and define the Piazza. Compare the sequence of baluster forms that go to make a balustrade which were meant to conceal stables and storage.[1]

In 1814, during the War of 1812 The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , was fought from 1812 to 1815, the mansion was set ablaze by the British Army The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and was administered by the War Office from London in the Burning of Washington The Burning of Washington took place in August 1814, during the War of 1812 between the British Empire and the United States of America. British forces occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings. The facilities of the U.S. government, including the White House, were largely destroyed, though strict discipline and the British, destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Reconstruction began almost immediately, and President James Monroe James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States (1817–1825). His administration was marked by the acquisition of Florida (1819); the Missouri Compromise (1820), in which Missouri was declared a slave state; the admission of Maine in 1820 as a free state; and the profession of the Monroe Doctrine (1823), declaring U.S. opposition to moved into the partially reconstructed house in October 1817. Construction continued with the addition of the South Portico in 1824 and the North in 1829. Due to crowding within the executive mansion itself, President Theodore Roosevelt Theodore D. Roosevelt , also known as T.R., and to the public (but never to friends and intimates) as Teddy, was the 26th President of the United States. A leader of the Republican Party and of the Progressive Party, he was a Governor of New York and a professional historian, naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier. He is most famous for had nearly all work offices relocated to the newly-constructed West Wing The West Wing is the building housing the official offices of the President of the United States. It is the part of the White House Complex in which the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, the Situation Room, and also the famous Roosevelt Room are located. Besides serving as the day-to-day office of the President of the United States, it includes in 1901. Eight years later, President William Howard Taft William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and the 10th Chief Justice of the United States expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office The Oval Office is the official office of the President of the United States. Created in 1909 as part of an overall expansion of the West Wing of the White House during the administration of William Howard Taft, the office was inspired by the elliptical Blue Room. The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk and a which was eventually moved as the section was expanded. The third-floor attic An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . As attics fill the space between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the slanted roof, they are known for being awkwardly shaped spaces with exposed rafters and difficult-to-access corners. While some attics are converted (see loft conversion) as was converted to living quarters in 1927 by augmenting the existing hip roof with long shed dormers. A newly constructed East Wing The East Wing is a part of the White House Complex. It is a two-story structure on the east side of the White House Executive Residence, the home of the President of the United States. The East Wing houses offices for the First Lady, White House Social Secretary, White House Graphics and Calligraphy Office, and correspondence staff, and other was used as a reception area for social events; both new wings were connected by Jefferson's colonnades. East Wing alterations were completed in 1946 creating additional office space. By 1948, the house's load-bearing exterior walls and internal wood beams were found to be close to failure. Under Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States (1945–1953). As the 34th vice president, he succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died less than three months after he began his fourth term, the interior rooms were completely dismantled, resulting in the construction of a new internal load-bearing steel framework Steel frame usually refers to a building technique with a "skeleton frame" of vertical steel columns and horizontal I-beams, constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which are all attached to the frame. The development of this technique made the construction of the skyscraper possible and the reassembly of the interior rooms.

Today, the White House Complex The White House Complex is the designation of the four principal structures, and the adjoining outdoor ceremonial areas, which serve as the seat of the executive branch of United States government. The structural components include the Executive Residence where the First Family resides; the Old Executive Office Building which houses the executive includes the Executive Residence (in which the First Family resides), the West Wing The West Wing is the building housing the official offices of the President of the United States. It is the part of the White House Complex in which the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, the Situation Room, and also the famous Roosevelt Room are located. Besides serving as the day-to-day office of the President of the United States, it includes (the location of the Oval Office The Oval Office is the official office of the President of the United States. Created in 1909 as part of an overall expansion of the West Wing of the White House during the administration of William Howard Taft, the office was inspired by the elliptical Blue Room. The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk and a, Cabinet Room The Cabinet Room is the meeting room for the cabinet secretaries and advisors serving the President of the United States. The body is defined as the United States Cabinet. The Cabinet Room is located in the West Wing of the White House Complex, adjoining the Oval Office, and looks out upon the White House Rose Garden, and Roosevelt Room The Roosevelt Room is a meeting room in the West Wing of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located almost in the center of the West Wing, and near the Oval Office the room is named for two related U.S. presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The two arguably), and the East Wing The East Wing is a part of the White House Complex. It is a two-story structure on the east side of the White House Executive Residence, the home of the President of the United States. The East Wing houses offices for the First Lady, White House Social Secretary, White House Graphics and Calligraphy Office, and correspondence staff, and other (the location of the office of the First Lady First Lady is the unofficial title in a number of countries of the wife of an elected male head of state. It originated in the United States in 1849, when United States President Zachary Taylor called Dolley Madison "First Lady" at her state funeral while reciting a eulogy written by himself. Occasionally another woman, such as the and White House Social Secretary The White House Social Secretary is responsible for the planning, coordination and execution of official social events at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States), as well as the Old Executive Office Building, which houses the executive offices of the President and Vice President The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a four-year term. The Vice President is the first person in the presidential line of.

The White House is made up of six stories—the Ground Floor, State Floor, Second Floor, and Third Floor, as well as a two-story basement The White House Basement is the basement of the White House, the Washington, D.C. residence and workplace of the President of the United States. It is located under the North Portico and includes the White House carpenters' shop, engineers' shop, flower shop, and dentist office, among other areas. The term White House is regularly used as a metonym Metonymy can involve the use of the same word, in which case it is a kind of polysemy, in which a single word has multiple related meanings , i.e. a large semantic field for the Executive Office of the President of the United States The Executive Office of the President consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President. The EOP is headed by the White House Chief of Staff currently Rahm Emanuel and for the president's administration and advisors in general. The property is owned by the National Park Service The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. It was created on August 25, 1916, by Congress through the National Park Service Organic Act and is part of the President's Park. In 2007, it was ranked second on the American Institute of Architects's The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image. The AIA also works with other members of the List of America's Favorite Architecture In 2007, the American Institute of Architects asked Harris Interactive to survey 2,000 people, who were shown 247 photographs of buildings and other structures in different categories chosen by 2,500 architects. The top 150, released as "America's Favorite Architecture," are listed below:.

Contents

History

Architectural competition

A 1793 elevation by James Hoban James Hoban was an Irish architect, best known for designing the White House in Washington, D.C., the selected architect from the competition
The North Portico of the White House compared to Leinster House Leinster House is the name of the building housing the national parliament of the Republic of Ireland (Irish: Oireachtas Éireann)
The South Portico of the White House compared to the Château de Rastignac

The President's house was a major feature of Pierre Charles L'Enfant Pierre Charles L'Enfant (August 9, 1754 – June 14, 1825) was a French-born American architect and civil engineer's plan for the newly established federal city, Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790. The City of Washington was originally a separate municipality within the Territory of Columbia until an act of Congress in 1871 effectively merged the City and the[2] The architect of the White House was chosen in a competition, which received nine proposals, including one submitted anonymously by Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States. Major events during his presidency include the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Lewis.[3] The nation's first president, George Washington The Continental Congress appointed Washington commander-in-chief of the American revolutionary forces in 1775. The following year, he forced the British out of Boston, lost New York City, and crossed the Delaware River in New Jersey, defeating the surprised enemy units later that year. As a result of his strategy, Revolutionary forces captured the, traveled to the site of the federal city on July 16, 1792, to make his judgment. His review is recorded as being brief and he quickly selected the submission of James Hoban James Hoban was an Irish architect, best known for designing the White House in Washington, D.C., an Irishman living in Charleston Charleston is a city in Charleston County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the Ashley River in 1680; it adopted its present name in 1783. In 16, South Carolina South Carolina ( /ˌsaʊθ kærəˈlaɪnə/ ) is a U.S. state. It borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was originally named in.[4] Washington was not entirely pleased with the original Hoban submission, however; he found it too small, lacking ornament, and not fitting the nation's president. On Washington's recommendation the house was enlarged by thirty percent; a large reception hall, the present East Room, was added. This was likely inspired by the large reception room at Mount Vernon.

Design influences

The building Hoban designed is verifiably influenced by the first and second floors of Leinster House Leinster House is the name of the building housing the national parliament of the Republic of Ireland (Irish: Oireachtas Éireann), in Dublin Dublin , officially known as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath (Irish pronunciation: [bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh] or [bˠɫaː cliə(ɸ)]) is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region. Originally founded as a Viking, Ireland Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɪrlənd/ , locally [ˈaɾlənd]; Irish: Éire, pronounced [ˈeːɾʲə] ( listen)) is an independent state in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic. It is bordered by Northern, which later became the seat of the Oireachtas The Oireachtas is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland, sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann (the Irish parliament).[5] Several other Georgian era Irish country houses have been suggested as sources of inspiration for the overall floor plan, details like the bow-fronted south front, and interior details like the former niches in the present Blue Room. These influences, though undocumented, are cited in the official White House guide, and in White House Historical Association publications. The first official White House guide, published in 1962, suggested a link between Hoban's design for the South Portico, and Château de Rastignac, a neoclassical country house located in La Bachellerie in the Dordogne region of France and designed by Mathurin Salat. The French house was built 1812–1817, based on an earlier design. The link has been criticized because Hoban did not visit France. Supporters of a connection posit that Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States. Major events during his presidency include the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Lewis while visiting the École Spéciale d'Architecture (Bordeaux Architectural College) in 1789 viewed Salat's drawings,[6] and on his return to the U.S. shared the influence with Washington, Hoban, Monroe, and Benjamin Henry Latrobe.[7]

Construction

Construction of the White House began with the laying of the cornerstone on October 13, 1792, although there was no formal ceremony.[8] The main residence, as well as foundations of the house, were built largely by enslaved and free African-American laborers, as well as employed Europeans.[9] Much of the other work on the house was performed by immigrants, many not yet with citizenship. The sandstone walls were erected by Scottish immigrants, employed by Hoban,[10] as were the high relief rose and garland decorations above the north entrance and the "fish scale" pattern beneath the pediments of the window hoods. Much of the brick and plaster work was produced by Irish and Italian immigrants. The initial construction took place over a period of eight years, at a reported cost of $232,371.83 ($2.8 million in 2007 dollars). Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy on or circa November 1, 1800.[11]

Shortages, including material and labor, forced alterations to the earlier plan developed by French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant for a "palace" that was five times larger than the house that was eventually built.[10] The finished home would contain only two main floors instead of the planned three, and a less costly brick served as a lining for the stone façades. When construction was finished the porous sandstone walls were coated with a mixture of lime, rice glue, casein, and lead, giving the house its familiar color and name.[10]

As it is a famed structure in America, many replicas of the White House have been constructed.

Naming conventions

The building was originally referred to variously as the "President's Palace", "Presidential Mansion", or "President's House".[12] The earliest evidence of the public calling it the "White House" was recorded in 1811.[13] A legend emerged that during the rebuilding of the structure white paint was applied to mask the burn damage it had suffered, giving the building its namesake hue.[14] The name "Executive Mansion" was used in official contexts until President Theodore Roosevelt established the formal name by having "White House–Washington" engraved on the stationery in 1901.[15][16] The current letterhead wording and arrangement "The White House" with the word "Washington" centered beneath goes back to the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.[16]

Although it was not built until some years after the presidency of George Washington, it is also speculated that the name of the traditional home of the President of the United States may have derived from Martha Custis Washington's home, White House Plantation in New Kent County, Virginia, where the nation's first President and First Lady had courted in the mid-18th century.[17]

Evolution of the White House

Early use, the 1814 fire, and rebuilding

Jefferson and Latrobe's West Wing Colonnade in this nineteenth century engraved view, is now the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
Principal story plan for the white house by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1807.
Earliest known photograph of the White House, taken c. 1846 by John Plumbe during the administration of James K. Polk.

On Saturday, November 1, 1800, John Adams became the first president to take residence in the building.[10] During Adams' second day in the house he wrote a letter to his wife Abigail, containing a prayer for the house. Adams wrote:

I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this House, and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.[18]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt had Adams' blessing carved into the mantel in the State Dining Room.[18]

Adams lived in the house only briefly, and the home was soon occupied by Thomas Jefferson, who gave consideration to how the White House might be added to. With Benjamin Henry Latrobe, he helped lay out the design for the East and West Colonnades, small wings that help conceal the domestic operations of laundry, a stable and storage.[10] Today, Jefferson's colonnades link the residence with the East and West Wings.[10]

In 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was set ablaze by British troops[19] during the Burning of Washington, in retaliation for burning Upper Canada's Parliament Buildings in the Battle of York; much of Washington was affected by these fires as well. Only the exterior walls remained, and they had to be torn down and mostly reconstructed due to weakening from the fire and subsequent exposure to the elements, except for portions of the south wall. Of the numerous objects taken from the White House when it was ransacked by British troops, only two have been recovered — a painting of George Washington, rescued by then-first lady Dolley Madison,[19] and a jewelry box returned to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939 by Alan Van Dyke, a Canadian man who said that his grandfather had taken it from Washington. Most of the spoils were lost when a convoy of British ships led by HMS Fantome sank en route to Halifax off Prospect during a storm on the night of November 24, 1814.[20]

After the fire, President James Madison resided in The Octagon House. Meanwhile, both architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe and Hoban contributed to the design and oversight of the reconstruction, which lasted from 1815 until 1817. The south portico was constructed in 1824 during the James Monroe administration; the north portico was built six years later.[10] Though Latrobe proposed similar porticos before the fire in 1814, both porticos were built as designed by Hoban.[21] The similarity between the South Portico and an elliptical portico, with nearly identical curved stairs at Château de Rastignac in La Bachellerie, France is speculated as the source of inspiration,[22] although this matter is one of great debate.[23] The decorative stonework on both porticos were carved by Italian artisans brought to Washington to help in constructing the U.S. Capitol. The North Portico was not modeled on a similar portico on another Dublin building, the Viceregal Lodge (now Áras an Uachtaráin, residence of the President of Ireland), for its portico postdates the White House porticos' design.[22] For the North Portico, a variation on the Ionic Order was devised incorporating a swag of roses between the volutes. This was done to link the new portico with the earlier carved roses above the entrance.

Overcrowding and building the West Wing

By the time of the American Civil War, the White House had become overcrowded. The location of the White House was questioned, just north of a canal and swampy lands, which provided conditions ripe for malaria and other unhealthy conditions.[24] Brigadier General Nathaniel Michler was tasked to propose solutions to address these concerns; he proposed to abandon the White House as a residence, and use it only for business. A new estate for the first family was planned at Meridian Hill in Washington, D.C., but the plan was rejected by Congress.[24]

The White House North Lawn in the 1860s, during the Abraham Lincoln administration

When Chester Arthur took office in 1881, he ordered renovations to the White House to take place as soon as the recently widowed Lucretia Garfield moved out. Arthur inspected the work almost nightly and made several suggestions. Louis Comfort Tiffany was asked to send selected designers to assist. Over twenty wagons of furniture and household items were removed from the building and sold at a public auction.[25] All that was saved were bust portraits of John Adams and Martin Van Buren.[26] A proposal was made to build a new residence south of the White House, but it failed to gain support. In the fall of 1882 work was done on the main corridor, including tinting the walls pale olive and adding squares of gold leaf, and decorating the ceiling in gold and silver, and colorful traceries woven to spell "USA". The Red Room was painted a dull pomeranian red, and its ceiling was decorated with gold, silver, and copper stars and stripes of red, white, and blue. The glass doors that separated the main corridor from the north vestibule were replaced by a fifty-foot jeweled Tiffany glass screen supported by imitation marble columns.[27]

In 1891, First Lady Caroline Harrison proposed extensions to the White House, including a National Wing on the east for an historical art gallery, and a wing on the west for official functions.[24] A plan was devised by Colonel Theodore A. Bingham, which reflected the Harrison proposal.[24] In 1901, Theodore Roosevelt and his family moved in to the White House and hired McKim, Mead, and White to carry out renovations and expansion, including the addition of a West Wing.[10] President William Howard Taft enlisted the help of architect Nathan C. Wyeth to add additional space to the West Wing, which included the addition of the Oval Office.[24]

The West Wing was damaged by fire in 1929, but rebuilt during the remaining years of the Herbert Hoover presidency. In the 1930s, a second story was added, as well as a larger basement for White House staff, and President Franklin Roosevelt had the Oval Office moved to its present location: adjacent to the Rose Garden.[10]

The Truman reconstruction

Truman reconstruction, 1949–1952, a steel structure is built within the exterior shell.

Decades of poor maintenance, the construction of a fourth story attic during the Coolidge administration, and the addition of a second-floor balcony over the south portico for Harry Truman[28] took a great toll on the brick and sandstone structure built around a timber frame.[10] By 1948, the house was declared to be in imminent danger of collapse, forcing President Truman to commission a reconstruction and move across the street to Blair House from 1949 to 1951.[29] The work, done by the firm of Philadelphia contractor John McShain, required the complete dismantling of the interior spaces, construction of a new load-bearing internal steel frame and the reconstruction of the original rooms within the new structure.[28] Some modifications to the floor plan were made, the largest being the repositioning of the grand staircase to open into the Entrance Hall, rather than the Cross Hall.[28] Central air conditioning was added, as well as two additional sub-basements providing space for workrooms, storage, and a bomb shelter.[10] The Trumans moved back into the White House on March 27, 1952.[10] While the house's structure was kept intact by the Truman reconstruction, much of the new interior finishes were generic, and of little historic value. Much of the original plasterwork, some dating back to the 1814–1816 rebuilding, was too damaged to reinstall, as was the original robust Beaux Arts paneling in the East Room. President Truman had the original timber frame sawed into paneling; the walls of the Vermeil Room, Library, China Room, and Map Room on the ground floor of the main residence were paneled in wood from the timbers.[30]

The Kennedy restoration

The Red Room as designed by Stéphane Boudin during the administration of John F. Kennedy.

Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John F. Kennedy (1961–63), directed a very extensive and historic redecoration of the house. She enlisted the help of Henry Francis du Pont of the Winterthur Museum to assist in collecting artifacts for the home, many of which had once been housed there.[31] Other antiques, fine paintings, and improvements of the Kennedy period were donated to the White House by wealthy philanthropists, including the Crowninshield family, Jane Engelhard, Jayne Wrightsman, and the Oppenheimer family. Stéphane Boudin of the House of Jansen, a Paris interior-design firm that had been recognized worldwide, was employed by Mrs. Kennedy to assist with the decoration.[31] Different periods of the early republic and world history were selected as a theme for each room: the Federal style for the Green Room, French Empire for the Blue Room, American Empire for the Red Room, Louis XVI for the Yellow Oval Room, and Victorian for the president's study, renamed the Treaty Room. Antique furniture was acquired, and decorative fabric and trim based on period documents was produced and installed. The Kennedy restoration resulted in a more authentic White House of grander stature, which recalled the French taste of Madison and Monroe.[31] In the Diplomatic Reception Room Jacqueline Kennedy installed an antique “Vue de l'Amérique Nord” wall paper which Zuber et cie designed in 1834. The wallpaper hung before on the walls of a mansion until 1961 when the house was demolished for a grocery store. Just before the demolition, the wallpaper was salvaged and sold to the White House.

The first White House guide book was produced under the direction of curator Lorraine Waxman Pearce with direct supervision from Jacqueline Kennedy.[32] Sale of the guide book helped finance the restoration.

The White House today

As a means of preserving the history of the White House, no substantive architectural changes have been made on the house since the Truman renovation.[33] Since the Kennedy restoration, every presidential family has made some changes to their private quarters of the White House, but changes to the State Rooms must all be approved by the Committee for the Preservation of the White House (formerly the Kennedy's Fine Arts Committee). Aimed at maintaining the historical integrity of the White House, the congressionally authorized committee works with the First Family—usually represented by the First Lady, the White House Curator, and Chief Usher—to implement the family's proposed plans for altering the home.[34]

Cross Hall, connecting the State Dining Room and the East Room
Marine One prepares for landing on the South Lawn where State Arrival Ceremonies for visiting heads of state take place

During the Nixon administration (1969–74), First Lady Pat Nixon refurbished the Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room, working with Clement Conger, the curator appointed by President Richard Nixon.[35] Mrs. Nixon's efforts brought over 600 artifacts to the home, the largest acquisition by any administration.[36] Her husband created the modern press briefing room over Franklin Roosevelt's old swimming pool.[37] Nixon added a single-lane bowling alley to the White House basement.[38]

Computers and the first laser printer were added during the Carter administration, and the use of computer technology was expanded upon during the Reagan administration.[39] Redecorations were made to the private family quarters and maintenance was made to public areas during the Reagan years.[40] The house was accredited as a museum in 1988.[40]

In the 1990s, Bill and Hillary Clinton refurbished some rooms with the assistance of Arkansas decorator Kaki Hockersmith, including the Oval Office, the East Room, Blue Room, State Dining Room, Lincoln Bedroom, and Lincoln Sitting Room.[41] During the administration of George W. Bush, first lady Laura Bush refurbished the Lincoln Bedroom to make it as if it were in the time of Lincoln; the Green Room, Cabinet Room, and theater were also refurbished.[41]

The White House is one of the first government buildings in Washington that was made wheelchair-accessible, with modifications having been made during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who needed to use a wheelchair as a result of his paraplegia. In the 1990s, Hillary Rodham Clinton—at the suggestion of Visitors Office Director Melinda N. Bates—approved the addition of a ramp in the East Wing corridor. It allowed easy wheelchair access for the public tours and special events that enter through the secure entrance building on the east side. The president travels from the White House grounds via motorcade or helicopter. President Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first president to travel by helicopter to and from the White House grounds.[42]

Layout and facts

Today the group of buildings housing the presidency is known as the White House Complex. It includes the central Executive Residence flanked by the East Wing and West Wing. Day to day household operations are coordinated by the Chief Usher. The White House includes: six stories and 55,000 ft² (5,100 m²) of floor space, 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, twenty-eight fireplaces, eight staircases, three elevators, five full-time chefs, a tennis court, a (single-lane) bowling alley, a movie theater, a jogging track, a swimming pool, and a putting green.[16] It receives about 5,000 visitors a day.

White House Complex Ground floor State floor Second floor (residence)

Executive Residence

Main article: Executive Residence

The original residence is in the center. Two colonnades — one on the east and one on the west — designed by Jefferson, now serve to connect the East and West Wings, added later. The Executive Residence houses the president's home, as well as rooms for ceremonies and official entertaining. The State Floor of the residence building includes the East Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room, State Dining Room, Family Dining Room, Cross Hall, Entrance Hall, and Grand Staircase.[43] The Ground Floor is made up of the Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room, China Room, Vermeil Room, Library, the main kitchen, and other offices.[44] The second floor family residence includes the Yellow Oval Room, East and West Sitting Halls, the White House Master Bedroom, President's Dining Room, the Treaty Room, Lincoln Bedroom and Queens' Bedroom, as well as two additional bedrooms, a smaller kitchen, and a private dressing room.[45] The third floor consists of the White House Solarium, Game Room, Linen Room, a Diet Kitchen, and another sitting room (previously used as President George W. Bush's workout room).[46]

The West Wing

Main article: West Wing

The West Wing houses the President's office (the Oval Office) and offices of his senior staff, with room for about 50 employees. It also includes the Cabinet Room, where the president conducts business meetings and where the United States Cabinet meets,[47] as well as the White House Situation Room, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, and Roosevelt Room.[48] In 2007, work was completed on renovations of the press briefing room, adding fiber optic cables and LCD screens for the display of charts and graphs.[49] The makeover cost $8 million and took 11 months, of which $2 million was paid by news outlets.[49] Some members of the President's staff are located in the adjacent Old Executive Office Building, formerly the State War and Navy building, and sometimes known as the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.[49]

This portion of the building was used as the setting for the popular television show The West Wing.

The East Wing

Main article: East Wing

The East Wing, which contains additional office space, was added to the White House in 1942. Among its uses, the East Wing has intermittently housed the offices and staff of the First Lady, and the White House Social Office. Rosalynn Carter, in 1977, was the first to place her personal office in the East Wing and to formally call it the "Office of the First Lady." The East Wing was built during World War II in order to hide the construction of an underground bunker to be used in emergency situations. The bunker has come to be known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center.

Grounds

The White House and surrounding grounds Overhead view of the White House grounds and President's Park

The White House and grounds cover just over 18 acres (approximately 7.3 hectares). Before the construction of the North Portico, most public events were entered from the South Lawn, which was graded and planted by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson also drafted a planting plan for the North Lawn that included large trees that would have mostly obscured the house from Pennsylvania Avenue. During the mid to late nineteenth century a series of ever larger green houses were built on the west side of the house, where the current West Wing is located. During this period, the North Lawn was planted with ornate carpet-style flower beds. Although the White House grounds have had many gardeners through their history, the general design, still largely used as master plan today, was designed in 1935 by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. of the Olmsted Brothers firm, under commission from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. During the Kennedy administration the White House Rose Garden was redesigned by Rachel Lambert Mellon. The Rose garden borders the West Colonnade. Bordering the East Colonnade is the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden which was begun by Jacqueline Kennedy but completed after her husband's assassination. On the weekend of June 23, 2006, a century-old American Elm (Ulmus americana L.) tree on the north side of the building, came down during one of the many storms amid intense flooding. Among the oldest trees on the grounds are several magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) planted by Andrew Jackson.

Public access and security

See also: White House Visitors Office and White House intruders

Like the English and Irish country houses it was modeled on, the White House was, from the start, open to the public until the early part of the twentieth century. President Thomas Jefferson held an open house for his second inaugural in 1805, and many of the people at his swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol followed him home, where he greeted them in the Blue Room. Those open houses sometimes became rowdy: in 1829, President Andrew Jackson had to leave for a hotel when roughly 20,000 citizens celebrated his inauguration inside the White House. His aides ultimately had to lure the mob outside with washtubs filled with a potent cocktail of orange juice and whiskey. Even so, the practice continued until 1885, when newly elected Grover Cleveland arranged for a presidential review of the troops from a grandstand in front of the White House instead of the traditional open house. Jefferson also permitted public tours of his home, which have continued ever since, except during wartime, and began the tradition of annual receptions on New Year's Day and on the Fourth of July. Those receptions ended in the early 1930s, although President Bill Clinton would briefly revive the New Year's Day open house in his first term.

Pennsylvania Avenue is now closed to all vehicular traffic, except government officials

The White House remained accessible in other ways; President Abraham Lincoln complained that he was constantly beleaguered by job seekers waiting to ask him for political appointments or other favors, or eccentric dispensers of advice like “General” Daniel Pratt, as he began the business day. Lincoln put up with the annoyance rather than risk alienating some associate or friend of a powerful politician or opinion maker. In recent years, however, the White House has been closed to visitors because of terrorism concerns.

In 1974, a stolen Army helicopter landed without authorization on the White House grounds. Twenty years later, in 1994, a light plane crashed on the White House grounds, and the pilot died instantly.[50] As a result of increased security regarding air traffic in the capital, the White House was evacuated in 2005 before an unauthorized aircraft could approach the grounds.[51]

On May 20, 1995, primarily as a response to the Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995, the United States Secret Service closed off Pennsylvania Avenue to vehicular traffic in front of the White House from the eastern edge of Lafayette Park to 17th Street. Later, the closure was extended an additional block to the east to 15th Street, and East Executive Drive, a small street between the White House and the Treasury Building.[52] The Pennsylvania Avenue closing, in particular, has been opposed by organized civic groups in Washington, D.C. They argue that the closing impedes traffic flow unnecessarily and is inconsistent with the well-conceived historic plan for the city. As for security considerations, they note that the White House is set much further back from the street than numerous other sensitive federal buildings are.[53]

Prior to its inclusion within the fenced compound that now includes the Old Executive Office Building to the west and the Treasury Building to the east, this sidewalk served as a queuing area for the daily public tours of the White House. These tours were suspended in the wake of the September 11 attacks. In September 2003, they resumed on a limited basis for groups making prior arrangements through their Congressional representatives and submitting to background checks, but the White House remains closed to the general public.[54] The White House Complex is protected by the United States Secret Service and the United States Park Police.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Michael W. Fazio and Patrick A. Snadon (2006). The Domestic Architecture of Benjamin Henry Latrobe. The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 364–366.
  2. ^ "Timelines-Architecture" (PDF). White House Historical Association. 1. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/05/subs/images_print/05_f.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
  3. ^ Frary, Ihna Thayer (1969). They Built the Capitol. Ayer Publishing. pp. 27. ISBN 0836950895.
  4. ^ "Primary Document Activities". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/04/subs/04_b_1792.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
  5. ^ "The White House". National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc31.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
  6. ^ Johnson, Michael (September 15, 2006). "A chateau fit for a president". International Herald Tribune.
  7. ^ Our White House in France ?
  8. ^ Ecker, Grace Dunlop (1933). A Portrait of Old Georgetown. Garrett & Massie, Inc.. pp. 36.
  9. ^ "Time line - African-Americans". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/05/subs/05_c.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "White House Tour Essays: The Overview". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/02/subs/02_b.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  11. ^ "Overview of the White House". White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/overview.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  12. ^ Seale, William (1986). The President's House, A History. Volume I.. White House Historical Association. pp. 1, 23. ISBN 0-912308-28-1.
  13. ^ Seale, William (1992). The White House, The History of an American Idea. The American Institute of Architects Press. pp. 35. 1. ISBN 1-55835-049-7.
  14. ^ New York Life Insurance Company (1908), entry
  15. ^ Seale, William (1986). The President's House, A History. Volume II.. White House Historical Association. pp. 689.1. ISBN 0-912308-28-1.
  16. ^ a b c "White House Facts". The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/facts.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  17. ^ K.W. Poore and Associates, Inc.; Earth Design Associates, Inc (2). "New Kent County Comprehensive Plan" (PDF). http://www.co.new-kent.va.us/planningcomm/ExistingConditions.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  18. ^ a b "The State Dining Room". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/02/subs/02_b09.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  19. ^ a b "The East Room". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/02/subs/02_b03.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  20. ^ "Treasure hunt or modern-day pirates?". canada.com. 2006. http://www.canada.com/globaltv/national/story.html?id=1e2fb507-5704-45d5-a997-f4015c772e7c. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  21. ^ Michael W. Fazio and Patrick A. Snadon (2006). The Domestic Architecture of Benjamin Henry Latrobe. The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 368–370.
  22. ^ a b "Architectural Improvements: 1825-1872". The White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/special/renovation-1825.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  23. ^ Johnson, Michael (15). "A chateau fit for a president". International Herald Tribune. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/15/opinion/edjohnson.php. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  24. ^ a b c d e Epstein, Ellen Robinson (1971–1972). "The East and West Wings of the White House". Records of the Columbia Historical Society.
  25. ^ Reeves, Thomas C. (1975). Gentleman Boss. NY, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 268. ISBN 0-394-46095-2.
  26. ^ Reeves, Thomas C. (1975). Gentleman Boss. NY, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. n473. ISBN 0-394-46095-2.
  27. ^ Reeves, Thomas C. (1975). Gentleman Boss. NY, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 269. ISBN 0-394-46095-2.
  28. ^ a b c "Truman Reconstruction: 1948-1952". White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/special/renovation-1948.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  29. ^ "Fit for Dignitaries, Blair House Reopens Its Stately Doors". The New York Times. 1988-06-16. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE4D61E30F935A25755C0A96E948260. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  30. ^ "Library Art and Furnishings". The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour/library.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  31. ^ a b c "Kennedy Renovation: 1961-1963". White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/special/renovation-1961.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  32. ^ "Jacqueline Kennedy in the White House". John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. 3. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/JFK+in+History/Jacqueline+Kennedy+in+the+White+House+Page+3.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  33. ^ "Architecture: 1970s". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/05/subs/05_f19.html. Retrieved on 2008-12-07.
  34. ^ "Executive Order 11145--Providing for a Curator of the White House and establishing a Committee for the Preservation of the White House". The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/11145.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
  35. ^ "Nixon, Pat". Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.. 2007. http://www.britannica.com/presidents/article-9104648. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
  36. ^ "First Lady Biography: Pat Nixon". The National First Ladies Library. 2005. http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=38. Retrieved on 2007-11-08. "For the White House itself, and thus for the American people, Pat Nixon also decided to accelerate the collection process of fine antiques as well as historically associative pieces, adding some 600 paintings and antiques to the White House Collection. It was the single greatest collecting during any Administration."
  37. ^ "A Press Pool". WhiteHouse.gov. http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/history/life/pressbriefingroom.html.
  38. ^ "Ask the White House". The White House. May 9, 2005. http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/ask/20050509.html. Retrieved on 2008-12-07.
  39. ^ "Technology: 1980s". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/05/subs/05_d20.html. Retrieved on 2008-12-07.
  40. ^ a b "Decorative Arts: 1980s". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/05/subs/05_g20.html. Retrieved on 2008-12-07.
  41. ^ a b Koncius, Jura (November 12, 2008). "White House makeover". The Californian. http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20081107/LIFESTYLE/811070315. Retrieved on 2008-12-07.
  42. ^ "Technology: 1950s". White House Historical Association. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/05/subs/05_d17.html. Retrieved on 2008-12-07.
  43. ^ "White House Residence First Floor". White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/Floor1.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  44. ^ "White House Residence Ground Floor". White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/Floor0.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  45. ^ "White House Residence Second Floor". White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/Floor2.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  46. ^ "White House Residence Third Floor". White House Museum. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/Floor3.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  47. ^ "Debates and Decisions: Life in the Cabinet Room". The White House. http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/history/life/cabinetroom.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  48. ^ "White House History and Tours". The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/video/index.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  49. ^ a b c Mike Allen (July 7, 2007). "White House Press Room to reopen". The Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/4819.html.
  50. ^ BBC News | AMERICAS | White House security scares
  51. ^ Joe Johns; Kelli Arena and Kathleen Koch (2005-05-12). "Intruding pilots released without charges". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/11/evacuation/index.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
  52. ^ "Public Report of the White House Security Review". Order of the Secretary of the Treasury. http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/ustreas/usss/t1pubrpt.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
  53. ^ "Statement of Committee of 100 on the Federal City and The National Coalition to Save Our Mall". National Coalition to Save Our Mall, Inc. 2004. http://www.savethemall.org/other/pa_ave.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
  54. ^ "Visiting the White House". The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/tours/. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: White House

Coordinates: 38°53′52″N 77°02′12″W / 38.89767°N 77.03655°W

White House Complex
White House
Executive Residence
Basement Basement
Ground floor China Room • Office of the Curator • Diplomatic Reception Room • Chief Floral Designer • Library • Map Room • Vermeil Room
State floor Blue Room • Cross Hall • East Room • Entrance Hall • Family Dining Room • Grand Staircase • Green Room • Red Room • South Portico • State Dining Room • Chief Usher
Second floor Center Hall • Dressing Room • East Bedroom • East Sitting Hall • Family Kitchen • Lincoln Bedroom • Lincoln Sitting Room • President's Bedroom • President's Dining Room • Private Sitting Room • Queens' Bedroom • Queens' Sitting Room • Treaty Room • Truman Balcony • West Bedroom • West Sitting Hall • Yellow Oval Room
West Wing Cabinet Room • Executive Office • Oval Office • Press Briefing Room • Roosevelt Room • Situation Room
East Wing Office of the First Lady • Graphics and Calligraphy Office • Presidential Emergency Operations Center • Social Secretary
Old Executive Office Building Ceremonial Office of the Vice President • Executive Offices
Grounds The Ellipse • Jacqueline Kennedy Garden • Lafayette Park • North Lawn • President's Park • Rose Garden • South Lawn
Streets 15th Street • 17th Street • Constitution Avenue • E Street • East Executive Avenue • H Street NW • Hamilton Place • Jackson Place • Madison Place • Pennsylvania Avenue • State Place • West Executive Avenue
Landmarks of Washington, D.C.
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Other Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception · Healy Hall · Jefferson Pier · John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts · Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool · Outdoor sculpture in Washington, D.C. · President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home · Smithsonian Institution · United States Capitol · United States Supreme Court Building · Washington National Cathedral · White House · Zero Milestone
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Keeper of the Register · History of the National Register of Historic Places · Property types · Historic district · Contributing property
List of entries National Park Service · National Historic Landmarks · National Battlefields · National Historic Sites · National Historical Parks · National Memorials · National Monuments

Categories: White House | 1800 architecture | American architecture | Buildings of the United States government in Washington, D.C. | Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. | National Historic Landmarks in Washington, D.C. | Official residences in the United States | Presidential palaces | Rebuilt buildings and structures in the United States

 

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