The White House, the official residence of the US president, is situated on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. The 132-room Neo-classical mansion was built between 1793 and 1801 from the designs of James Hoban (1762-1831)
In 1792 the Commissioners of the District held a contest for the best design for the "President's House," or "President's Palace." George Washington had asked for "the sumptuousness of a palace, the convenience of a house, and the agreeableness of a county seat."
The design competition received nine proposals, including one submitted anonymously by Thomas Jefferson.
The first prize was won by James Hoban, an Irish-born architect. Hoban's was selected for its practical and aesthetically pleasing design. His design is said to have been suggested by the palace of the Duke of Leinster in Dublin, Ireland.
Architect James Hoban was awarded $500 and a parcel of land in Washington, DC, for his 1792 winning design for the President's House, now known as the White House.
The initial construction took place over a period of eight years, at a reported cost of $232,371.83 (equal to $3,430,446 today).
The first residents of the mansion were John Adams, second president of the United States, and his wife Abigail. Only six rooms were finished when they arrived on November 1, 1800. Abigail wrote: "The house is on a grand and superb scale, requiring about 30 servants. . . . [T]he fires we are obliged [to have] to secure us from daily agues . . . if they let me have wood enough to keep the fires. . . . [T]he great unfurnished audience room [East Room] I make a drying room of to hang up the clothes in."
In 1814 during the War of 1812, the British forces set fire to various government buildings including the White House. President James Madison was forced to flee the burning President's House. Only the exterior walls remained, and they had to be torn down and mostly reconstructed because of weakening from the fire and subsequent exposure to the elements, except for portions of the south wall.
The White House was originally a whiteish-grey, the color of the sandstone it was built out of. After it was burnt down during the War of 1812, its outside walls were painted white to hide the smoke stains.
President James Monroe and his family were the first to occupy the reconstructed White House , moving there in December 1817. He had the south portico built in 1824.
Since Monroe nearly every president has made some change in the White House. The north portico was erected in 1829. The first water pipes were installed in 1833; gas lighting in 1848 and an elevator in 1881.
In 1841 U.S. President John Tyler vetoed a bill which called for the re-establishment of the Second Bank of the United States. Enraged Whig Party members rioted outside the White House in the most violent demonstration on White House grounds in United States history.
When it was announced in 1851, that a bathroom was to be installed in the White House, there was a public outcry against such unnecessary expenditure.
Benjamin Harrison was the first president of the United States to use electricity in the White House.
Theodore Roosevelt officially renamed the home of the president of the US as The White House on October 12, 1901.
In 1792 the Commissioners of the District held a contest for the best design for the "President's House," or "President's Palace." George Washington had asked for "the sumptuousness of a palace, the convenience of a house, and the agreeableness of a county seat."
The design competition received nine proposals, including one submitted anonymously by Thomas Jefferson.
The first prize was won by James Hoban, an Irish-born architect. Hoban's was selected for its practical and aesthetically pleasing design. His design is said to have been suggested by the palace of the Duke of Leinster in Dublin, Ireland.
The initial construction took place over a period of eight years, at a reported cost of $232,371.83 (equal to $3,430,446 today).
The first residents of the mansion were John Adams, second president of the United States, and his wife Abigail. Only six rooms were finished when they arrived on November 1, 1800. Abigail wrote: "The house is on a grand and superb scale, requiring about 30 servants. . . . [T]he fires we are obliged [to have] to secure us from daily agues . . . if they let me have wood enough to keep the fires. . . . [T]he great unfurnished audience room [East Room] I make a drying room of to hang up the clothes in."
In 1814 during the War of 1812, the British forces set fire to various government buildings including the White House. President James Madison was forced to flee the burning President's House. Only the exterior walls remained, and they had to be torn down and mostly reconstructed because of weakening from the fire and subsequent exposure to the elements, except for portions of the south wall.
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| The White House as it looked following the fire of August 24, 1814 |
The White House was originally a whiteish-grey, the color of the sandstone it was built out of. After it was burnt down during the War of 1812, its outside walls were painted white to hide the smoke stains.
President James Monroe and his family were the first to occupy the reconstructed White House , moving there in December 1817. He had the south portico built in 1824.
Since Monroe nearly every president has made some change in the White House. The north portico was erected in 1829. The first water pipes were installed in 1833; gas lighting in 1848 and an elevator in 1881.
In 1841 U.S. President John Tyler vetoed a bill which called for the re-establishment of the Second Bank of the United States. Enraged Whig Party members rioted outside the White House in the most violent demonstration on White House grounds in United States history.
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| Earliest known photograph of the White House, taken c. 1846 |
When it was announced in 1851, that a bathroom was to be installed in the White House, there was a public outcry against such unnecessary expenditure.
Benjamin Harrison was the first president of the United States to use electricity in the White House.
Theodore Roosevelt officially renamed the home of the president of the US as The White House on October 12, 1901.
In 1902 Congress spent $425,000 to renovate the White House and construct the executive office building.
During 1933 a swimming pool was built in the west terrace, paid for by voluntary contributions to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1935 the ground floor and kitchens were remodeled.
In 1948 architects found that the White House building was in danger of collapse. Some experts stated that building a new Executive Mansion would be far cheaper than repairing the White House; but national sentiment was for keeping its original form intact. Congress appropriated $5.4 million for repairs. The restoration was finished in 1952 at a cost of almost $5.8 million.
President Harry S. Truman gave the first televised tour of the White House in 1952. He explained its history, stopped in front of paintings and furniture to tell stories, and even played the Steinway piano in the East Room.
Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to visit the White House on October 6, 1979.
The White House is estimated to be valued at $295 million.
The White House is not free for the President: he receives a bill for food and expenses every month.
Source Compton's Encyclopaedia
During 1933 a swimming pool was built in the west terrace, paid for by voluntary contributions to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1935 the ground floor and kitchens were remodeled.
In 1948 architects found that the White House building was in danger of collapse. Some experts stated that building a new Executive Mansion would be far cheaper than repairing the White House; but national sentiment was for keeping its original form intact. Congress appropriated $5.4 million for repairs. The restoration was finished in 1952 at a cost of almost $5.8 million.
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| The White House 1952 |
The White House is estimated to be valued at $295 million.
The White House is not free for the President: he receives a bill for food and expenses every month.
Source Compton's Encyclopaedia
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