White House
South façade of the White House
Building information
Town	1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC
Country	United States
Architect	James Hoban
Construction start date	October 13, 1792

See also: Executive Office of the President of the United States

The White House is the official home and principal workplace of the President of the United States. The Executive Office of the President ( EOP) consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting An official residence is the residence at which Heads of state, Heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially 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 United States by Built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style, it has been the executive residence of every U. Georgian architecture is the name given in most English -speaking countries to the set of Architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840 S. President since John Adams. John Adams (October 30 1735 July 4 1826 was one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. When Thomas Jefferson moved into the home in 1801, he, with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe expanded the building outward, creating two colonnades which were meant to conceal stables and storage. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe ( May 1, 1764 - September 3, 1820) was a British-born American Architect best known for his design of In Classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of Columns joined by their Entablature, often free-standing as in the famous elliptically ^[1]

In 1814, during the War of 1812, the mansion was set ablaze by the British Army in the Burning of Washington, destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior walls. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Burning of Washington took place in 1814 during the Anglo-American War of 1812. Reconstruction began almost immediately and President James Monroe moved into the partially reconstructed house in October 1817. James Monroe (April 28 1758 – July 4 1831 was the fifth President of the United States (1817–1825 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 had nearly all work offices relocated to the newly-constructed West Wing in 1901. Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T The West Wing is the Official offices of the President of the United States Eight years later, President William Howard Taft expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office which was eventually moved as the section was expanded. William Howard Taft (September 15 1857 – March 8 1930 was an American politician, the twenty-seventh President of the United States, the tenth Chief Justice | |-| |-| |- | |-| |-| |-| |-| |} The Oval Office is the official office of the President of the United States. The third-floor attic was converted to living quarters in 1927 by augmenting the existing hip roof with long shed dormers. An attic is a space found directly below the pitched Roof of a house or other building (also called garret, Loft or A newly constructed East Wing was used as a reception area for social events; both new wings were connected by Jefferson's colonnades. This article is about the East Wing of the White House The more famous structure is the West Wing. 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, the interior rooms were completely dismantled, resulting in the construction of a new internal load-bearing steel framework and the reassembly of the interior rooms. Steel frame usually refers to a building technique with a " Skeleton frame" of vertical Steel Columns and horizontal I-beams constructed

Today, the White House Complex includes the Executive Residence (where the First Family resides), the West Wing (the location of the Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Roosevelt Room), and the East Wing (the location of the office of the First Lady and White House Social Secretary), as well as the Old Executive Office Building, which houses the executive offices of the President and Vice President. 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 The term Executive Residence is used to describe the central building of the White House Complex located between the East Wing and West Wing. The Cabinet Room is the meeting room for the cabinet secretaries and advisors serving the President of the United States. 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 First Lady is a term used in the United States to describe the wife of an elected male Head of state. 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 The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB was formerly known as the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB and originally was built as the State War and Navy Building The Vice President of the United States is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death

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. A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the Ground floor. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. As the Executive Office of the President of the United States, the term "White House" is regularly used as a metonym for the Executive Office of the President of the United States and for the president's administration and advisors in general. Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington DC joining the White House and the United States Capitol. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Executive Office of the President ( EOP) consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting In Rhetoric, metonymy (mɨˈtɒnɨmi is the use of a word for a concept or object associated with the concept/object originally denoted by the word The Executive Office of the President ( EOP) consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting The property is owned by the National Park Service and is part of the President's Park. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation President's Park, located in Washington DC, United States, includes the White House a visitor center Lafayette Park, and The Ellipse In 2007, it was ranked second on the American Institute of Architects's "List of America's Favorite Architecture. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The American Institute of Architects (AIA is a professional organization for Architects in the United States. In 2007 the American Institute of Architects asked Harris Interactive to survey 2000 people who were shown 247 photographs of buildings and other structures in different categories "

History

Architectural competition

A 1793 elevation by James Hoban, the selected architect from the competition

The President's house was a major feature of Pierre Charles L'Enfant's plan for the newly established federal city, Washington, D.C.^[2] The architect of the White House was chosen in a competition, which received nine proposals, including one submitted anonymously by Thomas Jefferson. James Hoban (c 1758 - December 8, 1831) was an Irish Architect, best known for designing the White House in Washington Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence ^[3] The nation's first president, George Washington, traveled to the site of the federal city on July 16, 1792 to make his judgment. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year His review is recorded as being brief and he quickly selected the submission of James Hoban, an Irishman living in Charleston, South Carolina. James Hoban (c 1758 - December 8, 1831) was an Irish Architect, best known for designing the White House in Washington Charleston is a city in Charleston county in the US state of South Carolina. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. ^[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. This is about the George Washington residence For other uses see Mount Vernon (disambiguation.

Design influences

The North Portico of the White House compared to Leinster House

The South Portico of the White House compared to the Château de Rastignac

The building Hoban designed is verifiably influenced by the first and second floors of Leinster House, a ducal palace in Dublin, Ireland. Leinster House (Teach Laighean is the name of the building housing the national parliament of the Republic of Ireland (Oireachtas Éireann The Château de Rastignac is a Neoclassical style country house built between 1812 and 1817 to designs by the architect Mathurin Salat (1755–1822 sometimes called "Blanchard Leinster House (Teach Laighean is the name of the building housing the national parliament of the Republic of Ireland (Oireachtas Éireann Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. ^[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. The Blue Room is one of three state parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. 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 Château de Rastignac is a Neoclassical style country house built between 1812 and 1817 to designs by the architect Mathurin Salat (1755–1822 sometimes called "Blanchard 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 while visiting the Ecole Spéciale d'Architecture (Bordeaux Architectural College) in 1789 viewed Salat's drawings^[6] and on his return to the U. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence S. shared the influence with Washington, Hoban, Monroe, and Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe ( May 1, 1764 - September 3, 1820) was a British-born American Architect best known for his design of ^[7]

Construction

Construction of the White House began with the laying of the cornerstone on October 13, 1792, with no formal ceremony. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year ^[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. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa ^[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. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. 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. 4 million in 2005 dollars). Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy on or circa November 1, 1800. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. ^[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]

Being a famed structure in America, many replicas have been constructed in its image. Replicas of the White House describe models of the home of the President of the United States, the White House.

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; this is unfounded as the building had been painted white since its construction in 1798. The name "Executive Mansion" was used in official contexts until President Theodore Roosevelt established the formal name by having the de facto name "White House–Washington" engraved on the stationery in 1901. Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T ^[14][15] The current letterhead wording and arrangement "The White House" with the word "Washington" centered beneath goes back to the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. ^[15]

Although it wasn't 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. Martha Custis Washington (née Dandridge) ( June 2, 1731 &ndash May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first White House is an unincorporated community in New Kent County, Virginia, United States, on the south shore of the Pamunkey River. New Kent County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state ^[16]

Evolution of the White House

Early use, the 1814 fire, and rebuilding

Jefferson and Latrobe's West Colonnade seen on the left of the residence in this nineteenth century engraved view, is now the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. The James S Brady Press Briefing Room is a small theater in the West Wing of the White House where the White House Press Secretary gives daily briefings

Benjamin Henry Latrobe's 1817 study of the south façade and South Portico based on his 1807 sketches.

Earliest known photograph of the White House, taken c. 1846 by John Plumbe during the administration of James K. Polk. James Knox Polk ( November 2 1795&ndashJune 15 1849 was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4 1845 to March 4 1849

John Adams became the first president to take residence in the building on November 1, 1800. John Adams (October 30 1735 July 4 1826 was one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. ^[10] During Adams' second day in the house he wrote a letter to his wife Abigail, containing a prayer for the house. Adams wrote:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt had Adams' blessing carved into the mantel in the State Dining Room. ^[17]

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. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence 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. Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe ( May 1, 1764 - September 3, 1820) was a British-born American Architect best known for his design of ^[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^[18] in retaliation for burning Upper Canada's Parliament Buildings in the Battle of York; much of Washington was affected by these fires as well. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies The Province of Upper Canada (French Province du Haut-Canada) was a British colony located in what is now the southern portion of the Province of Ontario first Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada after the move from Newark Upper Canada were built at the foot of Parliament and Front Streets in York Upper Canada (now The Battle of York was a battle of the War of 1812 fought on April 27 1813 at York Upper Canada, which was later to become Toronto Ontario. 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,^[18] and a jewelry box returned to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939 by a Canadian man who said his grandfather had taken it from Washington. Dorothea Payne Todd "Dolley" Madison (May 20 1768 &ndash July 12 1849 was the wife of the 4th President of the United States, James Madison, and was 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 24 November 1814. HMS Fantome was an 18-gun Brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. Originally a French privateer brig named Le Fantome, she was captured by HMS Melampus The City of Halifax (est 1841 is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County Prospect is a Canadian coastal community on the Chebucto Peninsula in Nova Scotia 's Halifax Regional Events 380 - Theodosius I makes his adventus, or formal Year 1814 ( MDCCCXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[19]

After the fire, both architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe and Hoban contributed to the design and oversight of the reconstruction. The south portico was constructed in 1824 during the James Monroe administration; the north portico was built six years later. A portico is a Porch that is leading to the entrance of a building or extended as a Colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway supported by Columns James Monroe (April 28 1758 – July 4 1831 was the fifth President of the United States (1817–1825 A portico is a Porch that is leading to the entrance of a building or extended as a Colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway supported by Columns ^[10] Though Latrobe proposed similar porticos before the fire in 1814, both porticos were built as designed by Hoban. ^[20] 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,^[21] although this matter is one of great debate. The Château de Rastignac is a Neoclassical style country house built between 1812 and 1817 to designs by the architect Mathurin Salat (1755–1822 sometimes called "Blanchard This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ^[22] 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. Áras an Uachtaráin, formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Head of state of Ireland. ^[21] 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. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South 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. Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including ^[23] 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. Meridian Hill Park, also known unofficially as Malcolm X Park, is located in the Washington D C. , but the plan was rejected by Congress. ^[23]

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

In 1891, First Lady Caroline Harrison proposed extensions to the White House, including a National Wing on the east for a historical art gallery, and a wing on the west for official functions. The North Lawn at the White House in Washington DC, is bordered on the north by Pennsylvania Avenue with a wide view of the mansion and is screened by Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison ( October 1, 1832 &ndash October 25, 1892) wife of Benjamin Harrison, was First Lady of ^[23] A plan was devised by Colonel Theodore A. Bingham, which reflected the Harrison proposal. ^[23] 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. Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T McKim Mead and White was a prominent architectural firm in the eastern United States at the turn of the twentieth century The West Wing is the Official offices of the President of the United States ^[10] President William Howard Taft enlisted the help of architect Nathan C. William Howard Taft (September 15 1857 – March 8 1930 was an American politician, the twenty-seventh President of the United States, the tenth Chief Justice Wyeth to add additional space to the West Wing, which included the addition of the Oval Office. | |-| |-| |- | |-| |-| |-| |-| |} The Oval Office is the official office of the President of the United States. ^[23]

The West Wing was damaged by fire in 1929, but rebuilt during the remaining years of the Herbert Hoover presidency. Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10 1874 &ndash October 20 1964 was the thirty-first President of the United States (1929–1933 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. The White House Rose Garden is a Garden bordering the Oval Office and the West Wing of the White House. ^[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^[24] 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. Blair House is the official state guest house for the President of the United States. ^[25] 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. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə John McShain ( December 21 1898 - September 9 1989) was a highy successful American building contractor ^[24] 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. ^[24] Central air conditioning was added, as well as two additional sub-basements providing space for workrooms, storage, and a bomb shelter. The Trumans moved back into the White House on March 27, 1952. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 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. The Vermeil Room ( IPA vɛʁ'mɛj and also vûr'məy is located on the ground floor of the White House, home of the President of the United States The White House Library is located on the Ground Floor of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States. The China Room is one of the rooms on the ground floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Map Room is a room on the ground floor of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States. ^[26]

The Kennedy restoration

The Red Room as designed by Stéphane Boudin during the administration of John F. Stéphane Boudin (1888–1967 was a French interior designer and a president of Maison Jansen, the influential Paris-based interior decorating firm Kennedy.

Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John F. Kennedy (1961–63), directed a very extensive and historic redecoration of the house. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of 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. Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969 Harvard 1902 married 1916 Ruth Wales (1891 - 1967 was an American Horticulturist, an expert on early American furniture and decorative Winterthur Museum and Country Estate is an American estate and Museum in Winterthur near Greenville, Delaware, now housing one of the most important ^[27] Other antiques, fine paintings, and improvements of the Kennedy period were donated to the White House by wealthy donors, including the Crowninshield family, Jane Engelhard, Jayne Wrightsman, and the Oppenheimer family. Crowninshields are an American family prominent in Seafaring, political and Military leadership and the literary world Jane Engelhard (born Marie Annette Reiss 1917 - February 29, 2004) was an American Philanthropist known for her marriage to billionaire Stéphane Boudin of the House of Jansen, a Paris interior-design firm that had been recognized world-wide, was employed by Mrs. Stéphane Boudin (1888–1967 was a French interior designer and a president of Maison Jansen, the influential Paris-based interior decorating firm Maison Jansen (House of Jansen was a Paris -based Interior decoration office founded in 1880 by Dutch -born Jean-Henri Jansen and continuing in Kennedy to assist with the decoration. ^[27] 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. The Green Room is one of three state Parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Blue Room is one of three state parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Red Room is one of three state parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Yellow Oval Room is an oval room located on the south side of the second floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Treaty Room is located on the second floor of the White House, home of the President of the United States. 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. ^[27] The first White House guide book was produced under the direction of curator Lorraine Waxman Pearce with direct supervision from Jacqueline Kennedy. ^[28] Sale of the guide book helped finance the restoration.

The White House today

Cross Hall, connecting the State Dining Room and the East Room

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 Kennedys' Fine Arts Committee). The Committee for the Preservation of the White House is an advisory committee charged with the preservation of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of 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. The Curator of the White House or less formally White House Curator is head of the White House Office of the Curator which is charged with the conservation and study of the White House Chief Usher is the title of the head of household staff and operations at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the President of ^[29]

Marine One departs from the South Lawn where State Arrival Ceremonies for visiting heads of state take place. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The State Arrival Ceremony is a ceremony that takes place on the South Lawn of the White House, the official home and principal workplace of the

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 President Richard Nixon appointed. Thelma Catherine " Pat " Ryan Nixon (March 16 1912 &ndash June 22 1993 was the wife of Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United ^[30] Mrs. Nixon's efforts brought over six hundred artifacts to the home, the largest acquisition by any administration. ^[31] In the 1990s President and Mrs. Bill Clinton had some rooms refurbished with the assistance of Arkansas decorator Kaki Hockersmith, including the Oval Office, the East Room, Blue Room, State Dining Room and Lincoln Sitting Room. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States The State Dining Room is the larger of two dining rooms on the State Floor of the White House, the home of the President of the United States. A recent refurbishment of the Lincoln Bedroom begun during the Clinton administration was completed in President George W. Bush's administration, and the refurbishment of the Green Room and East Room has begun. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. 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. Paraplegia is an impairment in motor and/or sensory function of the lower extremities In the 1990s Hillary Rodham Clinton, at the suggestion of Visitors Office Director Melinda N. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26 1947 is the junior United States Senator from 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.

Layout and facts

White House Ground Floor showing location of principal rooms.

White House State Floor showing location of principal rooms.

White House Second Floor showing location of principal rooms.

Today the group of buildings housing the presidency is known as 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 It includes the central Executive Residence flanked by the East Wing and West Wing. The term Executive Residence is used to describe the central building of the White House Complex located between the East Wing and West Wing. This article is about the East Wing of the White House The more famous structure is the West Wing. The West Wing is the Official offices of the President of the United States Day to day household operations are coordinated by the Chief Usher. White House Chief Usher is the title of the head of household staff and operations at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the President of 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. ^[15] It receives about 5,000 visitors a day.

Executive Residence

Main article: Executive Residence

The original residence is in the center. The term Executive Residence is used to describe the central building of the White House Complex located between the East Wing and West Wing. 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. In Classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of Columns joined by their Entablature, often free-standing as in the famous elliptically The Executive Residence houses the president's home, as well as rooms for ceremonies and official entertaining. The term Executive Residence is used to describe the central building of the White House Complex located between the East Wing and West Wing. 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. | |-| |-| |-| |-|-| |} The East Room is the largest room in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Green Room is one of three state Parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Blue Room is one of three state parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Red Room is one of three state parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The State Dining Room is the larger of two dining rooms on the State Floor of the White House, the home of the President of the United States. WHStateFamilypng|thumb|right|250px|White House State Floor showing location of the Family Dining Room | |-| |- | |} The Cross Hall is a broad hallway on the first floor in the White House, the official residence of the President of the United States. | |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |} The Entrance Hall (also called the Grand Foyer) is the primary and formal entrance to the White House, the Official residence The Grand Staircase is the chief stairway connecting the State Floor and the Second Floor of the White House the official home of the President of the United States ^[32] The Ground Floor is made up of the Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room, China Room, Vermeil Room, Library, the main kitchen, and other offices. The Diplomatic Reception Room is one of three oval rooms in the residence of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States. The Map Room is a room on the ground floor of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States. The China Room is one of the rooms on the ground floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The Vermeil Room ( IPA vɛʁ'mɛj and also vûr'məy is located on the ground floor of the White House, home of the President of the United States The White House Library is located on the Ground Floor of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States. ^[33] 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. The Yellow Oval Room is an oval room located on the south side of the second floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. The President's Dining Room is located on the second floor of the White House near the northwest corner The Treaty Room is located on the second floor of the White House, home of the President of the United States. The Lincoln Bedroom is located on the second floor of the White House, part of a guest suite of rooms that includes the Lincoln Sitting Room. ^[34] The third floor consists of the White House Solarium, Game Room, Linen Room, a Diet Kitchen, and another sitting room (currently President George W. Bush's workout room). ^[35]

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. The West Wing is the Official offices of the President of the United States | |-| |-| |- | |-| |-| |-| |-| |} The Oval Office is the official office of the President of the United States. It also includes the Cabinet Room, where the president conducts business meetings and where the United States Cabinet meets,^[36] as well as the White House Situation Room, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, and Roosevelt Room. The Cabinet Room is the meeting room for the cabinet secretaries and advisors serving the President of the United States. The United States Cabinet (usually simplified as "the Cabinet" is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the Executive branch of the Federal government The White House Situation Room is a 5000-square-foot Conference room and intelligence management center in the basement of the West Wing of the The James S Brady Press Briefing Room is a small theater in the West Wing of the White House where the White House Press Secretary gives daily briefings 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 ^[37] 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. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB was formerly known as the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB and originally was built as the State War and Navy Building

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. This article is about the East Wing of the White House The more famous structure is the West Wing. Among its uses, the East Wing has intermittently housed the offices and staff of the First Lady, and the White House Social Office. First Lady of the United States is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. 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. Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter (born August 18 1927 is the wife of former United States President Jimmy Carter and was First Lady of the United States " 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. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The bunker has come to be known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. The President's Emergency Operations Center ( PEOC) is a structure that lies beneath the East Wing of the

Grounds

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

Before the construction of the North Portico most public events were entered from the South Lawn, which was graded and planted by Thomas Jefferson. President's Park, located in Washington DC, United States, includes the White House a visitor center Lafayette Park, and The Ellipse 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. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr ( July 24 1870 - December 25 1957) was an American Landscape architect best known for his The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted (1852-1920 and Frederick Roosevelt. During the Kennedy administration the White House Rose Garden was redesigned by Rachel Lambert Mellon. The White House Rose Garden is a Garden bordering the Oval Office and the West Wing of the White House. Rachel Lowe Lambert Lloyd Mellon (born circa 1912 is an American horticulturalist gardener philanthropist and fine arts collector 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. The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden is located at the White House south of the East Colonnade On the weekend of June 23, 2006, a century-old American Elm (Ulmaceae Ulmus americana L.) tree on the north side of the building, came down during one of the many storms of the Mid-Atlantic Flood of June 2006. Ulmus americana, generally known as the American Elm or less commonly as the White Elm or Water Elm, is a species native to eastern The Mid-Atlantic United States flood of 2006 was a significant flood that affected much of the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern United States. This elm is depicted on the right side on the back of the $20 bill. Pre-Federal Reserve history 1861 A Demand note with Lady Liberty holding a sword and shield on the front and an abstract design on the This tree was believed to have been planted between 1902 and 1906 during Theodore Roosevelt's administration. Among the oldest trees on the grounds are several magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) planted by Andrew Jackson. Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the Southern magnolia or bull bay, is a Magnolia native to the southeastern United

Public access and security

See also: White House Tourism

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

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. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence The Blue Room is one of three state parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. 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. Andrew Jackson (March 15 1767 June 8 1845 was the seventh President of the United States (1829&ndash1837 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. Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18 1837 June 24 1908 was both the twenty-second and twenty-fourth President of the United States. 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. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States The White House remained accessible in other ways as well; 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. Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal “General” Daniel Pratt Jr (born 11 April 1809 in Prattville Chelsea, Massachusetts; died 21 June 1887 in 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 landed on the White House grounds. The pilot was killed by the crash. ^[38] 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. ^[39]

On May 20, 1995, primarily as a response to the Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995, but also in reaction to several other incidents, 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. The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist attack on April 19 1995 aimed at the U Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 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. The United States Department of the Treasury is a Cabinet department and the Treasury of the United States government. ^[40] 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. ^[41]

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. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB was formerly known as the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB and originally was built as the State War and Navy Building These tours were suspended in the wake of the events of September 11, 2001. In September 2003 they were 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. ^[42]

The White House Complex is protected by the United States Secret Service and the United States Park Police. The United States Park Police (USPP is the oldest uniformed federal law enforcement agency in the United States.

See also

• White House History
• White House Endowment Trust
• White House Acquisition Trust
• Curator of the White House
• White House Social Secretary
• White House Chief Floral Designer
• White House Chief Calligrapher
• White House Graphics and Calligraphy Office
• White House Executive Chef
• Western White House
• White House Communications Agency
• White House Fellows
• Number One Observatory Circle, the official residence of the Vice President of the United States
• List of U.S. Presidential residences
• Category:Rooms in the White House

Footnotes

References

• Abbott, James A. A Frenchman in Camelot: The Decoration of the Kennedy White House by Stéphane Boudin. Boscobel Restoration Inc. : 1995. ISBN 0-9646659-0-5.
• Abbott James A. , and Elaine M. Rice. Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration. Van Nostrand Reinhold: 1998. ISBN 0-442-02532-7.
• Abbott, James A. Jansen. Acanthus Press: 2006. ISBN 0-926494-33-3.
• Clinton, Hillary Rodham. An Invitation to the White House: At Home with History. Simon & Schuster: 2000. ISBN 0-684-85799-5.
• Garrett, Wendell. Our Changing White House. Northeastern University Press: 1995. ISBN 1-55553-222-5.
• Kenny, Peter M. , Frances F. Bretter and Ulrich Leben. Honoré Lannuier Cabinetmaker from Paris: The Life and Work of French Ébiniste in Federal New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and Harry Abrams: 1998. ISBN 0-87099-836-6.
• Leish, Kenneth. The White House. Newsweek Book Division: 1972. ISBN 0-88225-020-5.
• McKellar, Kenneth, Douglas W. Orr, Edward Martin, et al. Report of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion. Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion, Government Printing Office: 1952.
• Monkman, Betty C. The White House: The Historic Furnishing & First Families. Abbeville Press: 2000. ISBN 0-7892-0624-2.
• Penaud, Guy Dictionnaire des châteaux du Périgord. Editions Sud-Ouest: 1996. ISBN 2-87901-221-X.
• Seale, William. The President's House. White House Historical Association and the National Geographic Society: 1986. ISBN 0-912308-28-1.
• Seale, William, The White House: The History of an American Idea. White House Historical Association: 1992, 2001. ISBN 0-912308-85-0.
• West, J. B. with Mary Lynn Kotz. Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan: 1973. ISBN 698-10546-X.
• Wolff, Perry. A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy. Doubleday & Company: 1962.
• Exhibition Catalogue, Sale 6834: The Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis April 23–26, 1996. Sothebys, Inc. : 1996.
• The White House: An Historic Guide. White House Historical Association and the National Geographic Society: 2001. ISBN 0-912308-79-6.
• The White House. The First Two Hundred Years, ed. by Frank Freidel/William Pencak, Boston 1994.

External links

• Official White House website
• The White House Historical Association, with historical photos, online tours and exhibits, timelines, and facts
• National Park Service website for the President's Park
• The White House Museum, a detailed online tour of the White House
• Detailed 3D computer model of White House and grounds

• White House is at coordinates 38°53′52″N 77°02′12″W / 38.89767, -77.03655 (White House)Coordinates: 38°53′52″N 77°02′12″W / 38.89767, -77.03655 (White House)