At various times in history, the White House has been known as the “President’s Palace,” the “President’s House,” and the “Executive Mansion.”.The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.The White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d’oeuvres to more than 1,000.There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators. There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence.The White House remains a place where history continues to unfold. From the Ground Floor Corridor rooms, transformed from their early use as service areas, to the State Floor rooms, where countless leaders and dignitaries have been entertained, the White House is both the home of the President of the United States and his or her family, and a living museum of American history. The reconstruction was overseen by architect Lorenzo Winslow, and in 1952, the Truman family moved back into the White House.Įvery president since John Adams has occupied the White House, and the history of this building extends far beyond the construction of its walls. Truman began a renovation of the building in which everything but the outer walls was dismantled. Less than fifty years after the Roosevelt renovation, the White House was already showing signs of serious structural weakness. Roosevelt’s successor, President William Howard Taft, had the Oval Office constructed within an enlarged office wing. The Roosevelt renovation was planned and carried out by the famous New York architectural firm McKim, Mead and White. In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt began a major renovation of the White House, including the relocation of the President’s offices from the Second Floor of the Residence to the newly constructed temporary Executive Office Building (now known as the West Wing). At its heart, Designing History: The Extraordinary Art & Style of the Obama White House (Rizzoli, September 1) is a love letter to the rich and endlessly fascinating. Various proposals were put forward during the late 19th century to significantly expand the President’s House or to build an entirely new residence, but these plans were never realized. In 1829, Andrew Jackson oversaw the addition of the North Portico. James Monroe moved into the building in 1817, and during his administration, the South Portico was constructed. During the War of 1812, the British set fire to the President’s House, and James Hoban was appointed to rebuild it. After eight years of construction, President John Adams and his wife Abigail moved into the still-unfinished residence. The following year, the cornerstone was laid and a design submitted by Irish-born architect James Hoban was chosen. Our first president, George Washington, selected the site for the White House in 1791. Get Involved Show submenu for “Get Involved”” The Executive Residence is the central building of the White House complex located between the East Wing and West Wing.The White House Show submenu for “The White House”” This traditional farm house plan design features a wrap-around porch that emulates classic country styling. The Grounds Camp David Air Force One The White House and its surrounding grounds serve as the home of the President of the United States and First Family.Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Office of Science and Technology Policy.Executive Offices Show submenu for “Executive Offices””.Administration Show submenu for “Administration””.The original version of this feature documentary is available on DVD at /store and viewable in the C-SPAN Video Library on product identification number 282748-8. This documentary, originally aired in 2008, was re-presented in high definition in 2011 updated with material from interviews with President and Mrs. Featured are portions of a tour conducted by First Lady Laura Bush, interviews with White House staff and conversations with historians about the significance of the residence, furnishings, and rooms. T10:02:43-05:00 The White House: Inside America’s Most Famous Home provides a documentary-style look behind the scenes at White House operations and examines the history of the president’s home.

White house layout