White House

The White House is the official residence of the President of the United States. The President and the First Family live and work in the White House, maintaining the affairs and upholding the prestige of the nation. President George Washington and Washington, D.C. city planner Pierre L’Enfant laid the groundwork for the White House in 1790, setting the site for the “President’s House” at what would become 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban, the first stone was laid in 1792, but it wasn’t until 1800 that second President James Adams and family became the first occupants of the nearly completed White House. The White House has a long and storied history, being burnt by the British in the War of 1812, suffering another fire in 1929, and being gutted and renovated to avoid complete structural failure by President Harry S. Truman, but throughout it all the original white-painted sandstone exterior walls have withstood the test of time. Every President and First Family has added their own personal touches to the building, just as they have left their mark on American history.

• See the symbol and working seat of the American Presidency
• Take a picture in front of the most famous house in the US

For more information, visit the official website at www.whitehouse.gov.