White House

White House, official residence of the president of the United States, built in its original form between 1792 and 1800, and situated at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. It has been known variously as the President's Palace, the President's House, and the Executive Mansion, but has always been most popularly known as the White House. This designation became official in 1901, when Theodore Roosevelt had the name imprinted on his stationery. The White House has been the home of every president in American history with the exception of George Washington, who approved the act that led to its construction. Although it has been subject to numerous renovations and additions, it has retained its classical simplicity.

The White House was designed by the Irish-American architect James Hoban. Constructed of Virginia sandstone, the main building is a stately white edifice built in the classical style associated with the 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio. On the ground floor are cloakrooms, a china room, the kitchen, and the library. On the first floor are the formal state rooms, which are open to the public. The private apartments of the president occupy the second floor of the main building, and the third floor consists chiefly of guest rooms and staff quarters.

During the War of 1812, British troops set fire to the structure on August 4, 1814, destroying the interior. Hoban supervised its reconstruction, which was completed in 1817, and also added the south portico. The White House was substantially renovated between 1948 and 1952, during the administration of Harry S. Truman, and refurnished a decade later, during the administration, of John F. Kennedy. A permanent art collection was assembled for the Executive Mansion, and in 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson issued an executive order establishing the Committee for the Preservation of the White House.