White House

The White House, the official residence and office of the President, has occupied the same site on Pennsylvania Avenue since John Adams moved in in 1800. It is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world and one of the few official residences of a head of state that is open to public tours — though access requires advance arrangement through your Congressional representative, and tours do not include the private living quarters.

The exterior can be seen freely from the north side (Pennsylvania Avenue) and south side (the Ellipse). The surrounding Lafayette Square has long been a site of protest — the tradition of demonstrating directly in front of the President's house is as old as the republic. The adjacent OEOB (Old Executive Office Building) next door is a magnificent Second Empire pile worth admiring for its architecture alone.

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A story
The British burned the White House in August 1814, during the War of 1812. President and Dolley Madison fled with whatever could be carried; she famously saved a large portrait of George Washington by cutting it from its frame. The exterior sandstone walls survived the fire but were scorched black — they were whitewashed to cover the stains, which is how the building got its name.

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