5th Grade Informational The White House The White House is more than just the president’s house. It is a national landmark recognized around the world. It has represented our country for a long time and has a very interesting history. The white house was built more than two hundred years ago but not in time for our first president to live in it. In 1789, George Washington became the first president. One year after he was elected president, Congress voted to have a permanent home built for the president. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson came up with the idea to have a contest on the best design for the White House. James Hoban drew the winning plan in 1792, and was in charge of the construction as well. In 1800, the White House was pretty much done so it’s first presidential family moved in, John and Abigail Adams. However, Thomas Jefferson was the first president to live in the White House for his entire term. Sadly on August 24, 1814, during the war of 1812, the White House was set on fire. Much of the building was destroyed and many treasures lost but Dolley Madison saved the portrait of George Washington. When they were going to rebuild the White House, they rehired James Hoban to build it because no one knew the building better. Every president from John Adams to Barack Obama has lived in the White House and so have all their pets. President Calvin Coolidge, I think, had the most interesting pets. He had two cats, a donkey, six dogs, two raccoons, a goose, and a bobcat who all lived at the White House. Each president gets to decorate the White House the way that they want but they can’t change the way it look from the outside. The white house has a total of 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, 3 elevators, 2 floors, 25 bedrooms, 3 kitchens, 3 dining rooms, 1 library, 1 bowling alley, 1 movie theatre, 69 closets, 1 room for arranging flowers, 1 upholstery shop,and 1 pool. Each president has used these rooms as they pleased but some remain unchanged, such as the Lincoln bedroom. One of the most famous rooms in the White House is the Oval Office. This is where the president carries out his duties. The White House is also known as the People’s House. The public is allowed to visit and tour some of the rooms. It is a reminder that the people who live there serve our country and us. George Washington would have been pleased. .