White House Facts

Architectural White House Facts

Year of Commencement: 1792
Year of Completion: 1800
Original Architect: James Hoban
Architecture style: Late Georgian
Building Exterior: Aquia Sandstone, painted white
Length: 168 feet
Width: 85 feet 6 inches without porticoes (152 feet wide with porticoes).
Height: 70 feet on the south and 60 feet 4 inches on the north
Acres Enclosed by White House fences: 18
Interior Design: 132 rooms, 32 bathrooms, and 6 levels.
Floor Area (total of 6 floors): roughly 55,000 square feet.
Year Electricity Was Installed: 1891

First Facts

First President to Occupy the Building: John Adams

White House Facts on Visitors

Average Number of Visitors: 6,000 visitors a day or more than 2 million each year.

Additional Facts About the White House

In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt gave the White House its current name. Until then, the building had been refered to as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the "Executive Mansion."

The White House's kitchen has 5 full-time chefs and serve dinner for up to 140 guests and hors d'oeuvres for more than 1,000.

White House Grounds and its Building include a tennis court, a movie theater, several pool tables, and even a bowling alley.

The very first Inaugural open house in the White House was held by President Thomas Jefferson, in 1805.

In 1814, the White House was set fire and scorched by the British during the War of 1812.